China Tourist Visa Application in India: New Process After VFS Global (2026)

By PabloNormal mode⏱ 10 min✔ Last verified 18 October 2026

Short answer: If you hold an Indian passport, you need a visa before you fly to China. India is not on any of the visa-free or mutual-exemption lists we track. Since 26 October 2026, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulate General in Mumbai take applications directly. The visa application centres no longer do. You fill in the form online at consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA, wait for the result by email, then submit your passport, printed form and documents in person within 30 days.

What changed

Source: the Embassy’s official notice, dated 22 October 2026.

From 26 October 2026, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulate General in Mumbai accept and process visa and consular legalization applications directly.
The visa application centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata (run by VFS Global, known in the notice as CVASC) stopped taking new applications on 26 October 2026.
Matters in the Kolkata Consulate General’s district are temporarily handled by the Embassy in New Delhi.
The former centre service fee (INR 3,910 for regular service) no longer applies.
An earlier online system, launched on 22 December 2025 through the visa centre’s website, is also finished. Use the official portal named by the Embassy.

Which office do you use? You apply by where you live.

Where you live	Where you apply
Maharashtra, Karnataka	Consulate General in Mumbai
West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh	Embassy in New Delhi (temporary)
All other states and union territories	Embassy in New Delhi

India does not appear in any visa-free list in our policy data (30-day, 60-day and 90-day exemptions and the 240-hour transit list). Last checked 18 October 2026. So a visa is needed.

Before you start

Official instructions: application instructions.

Your passport. For the exact validity rule, check the official instructions before you go.
For an L (tourist) visa: an itinerary, hotel bookings and round-trip flight bookings.
Proof of funds, one of these:
- six months of bank statements showing an average balance of at least INR 100,000 per month, or
- a deposit certificate for at least INR 100,000, issued at least three months before you apply.
A demand draft for the fee. For now, the Embassy and Mumbai Consulate accept demand drafts only, not cash or cheques.
Time. Don’t buy non-refundable flights until your visa is approved. Keep your bookings flexible.

Step by step

Find your office. Use the table above. Residents of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh go to the Embassy in New Delhi for now.
Fill in the form online. Go to the official portal: https://consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA/. Complete the application form and upload your supporting documents. Online submission is free.

consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA → English → Start my application
Wait for the online result. The Embassy or Consulate reviews your application and emails you the result. Passing the online review does not guarantee a visa.
Wait for the “passport to be submitted” status. Only then submit your passport. Don’t send it earlier.
Submit in person within 30 days of approval: your passport, the printed form and your documents, at the Embassy or Mumbai Consulate.
Pay the fee. Indian citizens pay the visa fee as a demand draft. Fees for Indian passport holders:

Visa Fee

Single entry INR 2,900

Double entry INR 4,400

Multiple entry, six months INR 5,900

Multiple entry, 12 months or longer INR 8,800

Fees are what has been reported for Indian passports. Confirm them in the official instructions before you buy the draft.
Fingerprints. Short-term visa applicants staying up to 180 days (including L tourist and M business visas) are temporarily exempt through 31 December 2026. Applicants for study (X1), work (Z), J1 and family-reunion (Q1/S1) visas still give fingerprints in person.
Wait for processing. The Embassy’s instructions list normal processing as 7 working days, counted from the day after you submit your passport. No separate processing time has been published for the new process. While it settles in, submit a complete application at least ten calendar days before departure.
Appointments. The sources we have do not agree on whether you book an appointment. Follow the current instructions of your office. Diplomatic, official and courtesy visa applicants book by phone.

Visa	Fee
Single entry	INR 2,900
Double entry	INR 4,400
Multiple entry, six months	INR 5,900
Multiple entry, 12 months or longer	INR 8,800

After the visa: arriving in China

Foreigners may fill in China’s arrival card online before travel through the National Immigration Administration (NIA) official channels. The NIA notice does not state a 72-hour window. Online submission is free. If you didn’t submit in advance, you can complete it at the port or use a paper arrival card. Specified groups are exempt.

Official form: s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC. NIA notice: en.nia.gov.cn.

More in our arriving in China guide. For how visa-free entry works for other passports, see visa-free entry rules.

If it doesn’t work

Problem	Why	Fix
Old VFS / CVASC page doesn’t take your application	The centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata stopped taking applications on 26 October 2026	Apply online at consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA and follow the Embassy notice
Someone asks for a fee that looks too high	Could be an agent or look-alike site	Compare with the official fees above. The INR 3,910 centre fee no longer applies
Not sure which office to use	You apply by where you live	Check the table above. Eastern and central states go to New Delhi for now
Cash or cheque refused	Only demand drafts are accepted for now	Get a demand draft
Visa not back before your flight	Normal processing is 7 working days, and the new process is still settling in	Submit at least ten calendar days before departure, and don’t pay for flights until approved
More than 30 days passed after online approval	The submission window is 30 days	Check your office’s current instructions: check before you go

FAQ

Can I enter China visa-free with an Indian passport?

Not under the lists we track. India isn’t on the 30-day, 60-day or 90-day exemption lists, nor the 240-hour transit list in our data (last verified 18 October 2026). Rules change, so check the official source before you go.

Do I still need VFS Global or CVASC?

No. Since 26 October 2026, applications go directly to the Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulate General in Mumbai. The visa centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata no longer take new applications.

How much is the visa fee?

For a single-entry visa, INR 2,900. Double entry is INR 4,400, six-month multiple entry INR 5,900 and multiple entry of 12 months or longer INR 8,800. Online submission is free.

Do I need to give fingerprints?

Not for stays up to 180 days, through 31 December 2026. That covers L tourist and M business visas. Study (X1), work (Z), J1 and family-reunion (Q1/S1) applicants still give fingerprints in person. After 31 December 2026, check before you go.

Does passing the online review mean I get the visa?

No. It means you can submit your passport and documents. The visa is decided after that.

Can an agent do it for me?

Maybe, but read the official notice first to see what is allowed. Never pay more than the official page says without understanding why.

Still stuck?

Do it yourself with the steps above, or get help from a real person.

Sources: Embassy notice, 22 Oct 2026; Embassy application instructions; NIA arrival card notice; visa-free lists from our policy data (verified 18 October 2026; based on NIA and China Briefing). Rules can change, so check the embassy’s site before you apply.