China visa requirements for Indian passport holders

Check your circumstances

Read these conditions alongside the entry rule. Where official guidance does not state a condition, that is not confirmation that no condition applies.

Passport type Conditions to check

The passport must be valid for more than 6 months with at least 2 blank visa pages. Include any previous passport issued in the last 5 years.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Trip purpose Confirmed for this scope

The L visa covers tourism. The embassy requires travel plans, bookings and financial evidence, with the family-document qualifications below.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Age Conditions to check

Applicants under 18 need a birth certificate, the guardian's identity document and the guardian's consent letter; the embassy also requires birth certificates to be notarized and authenticated.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Residence Conditions to check

Apply in your consular district: Maharashtra and Karnataka go to the Mumbai consulate; everyone else, including the Kolkata district for now, goes to the embassy in New Delhi.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Other visas or residence permits Conditions to check

A foreign visa is not listed as an L-visa substitute. Valid Chinese residence permits and physical APEC Business Travel Cards have separate exemptions; confirm their scope before relying on one.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Carrier and arrival route Conditions to check

India is not on the 240-hour list. Direct 24-hour transit needs valid travel documents and confirmed onward seats to a third country or region; leaving the restricted port requires separate entry permission.

Official sources: National Immigration Administration of China.

Stay and visa validity Not stated in the cited guidance

The notice does not state how long a tourist visa lets you stay. Check the visa you receive before you plan your dates.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

How to apply

Fill in the visa form online at consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA, upload the documents and submit them for review; nothing is paid at this step. Once approved, you receive an email and have 30 days to take your passport, the form and the originals to the embassy or consulate.

On the collection date, you pay the fee and collect the visa. Processing takes 7 working days, or 4 for express, counted from the day after you hand in the passport. The embassy and Mumbai consulate accept applications directly from 26 Oct 2026. If using an agency, include its qualification documents and the agent's identification.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India; Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Documents

Bring the form, passport and information-page copy, previous passports issued in the last 5 years, two white-background 48 by 33 mm photos taken within 6 months, and any Chinese visas from the last 3 years. Include an official name-change certificate if names differ. For tourism, add your itinerary, hotel and round-trip flight bookings, plus an invitation and inviter identification if applicable.

For a tourist (L) visa, add savings account statements for the last 6 months with a consistent average monthly balance of at least INR 1 lakh, or a deposit certificate for a similar amount made at least 3 months before you apply, signed and stamped by the bank. Where a minor or another special case uses a parent or guardian statement, include the account holder's signed authorization. Birth and marriage certificates must be notarized and authenticated; the notice limits marriage-certificate authentication to 6 months.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Fingerprints

The notice waives fingerprints for short-term stays of no more than 180 days until 31 Dec 2026, but separately says multiple-entry applicants normally provide them. Confirm that case with your consular office.

Exemptions include applicants under 14 or over 70, fingerprints already collected at the same Chinese mission or visa center with the same passport within 5 years, and applicants whose fingerprints cannot be collected. Other exemptions concern diplomatic, official and courtesy visas; long-stay and residence-related applications have separate requirements.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Direct transit and existing status

For a connection of no more than 24 hours, carry valid travel documents and confirmed onward international seats to a third country or region. Remain in the restricted port area unless border inspection grants a temporary entry permit. India is not eligible for 240-hour transit.

The embassy also lists valid Chinese residence permits and physical APEC Business Travel Cards as separate visa exemptions. A virtual APEC card does not qualify under its notice. Confirm the permitted activity and document validity with the mission before using an exemption for your trip.

Official sources: National Immigration Administration of China; Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India.

Fill in the arrival card

Since 20 Nov 2025, foreigners can fill in China's arrival card online before travel, through the National Immigration Administration website, its NIA 12367 app or WeChat and Alipay mini programs. The official address is s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC.

If you cannot do it in advance, scan the QR code or use the machines at the border, or fill in a paper card. Direct 24-hour transit passengers who remain in the restricted port area are exempt; other exemptions include Chinese permanent-resident card holders and travelers on group visas.

Official sources: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Singapore.