Key Facts

  • China’s National Immigration Administration states that foreigners applying for a residence permit valid for more than one year should submit a health certificate issued by the local health quarantine authority or a health or medical authority at county level or above.
  • The certificate confirms that the applicant does not have severe mental disorder, infectious pulmonary tuberculosis, or other infectious diseases that could cause major harm to public health. It is a public-health clearance document, not a general wellness report.
  • Shenzhen’s published materials for a work-type residence permit specify a certificate issued within six months by Shenzhen’s entry-exit inspection and quarantine department, for applicants aged 18–70. A certificate may not be required for an extension or a replacement.
  • In Shenzhen that department is the Shenzhen International Travel Healthcare Center / Shenzhen Customs Port Clinic (深圳国际旅行卫生保健中心／深圳海关口岸门诊部), commonly called the Shenzhen Port Hospital (深圳口岸医院).
  • The examination site is on the third floor of Comprehensive Building No. 1, Huanggang Port Living Area, Futian District. Huanggang Port (皇岗口岸) and Futian Port (福田口岸) are two different crossings in the same district — check which one your route uses.
  • No appointment is required. Attend Monday to Friday, 08:00–11:00 or 14:00–16:00, bringing your passport, a photocopy of it, and two 1-inch (25 × 35 mm) photographs taken within the last six months, any background colour. Fasting is not required.
  • The examination fee is RMB 426.10 (about USD 60), covering internal medicine, general surgery and ENT among other departments. Optional expedited processing (加急) is available at an additional charge. Treat the fee as a floor: the centre charges separately for any additional tests your category requires.
  • A preventive health screening bought from a private centre produces a medical report. It does not automatically become the official certificate an application office will accept.

Figures above reflect what the centre confirmed by telephone in September 2026, alongside Shenzhen’s published application materials. Public-institution details are revised from time to time, so confirm them before you travel.

First, identify the document you are applying for

People often use “residence proof” to describe several different documents. A foreigner’s residence permit, a work permit and a registration of temporary accommodation have different purposes and requirements. Ask the employer, school, sponsor or government office handling your application for the exact Chinese name of the document and its health-certificate requirement. A temporary accommodation registration is a separate procedure; a medical certificate does not replace it.

China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) says that foreigners applying for a residence permit valid for one year or longer should submit a health certificate as required. Its guidance describes certificates issued by the local health quarantine authority or an eligible health institution. That does not mean every applicant for every permit needs a new examination: the category, validity period and local handling rules matter.

Why a regular health check may not be the certificate you need

A preventive health screening in Shenzhen is intended to assess your health, rather than meet residence-permit paperwork requirements. It may include blood tests, imaging and a doctor’s review, but the resulting report does not automatically qualify as the health certificate your application office requires.

Sample of the health certificate for a China residence permit.
Health certificate for a China residence permit.

For how to get a health certificate in Shenzhen, the city’s own published application materials are the place to start. They specify, for a work-type residence permit, a health certificate issued within six months by Shenzhen’s entry-exit inspection and quarantine department (the Port Hospital) for applicants aged 18–70. The same entry says a certificate may be unnecessary for an extension or replacement. Other application routes can have different rules, so confirm yours with the authority that will receive the documents.

The institution that issues the health certificate in Shenzhen is commonly called the Port Hospital (口岸医院) — formally the Shenzhen International Travel Healthcare Center / Shenzhen Customs Port Clinic (深圳国际旅行卫生保健中心／深圳海关口岸门诊部). It handles entry-exit health examinations for the city. Confirm the current address and intake arrangements through the institution itself before you travel, rather than relying on a directory listing.

Five questions to ask before paying for any examination

  1. What is my application type? Is this for a first residence permit, renewal, work permit or another purpose?
  2. Do I need a health certificate at all? Give the receiving office your age, permit type and intended permit length.
  3. Which document will you accept? Ask for its exact Chinese name, including whether an overseas medical examination must be verified in China.
  4. Who may issue or verify it? Confirm the accepted institution with the receiving office before booking a general hospital or private screening center.
  5. What are the validity and intake requirements? Confirm the certificate’s age limit, what identification to bring, the current address, fees, preparation instructions and collection time with the examination center before you arrange to get your health certificate in Shenzhen.

If you already have an overseas examination, ask whether verification is possible before repeating tests. Shenzhen’s work-permit guidance discusses certificates from Chinese inspection and quarantine institutions, verification of overseas records, and overseas institutions recognized by the relevant Chinese authorities. For certain applicants entering China on a work-permit undertaking, an examination or verification document issued by a Chinese inspection and quarantine institution must then be submitted for the work-type residence permit.

The order of steps for getting a health certificate in Shenzhen

Confirm the application → confirm whether a certificate is required → confirm the accepted issuing or verifying institution → attend the correct examination → submit the resulting document.

This order can save you a second trip and unnecessary expense. If your employer or agent says “get a health check,” ask them to show you the actual document requirement before buying a health screening package.

When you need us, and when you don’t

For the health certificate examination itself, you do not need us. There is nothing to book and no agent required. You can simply attend and pay the fee at the centre.

  • No appointment — walk in Monday to Friday, 08:00–11:00 or 14:00–16:00
  • Where — third floor, Comprehensive Building No. 1, Huanggang Port Living Area, Futian District
  • Bring — your passport and a photocopy of it, plus two 1-inch (25 × 35 mm) photographs taken within the last six months. Background colour is not restricted
  • Fasting — not required, so either intake window works
  • Fee — RMB 426.10 (about USD 60) for the base examination, covering internal medicine, general surgery and ENT among other departments. Optional expedited processing (加急) is available at an additional charge

Address, hours and fees at public institutions are revised from time to time, so confirm them with the centre before you travel.

If you also want a broader assessment of your health, executive health screening is a separate option. Keep the two purposes clear: choose the examination required for your residence application first, then consider any additional screening for your personal health needs.

A note on timing

The requirements described above reflect guidance published at the time of writing. Rules for residence permits, work permits and health certificates can change, and local offices may apply them differently. Always confirm the current requirement with the official office that will receive your application before you pay for an examination or submit documents.

Official references