China updates visa application process for Indian travellers; removes service centre fees

Indian travellers applying for Chinese visas will need to follow revised application procedures, including updated consular jurisdictions and a mandatory online document review before submitting their passports.

Under the revised guidelines issued by the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in India, applicants must complete the initial online process and wait for approval before submitting their physical documents through the designated diplomatic mission.

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Applications submitted after the late October transition deadline will no longer attract visa application centre service fees. However, the revised guidelines do not specify the exact date of the transition deadline.

Which Chinese consulate should you apply to?

Applicants must submit their documents according to their state of residence. The revised jurisdiction rules divide applications among three diplomatic missions.

Residents of Maharashtra and Karnataka fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Mumbai. Applicants in these states must route their submissions and bank drafts through the Mumbai consulate.

The Kolkata jurisdiction covers residents of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Applicants from all other Indian states and union territories must apply through the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. Their demand drafts must be made payable directly to the Chinese Embassy, New Delhi.

Visa fees and payment rules

The reduced visa fee schedule for Indian passport holders remains in effect until December 31, 2026. Payments must be made through bank-printed demand drafts. Applicants must write their full name, collection slip number and contact number on the reverse of the draft. Visa fees are payable when collecting the passport.

The revised visa fee schedule lists charges ranging from Rs 1,800 for a group visa to Rs 8,800 for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year or longer.

The fees for Indian passport holders are as follows:

• Single-entry visa: Rs 2,900
• Double-entry visa: Rs 4,400
• Six-month multiple-entry visa: Rs 5,900
• One-year or longer multiple-entry visa: Rs 8,800
• Group visa: Rs 1,800 per applicant

Applicants requiring faster processing will have to pay additional charges. Express service, with processing in two to three working days, costs an extra Rs 1,800, while urgent processing attracts an additional charge of Rs 2,700.

The reduced visa fee schedule remains in effect until December 31, 2026. Applicants must pay through bank-printed demand drafts, with their full name, collection slip number and contact number written on the reverse. The fees are payable when collecting the passport.

The revised process removes visa application centre service fees for applications submitted after the transition deadline, potentially reducing the overall cost for travellers.

Biometric rules and photograph requirements

Most short-term visa applicants, including tourists applying for L visas and business travellers applying for M visas, remain temporarily exempt from fingerprint collection if their stay is 180 days or less.

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However, applicants for long-term study visas (X1), work visas (Z) and family reunion visas (Q1/S1) must still provide fingerprints in person.

Photographs must measure exactly 33 mm × 48 mm and have a white background. The commonly used Schengen visa photograph size of 35 mm × 45 mm will be rejected during online verification.

Apply well before your travel date

Standard visa processing takes four working days after submission. However, the mandatory online review stage may add to the overall waiting time.

Travellers are advised to begin the application process at least four to six weeks before their intended departure to allow sufficient time for document review and processing.