China proposes a medical tourism visa to ease entry for foreign patients, offering faster processing and flexible durations. International patient visits reached 1.28M, up 73.6%.
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Source: OT-Team(G), 界面新闻, 北京商报
The topic of foreigners seeking medical treatment in China has recently gained traction on social media, highlighting a broader rise in international patients traveling to the country for healthcare.
According to a 2025 report on international medical services released by China's National Health Commission, key hospitals serving overseas patients recorded 1.28 million international patient visits last year, representing a 73.6 percent increase compared with three years earlier. The number of patients from Europe and North America has also doubled during the same period.
The growing trend—sometimes described as foreign patients "flying to China for treatment"—has drawn the attention of An Ting, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). In an interview with reporters, An said that while China has strong medical resources and tourism appeal, the country is still in the early stages of attracting overseas consumers specifically for "medical plus tourism" travel.
"Compared with countries that have already developed mature medical tourism industries, China's potential remains significant but has not yet been fully unlocked," An said. "This limits the internationalization of the healthcare service sector and risks missing opportunities to expand service trade and new consumption."
Visa policy seen as key bottleneck
Among several constraints, An highlighted visa accessibility as one of the most immediate barriers for foreign patients seeking treatment in China.
Current short-term visas often have fixed stay periods, which may not match the timelines required for complex surgeries, follow-up treatments, or longer rehabilitation programs. In some cases, patients may face the possibility of their visa expiring before treatment is fully completed.
Another challenge is the handling of medical documentation during visa applications. Overseas patients typically confirm treatment plans and receive invitation letters from hospitals before traveling, but the recognition and processing of these materials within the visa system could be further improved.
Serious medical cases also often require family members or caregivers to accompany the patient, yet companions must usually apply for separate visas, adding to the complexity and cost of the process.
Proposal for a dedicated "medical tourism visa"
To address these issues, An has proposed establishing a special visa category for medical tourism or creating a green channel for patients entering China for confirmed medical appointments.
Under the proposal, overseas patients invited by certified Chinese medical institutions—and necessary accompanying persons—could benefit from simplified documentation requirements, faster processing, and flexible visa durations aligned with treatment cycles.
He also suggested exploring partnerships with international insurance providers so that visa applications, financial guarantees, and medical appointments could be coordinated through an integrated system. Such arrangements could make travel planning more predictable and convenient for international patients.
Improving services for international patients
Beyond visa reforms, An noted that hospitals could further improve services for overseas visitors by strengthening multilingual support, medical translation services, and international payment systems, including direct settlement with global insurance providers.
China also has distinctive advantages in areas such as integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, complex surgery, and rehabilitation care, as well as competitive treatment costs and diverse tourism resources. These strengths, he said, could make the country an attractive destination for international patients if institutional barriers are reduced.
As more foreign patients travel to China for medical treatment, An believes that improving visa policies and related services will be crucial for turning the country's healthcare and tourism resources into a globally competitive medical tourism industry.
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