Documents and Cash to Bring for Treatment in China

“Did you pay by cash or card in Turkey for the surgery? If cash how did you get it there safely and securely? And if card, did you have to call your bank and let them know what you were doing before going?”

— Patient · 2026

In one line

Bring your passport and visa, the hospital's letter, your records and scan images, your medicines in their original packs and a card that works abroad; carry only modest cash, because more than RMB 20,000 or USD 5,000 in foreign currency must be declared.

Entry rules as of October 2026. Ask the hospital which records it needs, and ask your insurer in writing which documents it would want for any claim.

That question comes up in almost every conversation about treatment abroad, and so does the one about paperwork. Both are easier to answer before you leave than from a hospital bed. This guide covers what to bring for treatment in China, how to pay, and what to collect before you fly home.

What documents should you bring for treatment in China?

Bring three sets of papers: your travel documents, your medical records and anything an insurer may need later.

The travel documents are your passport, your visa if you have one, and the hospital's letter confirming your diagnosis, plan or admission date. That letter is also what an S2 visa application relies on, as explained in our guide to visas for treatment in China.

The medical records matter more than people expect. The doctor in China will want to see what has already been found and tried, and will use your earlier scans for comparison. Bring a short summary from your own doctor, recent test results, reports from any scans, the scan images themselves on a disc or USB, a list of your medicines with doses, and any allergies or past operations. A summary in English is fine to send ahead; translation into Chinese can be arranged where it is needed.

Documents to bring

Passport, valid for your whole stay, and your visa if you need one.
The hospital's letter with your diagnosis, plan or admission date.
A short summary from your own doctor, recent test results and scan reports.
Scan images on a disc or USB, in DICOM format if possible.
A list of your medicines and doses, allergies and past operations.
Medicines in their original packs, with a copy of the prescription.
Your insurer's written reply about cover, and their claim requirements.
A record of your vaccinations.

Can you bring your prescription medicines into China?

We found no official customs guidance for travellers that sets out exactly how to carry prescription medicines into China. The general customs rule is that personal items should be for your own use and in reasonable quantities, according to Shanghai's official customs guide for passengers.

Stronger painkillers, sedatives and some other controlled medicines are different. Carrying them across the border is reported to require a certificate from the drug regulator, although we could not check the official wording for travellers. If you take any of these, ask the Chinese embassy before you travel.

Sensible precautions are to keep medicines in their original packaging with the pharmacy label, carry a copy of the prescription or a short letter from your doctor, and pack them in your hand luggage.

How much cash can you bring into China?

You must declare more than RMB 20,000 in cash, or foreign currency worth more than USD 5,000, when you arrive. The Hunan provincial government's entry guide (2026) and Shanghai's passenger customs guide give the same limits. Declaring is not a penalty; it simply has to be done.

Cash still works in China. Rules on accepting cash took effect on 1 February 2026: businesses and public service providers that take payment in person may not refuse cash or treat cash payers less favourably, according to the People's Bank of China rules reported by Xinhua. Even so, carrying a large sum for a hospital bill is the riskiest way to pay. Most people bring a modest amount for taxis and meals and pay the hospital by card.

Is it better to pay by card or cash for treatment in China?

For larger bills, a card is usually safer and gives you a record. Beijing's official medical guide for foreigners lists cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, UnionPay, WeChat Pay and Alipay as payment methods, with foreign card payments converted at the day's exchange rate. Beijing Tiantan Hospital opened foreign card windows in 2024 for emergency, outpatient and inpatient payments.

A 2024 State Council measure requires hospitals and other key places to have the equipment to accept mobile payment, bank cards and cash, and it promotes the acceptance of foreign cards. In practice, large hospitals in big cities are the easiest; smaller clinics may take only mobile payment or cash.

You can also link a foreign Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay. The limits for foreign users were raised in 2024 to USD 5,000 per payment and USD 50,000 a year. Payments above RMB 200 carry a fee of about 3%, which the app shows before you pay, and your own bank may add a currency conversion fee. Tell your bank before you travel so a large hospital payment is not blocked.

Ways to pay a hospital in China

as of October 2026

Method	What to know	Source
Foreign credit or debit card	Accepted at large hospitals; converted at the day's exchange rate; your bank may charge a conversion fee	Beijing government medical guide
Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card	Up to USD 5,000 per payment and USD 50,000 a year; about 3% fee above RMB 200, shown in the app	PBOC announcement, 2024; Shanghai government page
Cash	May not be refused from 1 Feb 2026; declare more than RMB 20,000 or USD 5,000 in foreign currency on arrival	PBOC rules, 2025; provincial customs guides
Direct billing by an international insurer	Some plans settle with some hospitals; needs pre-authorisation	Insurer and Beijing government pages

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Do you have to pay before surgery in China?

Usually you pay a deposit before you are admitted, and the balance is settled when you leave. Since 30 June 2025, public hospitals have had to lower inpatient deposits for patients with Chinese medical insurance, but there is no set limit for foreign patients paying themselves. The hospital decides the amount, so ask for it in writing with the quote, together with how and when any unused deposit is refunded. Our hip and knee replacement page shows what a typical inpatient bill covers.

Keep every receipt. You will need them for any claim and for checking the final bill against the quote.

“Bring a short medical summary, ask for copies of MRI images + reports, and keep all receipts.”

— Patient's family · 2026

What documents do you need for an insurance claim after treatment abroad?

Ask your insurer before you go, because most plans will not pay for planned treatment abroad. The NHS says most travel insurance will not cover planned treatment abroad, and Australia's Smartraveller says basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism. Some international health plans reimburse treatment in China or pay hospitals directly. Ask your insurer for written confirmation of what they would pay and which documents they need.

Whatever the answer, collect the documents while you are still in China. It is much harder to get them later.

“I'd secure the paperwork, because it's what every route will ask for first and it gets harder to obtain the longer this runs. The operative note specifically, plus the signed consent and surgical plan, the invoice … Ask for originals rather than a summary letter.”

— Patient · 2026

Insurers usually want itemised invoices and receipts, the discharge summary, the operation note if you had surgery, test and scan reports, and proof of payment. Ask whether they accept documents in Chinese or need a certified translation, and whether claims can be sent by email.

What vaccines do you need before travelling to China for treatment?

Check your own government's travel health advice for China and see a travel clinic or your doctor well before you go. Tell them you are travelling for treatment so they can advise on timing, and tell your surgeon about any vaccines you have had recently. Bring a record of your vaccinations with your other medical papers.

Entry rules and payment limits change. Check the official pages linked above and confirm with the embassy, your bank and your insurer before you book.