Med Exam: our experience in Shanghai

[ameriken]

I read a post in the faq section about the medical exam process in Shanghai, and thought I would add our own experience. We went today to Shanghai Peoples Hospital, and overall, it was a good experience.

 

The price is 900 for adults, and the exams are done M-F 8a to 10a. From central Pudong, the taxi was about 30 to 40 mins in AM rush, and about 25 rmb (Jie grimaced when I gave the driver a total of 30 with tip).

 

Shanghai Peoples has a special section just for the Visa exams. When we got there, about 830 am, there were maybe 6 to 10 others, mostly older folk, perhaps for B2's. We met another K1 (cant miss that blue EMS envelope in her hands) and she was early 20's, her SO in California (town of Campbell I think she tried to say?). We tried to find out if her SO was a CLF-er or not, but she bu ming bai what we were talking about. Her english was not too well. (Uh oh, blue slip?). She did say her interview was Feb 24.

 

Moving on, Jie finished her forms, got BP, weight and eye exam, went to the panel physician for questions, on to draw blood (I almost fainted), urine sample, then down one floor to get a chest xray, and ecg.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT HIV TESTING: we expected to have to go to a second distant location for HIV testing and pay another 50 RMB, but Shanghai Peoples Hospital NOW INCLUDES this in the blood draw and 900 RMB price. There is no extra fee, and no second draw ! !　

 

SIDEBAR: we did go to another location because I wanted Jie to start her immunizations. I dont know if this was the right decision or not. I know it is not required for K1, but I do know it is required sometime later in the process, and my thinking (or lack of) was that maybe we save a few bucks doing it in China (296 RMB), and maybe it will speed up the process a little. Anyway, her first round of shots is finished.

I almost fainted again. I dont like needles. Even when it is someone else getting them. END SIDEBAR

 

Anyhow, to close the story, the whole experience at Shanghai Peoples was a good one, and the whole exam lasted about 80 mins, arrival to leaving.

 

Jie has to go back on Weds next week to bring her DS156,157, etc forms, certs, etc to finish the infamous 'sealed envelope'. She DID NOT need those today.

 

If your SO goes, just be sure she brings the following: Her passport, GUZ interview letter, Med Exam forms, and passport photos. (I dont want to tell you that you dont need all the other forms on the first visit, I am just saying, we did not for her visit.)

 

Anyhow, that was it for Shanghai Peoples Hospital. Overall, it was a fast, smooth, and relatively easy process. Well, thats easy for me to say, I am not the one who got poked and prodded. Its 4pm now, Jie is out like a light. After a blood draw (took 4 times to find her vein), and 3 immunization shots, I think I will let this poor girl rest for a while.

 

Thanks for reading, and I hope this is helpful for anyone else who will be going to Shanghai Peoples.

[yuan fen]

I read a post in the faq section about the medical exam process in Shanghai, and thought I would add our own experience. We went today to Shanghai Peoples Hospital, and overall, it was a good experience.

 

The price is 900 for adults, and the exams are done M-F 8a to 10a. From central Pudong, the taxi was about 30 to 40 mins in AM rush, and about 25 rmb (Jie grimaced when I gave the driver a total of 30 with tip).

 

Shanghai Peoples has a special section just for the Visa exams. When we got there, about 830 am, there were maybe 6 to 10 others, mostly older folk, perhaps for B2's. We met another K1 (cant miss that blue EMS envelope in her hands) and she was early 20's, her SO in California (town of Campbell I think she tried to say?). We tried to find out if her SO was a CLF-er or not, but she bu ming bai what we were talking about. Her english was not too well. (Uh oh, blue slip?). She did say her interview was Feb 24.

 

Moving on, Jie finished her forms, got BP, weight and eye exam, went to the panel physician for questions, on to draw blood (I almost fainted), urine sample, then down one floor to get a chest xray, and ecg.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT HIV TESTING: we expected to have to go to a second distant location for HIV testing and pay another 50 RMB, but Shanghai Peoples Hospital NOW INCLUDES this in the blood draw and 900 RMB price. There is no extra fee, and no second draw ! !¡¡

 

SIDEBAR: we did go to another location because I wanted Jie to start her immunizations. I dont know if this was the right decision or not. I know it is not required for K1, but I do know it is required sometime later in the process, and my thinking (or lack of) was that maybe we save a few bucks doing it in China (296 RMB), and maybe it will speed up the process a little. Anyway, her first round of shots is finished.

I almost fainted again. I dont like needles. Even when it is someone else getting them. END SIDEBAR

 

Anyhow, to close the story, the whole experience at Shanghai Peoples was a good one, and the whole exam lasted about 80 mins, arrival to leaving.

