The 30-Day Window — and When It's Enough
China's 30-day visa-free entry for UK citizens, introduced in 2026, is more than sufficient for the vast majority of medical visits — including our full 10-day VIP diagnostic programme.
Most patients complete their entire diagnostic journey — full MRI suite, specialist consultations, blood panels, and results review — within 10 days. The 30-day window gives you comfortable headroom for travel, recovery days, and the unexpected.
However, roughly 40% of our patients choose to extend their stay beyond the initial 10-day programme. Common reasons include:
Post-operative recovery
Patients who proceed to elective procedures after diagnostics may require an additional 1–3 weeks of supervised recovery before they are fit to fly.
Complex diagnostic work-ups
Some conditions require serial imaging, biopsies with lab turnaround, or specialist second opinions that extend the diagnostic timeline beyond 10 days.
Extended TCM treatment courses
Patients choosing Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment programmes often opt to stay for a full 21–28 day course for optimal results.
Awaiting results or specialist review
Occasionally, results require a multi-disciplinary team review or additional tests that extend the stay by 5–10 days.
📌 The Key Takeaway
30 days is enough for the vast majority of patients. But if your medical situation requires longer, there is a clear, legal process to extend your stay — and Discovery China handles the complexity so you can focus on your health.
How the Legal Extension Process Works
China's Public Security Bureau (PSB) Exit-Entry Administration department manages all visa extension applications for foreign nationals. The process is well-established, transparent, and routinely used for legitimate medical stays.
Extensions are applied for in person at the local PSB Exit-Entry Administration office. In Chongqing (where our programme is based), this is a straightforward process with a dedicated foreigners' service desk. Here is the standard process:
Obtain a medical certificate from your hospital
Your treating hospital issues a formal letter confirming your medical condition, ongoing treatment, and the medical necessity for extended stay. This is the most important document in the application.
Complete the PSB application form
The application form (available at the PSB office or online via the National Immigration Administration) is completed in Chinese and English. It requests basic personal information, your reason for extension, and your accommodation details.
Submit at the PSB Exit-Entry Administration office
Applications are submitted in person with your passport, hotel registration confirmation (your hotel provides this automatically), two passport photos, and your medical certificate.
Pay the government fee and await approval
The government fee (approximately ¥160–¥400, roughly £18–£45) is paid at submission. Standard processing takes 3–7 business days. You receive an updated stamp in your passport upon approval.
🏛️ Important Legal Note
All visa extensions are granted at the discretion of the PSB. Discovery China assists you through the process — we do not guarantee approval of any application. However, medically-supported applications submitted with complete, accurate documentation have a strong track record of approval in our experience.
How Discovery China Assists You
You should not be navigating foreign bureaucracy alone — especially when you're focused on your health. Our concierge team handles every aspect of the extension process on your behalf.
Document Preparation Assistance
We guide you through every document required for the application — completing forms accurately, checking for errors, and ensuring nothing is missing before submission. Mistakes on applications cause delays; we prevent them.
Hospital Certificate Coordination
We liaise directly with your treating hospital to obtain the formal medical certificate required by the PSB — in the correct format, with the correct clinical detail, in both Chinese and English.
Bilingual Accompaniment
A native Mandarin-speaking member of our team accompanies you to the PSB office for your application submission. All communication with officials is handled fluently — nothing is lost in translation.
PSB Appointment Booking
We book and manage your appointment at the PSB Exit-Entry Administration office, ensuring you are seen with minimal waiting time and well before your current authorised stay expires.
✅ Included in Your Programme
Visa extension assistance is included as part of your Discovery China concierge service — there is no additional charge for our support through this process. The only cost to you is the government fee paid directly to the PSB (approximately £18–£45).
Your Visa Extension Questions Answered
Legal Notice: Discovery China provides facilitation and concierge assistance to help patients navigate the official PSB visa extension process. We do not provide legal advice and cannot guarantee the outcome of any application. All extensions are granted at the sole discretion of China's Public Security Bureau Exit-Entry Administration. Patients should ensure they apply in good time before their current authorised stay expires.