I applied for a study (F) visa to China from Bucharest (Romania) last week. Here are some advises from my experience that hopefully will make the application process smoother for everyone else.
Firstly, I would like to state the my study program in China is less than 6 months. This is an important distinction as allegedly different documents are required for a study visa F (for studies less than 6 months) and for a study visa X (for studies longer than 6 months).
Disclaimer: Chinese embassies in different places have different requirements, this message applies for the one in Bucharest, and this is how it happened in my case.
So here come the tips:
1) The same documents are required at the embassy in Bucharest if you require a study visa even if you study more or less than 6 months. So complete the health form required for the X visa (PHYSICAL EXAMINATION RECORD FOR FOREIGNER) even if you are asking for a F visa.
2) The health document needs to be completed by a MAJOR PUBLIC hospital. Private clinics will not do. I am writing this because this specification is not present on the embassy website.
3) The only hospital in Bucharest that I managed to identify as knowing what to do and how to complete the health form is Elias. There might be other that offer this service, I just did not manage to find one in time.
4) The Chest X-Ray and EKG sections on the form need to be certified (signed and stamped) by a pulmonologist, respectively a cardiologist. The overall form needs to be certified (on both pages) by a general physician (internal medicine). You also need a stamp of the hospital management at the end of the form.
5) In my case, Elias recognized the Chest X-Ray, the HIV and Syphilis tests, and the EKG performed in the private sector. Having all the tests done, it took me two hours to get all the stamps and examinations required to complete the form.
http://www.spitalul-elias.ro/
6) You have to pay for each individual consultation for each physician at ELIAS (50 lei/12 Euro per physician).
7) I did all my tests in a private clinic in the MedLife System. The EKG was 40 lei (10 Euro), the Chest X-Ray was 120 lei (28 Euro), the HIV and Syphilis test, with the emergency tax were 110 lei (26 Euro). You can get all of them in the same working day.
8) It is possible to have all the tests done in the public sector, and even at ELIAS, I do not have information on the price or how long it takes.
9) Remember that if you are not a romanian citizen, you will need your romanian residence permit.
Hope all this info will make the application process for all the others.
Firstly, I would like to state the my study program in China is less than 6 months. This is an important distinction as allegedly different documents are required for a study visa F (for studies less than 6 months) and for a study visa X (for studies longer than 6 months).
Disclaimer: Chinese embassies in different places have different requirements, this message applies for the one in Bucharest, and this is how it happened in my case.
So here come the tips:
1) The same documents are required at the embassy in Bucharest if you require a study visa even if you study more or less than 6 months. So complete the health form required for the X visa (PHYSICAL EXAMINATION RECORD FOR FOREIGNER) even if you are asking for a F visa.
2) The health document needs to be completed by a MAJOR PUBLIC hospital. Private clinics will not do. I am writing this because this specification is not present on the embassy website.
3) The only hospital in Bucharest that I managed to identify as knowing what to do and how to complete the health form is Elias. There might be other that offer this service, I just did not manage to find one in time.
4) The Chest X-Ray and EKG sections on the form need to be certified (signed and stamped) by a pulmonologist, respectively a cardiologist. The overall form needs to be certified (on both pages) by a general physician (internal medicine). You also need a stamp of the hospital management at the end of the form.
5) In my case, Elias recognized the Chest X-Ray, the HIV and Syphilis tests, and the EKG performed in the private sector. Having all the tests done, it took me two hours to get all the stamps and examinations required to complete the form.
http://www.spitalul-elias.ro/
6) You have to pay for each individual consultation for each physician at ELIAS (50 lei/12 Euro per physician).
7) I did all my tests in a private clinic in the MedLife System. The EKG was 40 lei (10 Euro), the Chest X-Ray was 120 lei (28 Euro), the HIV and Syphilis test, with the emergency tax were 110 lei (26 Euro). You can get all of them in the same working day.
8) It is possible to have all the tests done in the public sector, and even at ELIAS, I do not have information on the price or how long it takes.
9) Remember that if you are not a romanian citizen, you will need your romanian residence permit.
Hope all this info will make the application process for all the others.
