Do Indian Citizens Need a Visa for China?
As of June 19, 2026: Indian citizens need to arrange a Chinese visa (typically a tourist L visa) before the trip.
Visa required · Apply before travel
India
No — a visa is required before travel
Indian citizens need to arrange a Chinese visa (typically a tourist L visa) before the trip.
Compiled from official sources by Henry · independent · based in China
Entry options for Indian citizens
Option 01
Tourist visa: requirements & how to apply
- Apply for a tourist (L) visa before travel at a Chinese Visa Application Service Center or embassy/consulate
- Typical requirements: passport valid 6+ months, completed application, photo, itinerary and accommodation proof
How Indian citizens apply for a China tourist (L) visa
A plain-English walkthrough of the standard tourist-visa process. There are two stages: first you fill in the application online on the official China Online Visa Application (COVA) portal, then you submit it in person at a Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) — or directly at the embassy or consulate where there is no CVASC. We don't apply for you, take your documents, or book anything.
What you'll need
- Passport valid for at least 6 more months with two or more blank visa pages, plus a photocopy of the photo page
- The visa application form, completed online through the official China Online Visa Application (COVA) system, then printed and signed
- One recent colour passport photo that meets the Chinese visa photo specification
- Proof of a round-trip flight booking covering your entry and exit
- Proof of accommodation for your whole stay (hotel bookings), or an invitation letter from a host in China
- A day-by-day travel itinerary
The application, step by step
Fill in the COVA form online
Complete the China Online Visa Application (COVA) form on the official platform (consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA), upload your documents, and submit it for pre-review.
Get your pre-review approval
Once the form is pre-approved, print and sign it, then book your appointment — at the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) that covers your country, or directly at the Chinese embassy or consulate where there is no CVASC (US applicants, for example, apply through the consulate).
Submit in person
Submit your printed, signed form and documents in person or through an authorised agent, and give fingerprints if your nationality and age require them.
Pay the fees
Pay the visa fee — plus a separate service fee if a CVASC is handling your application — and keep your pickup slip.
Collect your passport
Collect your passport with the visa inside, or have it couriered back to you.
Processing time
Regular processing usually takes about 4 working days at many centers, though some run longer — India's center, for example, expects collection on the 6th working day. Express service (often the 4th working day, or same-day at some missions) costs extra. Times vary by center and rise in peak season, so check the schedule for the center handling your application.
Fees
Tourist visa fees are set per nationality on a reciprocal basis, with single-, double- and multiple-entry tiers. You pay the visa fee, plus a separate service fee where a CVASC handles your application (embassies and consulates that take applications directly don't add one). US passport holders pay a higher reciprocal fee. Check the official fee schedule for your nationality before you apply — we don't quote a single price because it genuinely differs by passport.
Where Indian citizens apply for a China visa
Indian passport holders need a tourist (L) visa before travelling, and apply in person at a Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) — there is no visa on arrival and no fully online channel. Which center handles your file depends on the state you live in.
CVASC New Delhi
Concourse Floor, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001
Serves: All of India except the states served by the Mumbai and Kolkata centers (Chinese Embassy, New Delhi)
CVASC Mumbai
8th Floor, Mafatlal Center, Nariman Point, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400021
Serves: Maharashtra and Karnataka (Chinese Consulate-General, Mumbai)
CVASC Kolkata
BIPI Building Omega, Ground Floor, Bengal Intelligent Park, Block EP & GP, Sector V, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata
Serves: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal (Chinese Consulate-General, Kolkata)
What Indian applicants need on top of the standard documents
- Bank statement or deposit certificate showing a balance of at least ₹1,00,000 (1 lakh), stamped by the bank and maintained at or above that level for the past six months (a temporary lump sum paid in just before applying is not accepted)
- Confirmed round-trip air-ticket order and hotel bookings covering the whole stay
- A day-by-day tour itinerary for your time in China
Processing time
Regular processing is about 4 working days; express service runs about 3 working days for an extra fee. Collection times vary by center and lengthen in peak season — check your center's schedule when you book.
Fees
China has extended its reduced visa fees for applicants in India through 31 December 2026. The exact fee depends on the number of entries (single, double or multiple), with a separate CVASC service fee and an optional express surcharge on top. We don't quote a figure because it changes — check the official fee schedule on the embassy site before you apply.