 

Jie has to go back on Weds next week to bring her DS156,157, etc forms, certs, etc to finish the infamous 'sealed envelope'. She DID NOT need those today.

 

If your SO goes, just be sure she brings the following: Her passport, GUZ interview letter, Med Exam forms, and passport photos. (I dont want to tell you that you dont need all the other forms on the first visit, I am just saying, we did not for her visit.)

 

Anyhow, that was it for Shanghai Peoples Hospital. Overall, it was a fast, smooth, and relatively easy process. Well, thats easy for me to say, I am not the one who got poked and prodded. Its 4pm now, Jie is out like a light. After a blood draw (took 4 times to find her vein), and 3 immunization shots, I think I will let this poor girl rest for a while.

 

Thanks for reading, and I hope this is helpful for anyone else who will be going to Shanghai Peoples.

182135[/snapback]

Thanks, this helps alot. I-129F mailed today, Shang hai Peoples will be on our itinerary as well. Just returned from Pudong.

[IluvmyLi]

Thanks a plenty Ken

 

Nice detail and again Congrats on bringing your honey home soon.

[tucsonjim]

Thanks for this info Ken! I also plan to have my SO and daughter start and hopefully finish the immunizations while they are still in China.

 

Can they get the immunizations from any hospital as long as they have the records or are there only designated places for that? My SO lives in Nanning so I'd like for her and her daughter to get them at a hospital in Nanning if possible.

 

Thanks again and best of luck to you and your SO on the interview!!

Jim

[david_dawei]

immunizations can be done at any location that administers them... you can show up to a hospital and just let them know what you want, pay the fee and get them.

 

The key point is to get "yellow book" of vaccinations... sometimes included in the cost and sometimes a separate fee. Just make sure that there is either english within the book or a translation showing what was given.

 

---

 

Great info Ken !!

[tucsonjim]

immunizations can be done at any location that administers them... you can show up to a hospital and just let them know what you want, pay the fee and get them.

 

The key point is to get "yellow book" of vaccinations... sometimes included in the cost and sometimes a separate fee.  Just make sure that there is either english within the book or a translation showing what was given.

 

---

 

Great info Ken !!

182212[/snapback]

Thanks much David! Hadn't heard of the yellow book before. Will be sure to get that.

[david_dawei]

Description of the book:

 

After passing the interview, we went to the Guangdong International Travel Clinic on Shamain Island.  There she asked for and recieved the vaccinations required.  They gave her an international vaccination card with the stamps of the vaccinations that she received in both english and chinese.  It was a small yellow booklet.

29282[/snapback]

 

---

 

At least one report of a Civil Surgeon turning a head on the book having no english.. take the time and go somewhere that will provide it or at least have the shot abbreviation in english with the chinese...

 

 

After having just done this step let me tell you, there is no standard!

Almost every civil surgeon I talked to gave me different info!

...

...

Amy told the doc that she had the MMR shot as a child and as a result she only had to get a tetanus shot. She showed the doc her yellow vaccination book (which has no English in it) and the doc bought her story.

125925[/snapback]

[tucsonjim]

Description of the book:

 

After passing the interview, we went to the Guangdong International Travel Clinic on Shamain Island.  There she asked for and recieved the vaccinations required.  They gave her an international vaccination card with the stamps of the vaccinations that she received in both english and chinese.  It was a small yellow booklet.

29282[/snapback]

 

---

 

At least one report of a Civil Surgeon turning a head on the book having no english.. take the time and go somewhere that will provide it or at least have the shot abbreviation in english with the chinese...

 

 

After having just done this step let me tell you, there is no standard!

Almost every civil surgeon I talked to gave me different info!

...

...

Amy told the doc that she had the MMR shot as a child and as a result she only had to get a tetanus shot. She showed the doc her yellow vaccination book (which has no English in it) and the doc bought her story.

125925[/snapback]

182220[/snapback]

Good information on the International Vaccination card... Getting this info in English and Chinese sounds like a great idea! Thanks much!!

[ameriken]

We also intend to get this int'l travel card, as she was offered to be able to pick it up in 30 days. In addition, she has the new immunization record with her, and the plan is to have her take it back for her return trip to Shanghai Peoples hospital for the panel physician to now transfer the data onto the consulates immunization form, so at least there will be some record of it on a USGovt form.

 

Thats the plan, anyway. Will update when she comes back Weds on how it went.

