Visa required
Do Indian citizens need a visa for China?
Indian passport holders need a tourist (L) visa for China — there's no visa-free or visa-free-transit route for India. Here's the full CVASC application: documents, fingerprints, fees in INR, and timing.
Straight answer for Indian passport holders: yes, you need a visa for China, and you must get it before you travel. India is not on China’s 30-day visa-free list, and — unlike many Western travellers — Indians can’t use the 240-hour transit route either, because India isn’t among the eligible transit nationalities. There’s no visa on arrival. The good news is that the tourist visa process is well-trodden and predictable once you know the steps. This page lays out the whole thing.
The one transit nuance
Before the full process, one clarification, because it trips people up: the 240-hour visa-free transit that lets Americans and Europeans stop over without a visa is not open to Indian passport holders — India isn’t on the eligible list. The only no-visa situation for an Indian traveller is a 24-hour direct airside transit, where you connect flights without clearing immigration or leaving the airport. For anything else — even a one-night stop where you exit the terminal — you need the visa.
“Travellers who do not meet the visa-free conditions must apply for the appropriate visa before entering China.” — Chinese consular guidance
Step 1 — the online form (COVA)
Everything starts with the COVA online application. It’s detailed, so set aside an hour:
- Have your passport, travel history, and trip dates ready.
- Answer consistently — the details here must match your supporting documents exactly.
- Print the completed form and confirmation at the end; you’ll carry them to your appointment.
The Chinese Visa Application Service Center is the official body that processes Chinese visas in India: you complete the form online, then submit your documents and give fingerprints in person. There’s no fully-online or visa-on-arrival shortcut.
Step 2 — book and attend your CVASC appointment
China processes Indian visas through CVASC centers in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, with jurisdiction by region — Delhi covers most of the north, Mumbai handles Maharashtra and Karnataka, and Kolkata covers the eastern states. You attend in person because ten-finger prints are collected on site for most applicants.
What to bring:
- Passport valid 6+ months with at least two blank pages, plus a photocopy of the bio page.
- A recent passport photo to Chinese spec (the centers are strict on size and background).
- Confirmed return flight tickets and hotel bookings for your whole stay.
- A day-by-day itinerary.
- Bank statements for the last six months showing you can fund the trip.
Thin or inconsistent documents are the most common reason for delays, so make the itinerary, hotels and flights line up.
Step 3 — fees and processing time
Budget for two charges: the visa fee and the CVASC service fee on top.
| Visa type | Approx. visa fee (INR) |
|---|---|
| Single entry | ₹2,900 |
| Double entry | ₹4,400 |
| Multiple entry (6 months) | ₹5,900 |
| Multiple entry (1 year+) | ₹8,800 |
The CVASC service fee is roughly ₹1,973 for regular service, more for express. Standard processing runs about 4–6 working days; express (2–3 days) costs extra and isn’t always available. Treat these as indicative — the centers publish current figures, and fees shift.
Step 4 — before you fly
Once the visa is in your passport, two things make the trip far smoother and catch most first-timers:
- Connectivity: Indian SIMs don’t roam usefully in China, and Google, WhatsApp and many apps are blocked without a workaround — sort a China travel eSIM before departure.
- Payments: cash and foreign cards are awkward; link an Indian card to Alipay and you’ll be able to pay everywhere locals do.
Then plan the trip itself — the best time to visit China, and city guides to Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.
Common reasons applications get held up
- Documents don’t match — flight dates, hotel dates and itinerary disagree.
- Weak financials — bank statements that don’t clearly cover the trip.
- Applying too late — leaving under three weeks before departure, with no buffer for a query.
- Wrong jurisdiction — applying at the center that doesn’t cover your state.
Other nationalities
- United States — not visa-free; needs a visa or transit
- United Kingdom — visa-free since February 2026
- Canada — visa-free since February 2026
- Australia — visa-free, 30 days
- The two visa-free schemes, fully explained
Last verified: 14 June 2026. Visa requirements, fees and processing times change and can vary by center. This is a general guide, not legal advice — always confirm the current requirements with CVASC or the Chinese Embassy in India before booking travel.