Indian travellers planning trips to mainland China will need to follow a revised visa application process beginning October 26, as Chinese diplomatic missions take over services previously handled by visa application centres. The change affects where applications are submitted, how documents are reviewed and how travellers complete the process.
Visa Applications Move to Diplomatic Missions
Under the new arrangement, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai will directly accept and process visa applications and consular document legalisation requests. The Chinese Visa Application Centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata will stop accepting new applications from October 26.
Where Applicants Must Submit Documents
Applicants living in Maharashtra and Karnataka must apply through the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai. Travellers from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh will temporarily need to use the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, as will applicants from other Indian states and Union Territories.
Online Review Required Before Submission
Applicants must first complete the online form, upload the required documents and wait for preliminary approval by email. After receiving approval, they must submit their passport and supporting paperwork to the designated diplomatic mission within 30 days. Fingerprints may also be collected where required.
Tourist visa applicants should prepare the required financial documents, photographs, travel itinerary and other supporting paperwork. The new process applies to mainland China; Hong Kong and Macao follow separate immigration procedures.
What Travellers Should Do
People planning a China trip should check the latest official requirements before applying, confirm which mission serves their place of residence and allow enough time for document review and submission. Travellers with applications already in progress should check the arrangements for collecting their processed documents from the existing centres.