Edited January 13, 2006 by ameriken (see edit history)

[amerikens jie]

make sure your SO donot eat breakfast before the exam. and drink more water before exam day. my god! i was hungry... almost can eat a whole black chicken! he he he.......

before I was heard 001 girls talk about exam! they feel GZ hosipital they are sometimes not very friendly. and i even heard doctor tell the girl. said she had HIV. and told she come again to check. the same time. told she donot worry. just chack again........ She was so much worry this. even affect her interview! and she havenot HIV. this things happen 2 or 3 days before her interview. she was very very very scary.......

so if you can go to your ownself city to chack . or come to shanghai! or give yourself more time to prepare exam!

Jie

[chef4u]

make sure your SO donot eat breakfast before the exam. and drink more water before exam day.  my god! i was hungry... almost can eat a whole black chicken! he he he.......

before I was heard 001 girls talk about exam! they feel GZ hosipital they are sometimes not very friendly. and i even heard doctor tell the girl. said she had HIV. and told she come again to check. the same time. told she donot worry. just chack again........ She was so much worry this. even affect her interview! and she havenot HIV. this things happen 2 or 3 days before her interview. she was very very very scary.......

so if you can go to your ownself city to chack . or come to shanghai! or give yourself more time to prepare exam!

Jie   

182498[/snapback]

I am presuming that you do not have to go to Guangzhou for the medical and the answer is no because you all got it done in Shanghai. My understanding is that when you receive Package #3 you get a list of approved hospitals for the medical exam, right? If so, does anyone know if there are any approved hospitals in Nanning?

[Stone]

make sure your SO donot eat breakfast before the exam. and drink more water before exam day.?my god! i was hungry... almost can eat a whole black chicken! he he he.......

before I was heard 001 girls talk about exam! they feel GZ hosipital they are sometimes not very friendly. and i even heard doctor tell the girl. said she had HIV. and told she come again to check. the same time. told she donot worry. just chack again........ She was so much worry this. even affect her interview! and she havenot HIV. this things happen 2 or 3 days before her interview. she was very very very scary.......

so if you can go to your ownself city to chack . or come to shanghai! or give yourself more time to prepare exam!

Jie??

182498[/snapback]

I am presuming that you do not have to go to Guangzhou for the medical and the answer is no because you all got it done in Shanghai. My understanding is that when you receive Package #3 you get a list of approved hospitals for the medical exam, right? If so, does anyone know if there are any approved hospitals in Nanning?

182517[/snapback]

When you get package #4, you get a list of approved hospitals. See the list below:

 

http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/guangzho...edicalexam.html

 

There is no approved hospital in Nanning. But if there are too many beneficiaries coming from Nanning, they might consider having one there.

[Jonathan]

Chinese hospitals are scary!

I wouldn't trust them with my life, unless I absolutly had no other choice,

and I couldn't wait.

 

Hospitals in China do not care about your health or what happens to you.

They only care about the money. For example, my girl ate some bad food

that made her throat and tongue swell up really badly. She was having

trouble breathing, so she went to the hospital. She told the person at

the counter that her condition was serious, and asked if she can see the

doctor immediately. The person at the counter replied, "No, you can't see the doctor, until you walk up the third floor, and across the long hall way to pay the bill first. Then bring the receipt back to me. Then, I'll issue you a doctor." My girl asked if she can pay afterwards because it was serious, and they said "NO."

 

My girl told me that during the beuracracy process, she almost sufficated, and thought she would die.

 

So if you ever come into a hospital in China with a bullet wound, don't

expect to get help without paying first and waiting in line.

If you die before they can get to you, I doubt they even care.

 

This kind of stuff makes me glad to be in the USA...

Edited January 17, 2006 by Jonathan (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

We got the yellow book in GZ. Once Bing was here and we filed AOS we took it to a civil surgeon to sign off on the I-693 supplimental. One thing to consider is it may not be a good idea to get the vaccinations before the interview. If there is a long delay or you have an extended wait for AOS it may expire.

[tucsonjim]

We got the yellow book in GZ.  Once Bing was here and we filed AOS we took it to  a civil surgeon to sign off on the I-693 supplimental.  One thing to consider is it may not be a good idea to get the vaccinations before the interview.  If there is a long delay or you have an extended wait for AOS it may expire.

183066[/snapback]

Carl, since several of the vaccinations's are a series of shots, I'm confused how we could wait until after the interview to have the vaccinations if we want to get them in China, where they are reportedly cheaper.... most people are coming to the USA soon (days) after the interview and visa is obtained. What is the shortest vaccination expiration that might need to be redone? I have been thinking about this, like many things in this process, planning for things to go right and if they don't, you have to redo some things. To me, my SO and daughter having these vaccinations is a good thing anyway. It seems the chances of expiring vaccinations is a low probability, but am interested in your views.... maybe I'm missing something. I was planning to have my SO and daughter start their vaccinations while I'm over there in the next couple months. Her interview will likely be in April. Should we wait?

Thanks!