🇨🇳 China Visa Guide for Indian Passport Holders

At a glance

Indian passport holders need a visa for every visit to mainland China — there is no visa-on-arrival and no e-Visa for Indian citizens, unlike some of China's neighbours. You apply in advance through a Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC), located in New Delhi, Mumbai, or Kolkata, after completing the online China Online Visa Application (COVA) form.

A note on time-limited measures

Numerous independent sources report that China introduced a temporary reduction in visa fees and a temporary waiver of fingerprint biometrics for short-stay visa applicants (visas for 180 days or less), both described as valid only until 31 December 2026. We could not independently confirm these measures, their exact scope, or that expiry date from a primary visaforchina.cn or Ministry of Foreign Affairs source during this review. Since these are explicitly time-limited by nature, do not assume either the discounted fee or the biometric exemption still applies when you read this — confirm the current fee and whether fingerprinting is required directly on the official CVASC portal before you apply, especially if you're reading this after 2026.

Choose your purpose of travel

• L visa (Tourist): sightseeing, family/friend visits, and general leisure travel.
• M visa (Business): business meetings, trade activities, and commercial visits.
• Other categories (Q1/Q2 family reunion, X1/X2 student, Z work, F exchange, G transit, R talent) are out of scope for this tourism/business-focused guide.

Visa requirement for an Indian passport holder

A visa is required for every visit to mainland China. Narrow exceptions exist only for transit-visa-free programmes at certain airports (for short layovers, subject to conditions) and for travel specifically to Hong Kong or Macau, which have their own separate entry rules — for any itinerary flying into mainland China, a visa is required regardless.

Where and how to apply

• Complete the China Online Visa Application (COVA) form on the official portal, upload your documents, and submit for pre-review.
• Submit in person at the CVASC covering your jurisdiction — New Delhi, Mumbai, or Kolkata — with your printed, signed application and supporting documents. An authorised agent may submit on your behalf in some cases.
• Give fingerprints if required by your case (see the note on the biometric waiver above).

iamravi.com is not affiliated with the Government of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or any Chinese Visa Application Service Center. All application, payment, and issuance steps happen through the official visaforchina.cn platform and the CVASC network — never here.

Eligibility and passport conditions

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months with at least 2 blank visa pages.

Application steps

1. Complete the COVA form online at the official visaforchina.cn portal, filling all fields accurately — inconsistencies are a common cause of rejection.
2. Print the completed form and confirmation page, and sign by hand.
3. Gather your supporting documents (see checklist below).
4. Submit in person at your CVASC (New Delhi, Mumbai, or Kolkata) during its working hours — confirm current appointment requirements on the official portal, since procedures (walk-in vs. appointment-based) can vary and change.
5. Give fingerprints, if required for your case.
6. Pay the visa fee and CVASC service fee, and collect your receipt.
7. Collect your passport with the visa once processing is complete.

Forms required

The COVA (China Online Visa Application) form, completed on the official portal, printed, and signed, is the core document for all standard L and M visa applications.

Document checklist

Per the official CVASC's own published requirements: your passport (6+ months' validity, 2+ blank pages) plus a photocopy of its bio-data page, the completed and signed COVA form and confirmation page, a recent passport-size photo meeting the official specification (33mm × 48mm, plain white background), a confirmed round-trip flight booking, a confirmed hotel reservation or invitation letter for your full stay, a detailed day-by-day travel itinerary, a cover letter explaining your trip's purpose, a recent bank statement showing sufficient funds, and proof of employment or income (offer letter, salary slips, or business registration documents).

Photo and biometric requirements

Your photo must meet the official specification (33mm × 48mm, plain white background). Fingerprint biometrics are collected at the CVASC for most applicants, though a temporary exemption for short-stay applicants has been reported — confirm your specific requirement on the official portal before your appointment (see the time-limited-measures note above).

Fees

Visa fees are set by the Chinese government and are separate from the CVASC's own service fee — both are charged regardless of whether your visa is approved. We could not confirm one single, current, authoritative fee figure from a primary source during this review, particularly given the widely-reported but unconfirmed temporary fee reduction described above. Confirm the exact current fee for your visa type and entry category directly on the official visaforchina.cn portal before applying.

Processing information

Standard processing is commonly reported as taking several working days, with express and urgent options available for an additional fee at some CVASC locations — confirm current processing times and options directly with your CVASC, since these can vary by location and season.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a visa-on-arrival or e-Visa option exists for mainland China — neither is available to Indian passport holders.
• Assuming a temporary fee reduction or biometric waiver still applies without checking the current official terms.
• Submitting an application with inconsistent details between the COVA form and supporting documents.
• Applying through an unofficial third-party website rather than the official visaforchina.cn portal.

Official links

• Official China visa portal (visaforchina.cn)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China