Indian passport holders planning trips to China must follow a revised visa application process that came into effect on October 26, 2026. Under the updated arrangements, Chinese diplomatic missions in India have taken over visa applications previously handled by visa application centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. The change affects tourists, business travellers and people applying for consular legalisation of documents. Applicants must now complete an online application and obtain preliminary approval before submitting their passports and supporting paperwork in person. The revised procedure also changes how applicants are assigned to the relevant Chinese diplomatic mission.
Where Indian Applicants Must Submit Visa Applications
Under the new system, applicants living in Maharashtra and Karnataka must approach the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai. Residents of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh must temporarily submit their applications to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. Applicants from other Indian states and Union Territories will also be handled by the embassy. The visa application centres in all three cities have stopped accepting new applications under the revised arrangement. People who submitted documents earlier can collect their processed papers from the existing centres until noon on October 30, 2026.
How to Apply and What the New Process Requires
Applicants must first complete the online form through the official Chinese visa application portal and upload the required documents for review. Once the application receives preliminary approval, an email notification will explain the next steps. Applicants must then submit their passports, application forms and supporting documents to the designated embassy or consulate within 30 days of approval. A passport generally needs more than six months of validity and at least two blank visa pages. Applicants should check whether fingerprint collection applies to their visa category before visiting the relevant office.
China Visa Fees and Processing Times
The revised system removes visa application centre service fees for eligible online applications submitted after 5pm on October 23, 2026. However, the visa fees charged by Chinese authorities remain applicable. The listed charges for Indian passport holders are ₹2,900 for a single-entry visa, ₹4,400 for double entry, ₹5,900 for a six-month multiple-entry visa and ₹8,800 for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year or longer. Group visas cost ₹1,800 per applicant. Regular processing generally takes seven working days after passport submission, while express processing takes four working days, subject to eligibility and the relevant mission’s requirements.
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