Official sources: in.china-embassy.gov.cn · visaforchina.cn · mumbai.china-consulate.gov.cn · kolkata.china-consulate.gov.cn
Before you fly
Start your tourist (L) visa application above — then line up the rest of the runway so it's ready by the time the visa's in your passport:
Next step
Plan your China route
A day-by-day itinerary on real high-speed rail, checked against your visa-free days — free in 30 seconds, with an optional $9.99 offline dossier that works the moment you land, no VPN.
Build it →Before you land
Get online, no VPN
Pick a China eSIM that works the moment you land — price, data and hotspot compared in 30 seconds.
Compare eSIMs →- Fill in China's digital arrival card online before landing — check if you need it.
- Get an eSIM that works in China before departure — pick one in 30 seconds.
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay — most places don't take foreign cards directly. Get them working before you land.
- Plan how you'll get between cities — China runs on high-speed rail. Compare train routes like Guilin–Shenzhen and Suzhou–Beijing, or build a day-by-day itinerary matched to your time in China.
Free · one email · unsubscribe anytime
Want the rest of the runway?
Visa is step one. Get the rest — eSIM, payments, offline prep — in one email, ordered T-14 to T-2, so nothing slips before you fly.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indian citizens need a visa to visit China?
Yes. Indian citizens need a Chinese tourist visa (L visa), arranged at a Chinese embassy, consulate or visa application service center (CVASC) before travelling.
Is China visa-free for Indian citizens?
No — a visa is required before travel. Indian citizens need to arrange a Chinese visa (typically a tourist L visa) before the trip.
How do Indian citizens get a Chinese tourist visa?
Apply at the nearest Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) or Chinese embassy/consulate before travelling. You'll typically need a passport valid for 6+ months, an application form, a photo, and your itinerary and accommodation details.
Where do Indian citizens apply for a China visa?
In person at a Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC). India has centers in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata — which one handles your application depends on the state you live in. There is no visa on arrival and no fully online channel.
How much does a China tourist visa cost for Indian citizens?
China has extended its reduced visa fees for applicants in India through 31 December 2026. The exact fee depends on the number of entries (single, double or multiple), with a separate CVASC service fee and an optional express surcharge on top. We don't quote a figure because it changes — check the official fee schedule on the embassy site before you apply.
How much bank balance do Indian applicants need for a China tourist visa?
As of June 2026, the New Delhi CVASC asks each applicant for a bank statement or deposit certificate showing a balance of at least ₹1,00,000 (one lakh), stamped and signed by the bank. The part that gets applications rejected: the balance has to have stayed at or above ₹1,00,000 for the past six months. A lump sum paid in just before you apply does not count, since temporary deposits are explicitly not accepted. Every applicant needs their own proof, so a family of three needs three separate statements. This sits on top of the standard tourist (L) documents (passport, online form, photo, round-trip flight booking, hotel reservations and a day-by-day itinerary). Amounts and rules change, so confirm the current list with your CVASC before you apply.
Do Indian travellers need an agent to get a China tourist visa?
No. Indian applicants can apply themselves at a Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) in New Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata, depending on the state they live in. You fill in the online form, book an appointment, and submit your documents in person with fingerprints. Agents mostly add a service fee on top without changing the requirements or the outcome. Applicants under 14 or over 70 are exempt from giving fingerprints.
Can Indian citizens take children to China, and does each child need their own visa?
China issues no family visa — every traveller is assessed individually and each child, including infants, needs their own passport. Visa-free and 240-hour transit eligibility is judged per passport, so a child qualifies on their own nationality the same way an adult does. If a visa is required, a child's tourist (L) visa needs the same basic documents as an adult — a passport, the online application form completed for each applicant, and a photo. Some visa centres ask for extra documents for minors, such as a birth certificate showing the parent-child relationship, copies of both parents' passports, and a consent letter when a child travels with one parent or alone — confirm the exact list with the CVASC or Chinese embassy/consulate handling your application (some countries, including the US, apply directly at the embassy or consulate rather than through a CVASC).
Where is this information from?
All policies on this page were verified on June 19, 2026 against official Chinese government sources (National Immigration Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and official announcements). Links are listed in the sources section.
Related reading
Check another nationality
Official sources
Every policy on this page was checked against these official pages. Always confirm with the source before booking.
Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice, and may contain errors or be out of date — policies change without notice. Always confirm your eligibility, stay length and entry conditions with the official sources above or your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate before you book travel or rely on this page. Ready Set China is an independent information site — not a travel agency, booking agent, or government body — and is not responsible for decisions made on the basis of this information.