From 26 October 2026, the Chinese Embassy in Delhi and the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai accept China visa applications directly. If you live in Maharashtra or Karnataka, you apply in Mumbai. Almost everyone else applies in Delhi, and so do residents of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, for now. Start online, wait for the review email, then submit the required documents through the route the receiving office accepts; personal attendance is needed where fingerprints or the office's instructions require it. The New Delhi visa application centre's own notice said that on 23 October it would take only express applications, until noon, and that operations are being wound down. If a trip is booked, check your documents this weekend, because Monday is when the new route starts.
What changed
The Embassy of China in India announced on 22 October 2026 that, as of 26 October, the Embassy and the Mumbai Consulate General directly accept and process visa and consular legalisation applications. The Kolkata consular district is temporarily handled by the Embassy in Delhi. (Source: Embassy of China in India, 22 October 2026)
The New Delhi visa application centre posted its own notice the same day. It took only express applications till noon on 23 October and said operations are being wound down. Refund paperwork for 2025 to 2026 must reach it by 30 October. (Source: Chinese Visa Application Service Center, New Delhi)
Translation: the middleman is packing up. From 26 October, you deal with the embassy or consulate yourself.
Where you apply
- Maharashtra and Karnataka: Chinese Consulate General, Mumbai.
- West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh: Chinese Embassy, New Delhi, temporarily.
- Everywhere else: Chinese Embassy, New Delhi.
The rule follows where you live, not where you would like to fly from. (Source: Embassy notice on Chinese visa application)
How it works, step by step
- Fill the form and upload documents on the official site, consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA. No fee at this step.
- Wait for the approval email from the online review.
- Within 30 days of that email, submit the passport, application form and documents to the embassy or consulate through its accepted route - in person where required, or through a qualified third party or travel agency as the notice provides.
- On the collection date on your slip, pay the fee and collect the visa.
What to carry for a tourist visa
Your passport must be valid for more than six months with at least two blank pages. Bring two recent colour photos, 48 mm by 33 mm, white background, taken in the last six months. For a tourist (L) visa the embassy asks for six months of personal bank statements with a steady average balance of at least Rs 1 lakh, or a bank deposit certificate of a similar amount made at least three months before you apply. Children can use a parent's statements with an authorisation letter. If a consular officer asks for more, provide it.
This is not the full checklist: the notice lists further conditions, including rules on previous passports, documents for minors and the bank seal format. Read the full Embassy notice before you apply. (Source: Embassy notice on Chinese visa application)
Fees for Indian passport holders
Paid at collection, per the embassy's schedule dated 22 October 2026 (fee schedule):
- Single entry: Rs 2,900
- Double entry: Rs 4,400
- Six months multiple entry: Rs 5,900
- 12 months or more multiple entry: Rs 8,800
- Group visa, each applicant: Rs 1,800
The same 22 October 2026 fee notice also lists an express-processing service fee of Rs 1,800 and an urgent service fee of Rs 2,700 where applicable. These are additional service-fee entries, not the ordinary visa fee above. The visa-application notice lists regular processing at 7 working days and express at 4; confirm the service available for your case and the collection date with the receiving office. The fee notice says the Embassy and Consulates accept only a bank-printed Demand Draft, not cash, personal cheques or other payment methods. For Delhi the payee is CHINESE EMBASSY, NEW DELHI; for Mumbai it is CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN MUMBAI. Follow the notice's draft instructions and confirm the total before obtaining the draft.
The part for parents
Fingerprints are waived for everyone applying for a short stay of up to 180 days until 31 December 2026. The waiver also covers anyone under 14 or over 70. So a 72 year old does not need to queue for a fingerprint scanner in any case. But fingerprint exemption does not by itself settle who must submit the documents: the same notice provides for applications submitted through a third party or travel agency, and requires the agency's qualification documents and the agent's identity document. Confirm the permitted submission route and any required personal attendance with the receiving Embassy or Consulate before arranging a senior traveller's visit.
Our advice
Do the online form first and wait for the email before you book anything non refundable. Then pick a weekday slot with margin, because this is week one of a new setup and nobody has queue data yet. Applying through a third party or travel agency is provided for in the notice: the agency's qualification documents and the agent's identity document must be submitted with it. The authorisation letter mentioned above is only for using a parent's bank statements, not a general agency requirement. Confirm the exact arrangement with the receiving office.
Other visa changes we are tracking: Qatar's free tourist visa, Thailand's 30 day cap and South Korea's group visa fee waiver. All of them sit in our visa guides.
Planning China with your parents? Message us on WhatsApp.
Quick questions
Where do I apply for a China visa from India after 26 October 2026? Maharashtra and Karnataka residents apply at the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai. Residents of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh apply at the Embassy in New Delhi for now, and so does everyone else.
Can I still apply through the old visa application centre in Delhi? No. Its own 22 October notice said only express applications were accepted till noon on 23 October and that operations are ending.
Do I still apply online first? Yes. You fill the form and upload documents at consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA, wait for the approval email, then submit documents through the route the receiving office accepts within 30 days.
How much is a China visa for an Indian passport holder? Per the embassy's 22 October 2026 schedule: Rs 2,900 single entry, Rs 4,400 double entry, Rs 5,900 six months multiple entry, Rs 8,800 for 12 months or more, Rs 1,800 each for a group visa. These base visa fees are not the all-in total: the same notice lists an express service fee of Rs 1,800 and an urgent fee of Rs 2,700 where applicable, and the Embassy and Consulates accept only a bank-printed Demand Draft, payable to CHINESE EMBASSY, NEW DELHI or, for Mumbai, CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN MUMBAI.
Do senior citizens need fingerprints? Not for a short stay of up to 180 days until 31 December 2026, and applicants over 70 are exempt anyway. Fingerprint exemption does not by itself settle who submits the documents: the notice provides for submission through a qualified third party or travel agency, so confirm the permitted route with the receiving office.
What processing times does the notice list? The Embassy's 22 October 2026 visa-application notice lists regular processing at 7 working days and express at 4 working days, counted from the day after passport submission. These are the notice's listed timelines, not a guarantee of approval or a promised travel date. Follow the expected collection date on your pick-up slip.
A Miranda House graduate and lawyer who traded courtrooms for slow travel. Cheshta travels with the batches we host ourselves, with a soft spot for travelling alongside elders.
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