To book a hospital appointment in China with a foreign passport, first choose the hospital and department, then confirm that its official booking channel accepts your passport and the mobile number you can use. Ask the hospital about language support, costs and the documents to bring before paying or travelling. A successful account registration alone is not a confirmed appointment.
For urgent or potentially life-threatening symptoms, do not wait for a routine appointment. Seek emergency care immediately; in mainland China, 120 is the ambulance number. Local emergency operators and hospitals determine the appropriate response.
Choose the service before the app
Start with the city, the type of consultation, and the dates when you can attend. A hospital may offer a general outpatient clinic and a separate international department, with different booking paths, schedules and charges. The institution's name does not establish which languages a particular clinician speaks or whether your insurer pays directly.
Ask the hospital which department can assess your concern. Do not send sensitive records to a social-media contact or intermediary until you have independently verified the recipient and the hospital's privacy arrangements. For a planned procedure, ask a qualified clinician about suitability, alternatives and follow-up; this guide cannot make that decision for you.
Three official places to start
These are documented entry points, not a guarantee that every specialty or appointment accepts every passport, number or payment method. Availability and interfaces can change. We have not completed a real patient booking through them.
Beijing: International Service Beijing
The Beijing government medical guide describes the English version of the International Service Beijing mini-program on WeChat or Alipay, which connects to the Beijing 114 appointment service. Its 2025 introduction says participating services accept passports and foreign permanent resident ID cards. These are different documents: a short-term visitor should select passport when available, not claim to hold a permanent residence card.
Open the official mini-program, select English, find the relevant hospital and department, and check the available identity and contact options. The government's description does not establish that all listed hospitals, doctors, or appointment slots accept a passport or provide the same language support. Confirm the exact clinic and any phone-verification requirements before relying on a slot.
Beijing: Peking Union Medical College Hospital international service
The Beijing government listing for Peking Union Medical College Hospital describes appointment options through the hospital app's English interface and the hospital's WeChat mini-program. The listing distinguishes the Dongdan and Xidan campuses. Verify the current contact details and the correct campus with the hospital, then ask whether the desired clinic accepts a foreign passport and what language help is available for that appointment.
An English booking interface is not proof of an English consultation, interpreter, English medical report or direct billing. Ask about each separately.
Shanghai: Suishenban and hospital registration
The Shanghai government guide to seeing a doctor describes registering with a passport at the hospital and an online route through the Suishenban app: add a patient, choose the hospital, department and appointment, and complete the mobile verification. The guide notes that some Chinese may be needed. It does not establish universal passport support for every online booking; check the app and hospital for your own document and number. If the app cannot accept them, contact the hospital about alternatives rather than entering someone else's identity as your own.
Make the booking
- Prepare the basics: passport name and number, date of birth, a working contact number and preferred dates. The required fields vary. Ask which document to bring and how your name must appear.
- Contact the right clinic: verify the hospital, campus, department and whether the appointment is general outpatient or international service. Ask whether a referral is needed.
- Check practical access: confirm foreign-passport registration, supported phone numbers, language assistance, payment methods and any advance deposit. A companion may help communicate, but should not be treated as a medical interpreter unless qualified and accepted by the clinician.
- Ask for the full expected cost: distinguish consultation, tests, medicines, procedures, deposits, cancellation and interpreter charges. Request a written, dated estimate and ask what might change. We do not quote an assumed average price.
- Confirm the slot: save the confirmation, campus address, check-in instructions and cancellation policy. If another person booked for you, confirm that the patient details match your passport.
Insurance, records and medication
Ask the hospital and insurer independently whether your specific policy covers the facility, the visit and any planned care. “We accept insurance” does not necessarily mean direct billing; exclusions, preauthorization, deductibles and reimbursement requirements can apply. Obtain the insurer's decision in writing where possible, and be prepared for charges that are not covered.
Bring your passport, confirmation, relevant records, medication names and allergy information. Ask whether translations are needed and how and when you can receive test results, an itemized invoice and records for your clinician at home. Do not change or stop prescribed medicines based on a travel article. Ask the treating clinician about onward travel and follow-up if care is planned.
If the app will not accept your passport
Check that you selected the passport document type and entered the name as instructed. Ask the hospital whether it has a phone, on-site registration or international-department alternative, and whether a number registered outside mainland China works. Do not use a false identity number or assume that a paid booking agent has access to hospital inventory. If no suitable channel is confirmed, compare another institution or change the plan.
Frequently asked questions
Can a visitor book with a passport instead of a Chinese ID card?
Some official services describe passport-supported registration, but acceptance differs by hospital and channel. A foreign permanent resident ID is a separate document. Confirm the exact route before relying on it.
Does an English booking page guarantee an English-speaking doctor?
No. Ask whether the clinician, interpreter, consent process and final report will be available in the language you need, and whether an extra fee applies.
Can travel insurance pay the hospital directly?
Sometimes, depending on the policy, hospital agreement and service. Obtain confirmation from both parties; direct billing is not the same as a promise that every charge is covered.
What should I do if there are no appointments?
Ask the hospital about other clinics, cancellations or an appropriate alternative. For urgent symptoms, do not wait for an online slot: seek emergency care.
Continue planning
Read our general guide to medical care in China and our article on medical-care travel. Appointment arrangements do not determine your eligibility to enter China.
Editorial note: This is general travel information, not medical advice. It has not been reviewed by a medical professional. Hospital details can change; confirm directly before booking.