China Scraps Visa Centres for Indians: New Direct Rules From October 26

From October 26, China's diplomatic missions in India stopped outsourcing visa applications and began accepting and processing applications and consular legalisation requests directly. The change scrapped the role of visa application centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, which stopped taking new applications on the same date. Indian travellers must now follow an upgraded submission process before planning their trips.

The shift matters for thousands of applicants across every Indian state and Union Territory, and it changes where documents go, how they are filed, and what fees apply.

Where must Indians now submit visa applications?

The new system assigns jurisdiction by state:

• Residents of Maharashtra and Karnataka must apply through the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai.
• Residents of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh must temporarily send applications to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi.
• Residents of all other states and Union Territories also apply through the embassy in New Delhi.

Applicants whose documents were reviewed before the change can collect them from the existing visa application centres until noon on October 30, according to recent notices.

What does the new application process require?

China now mandates an online-first workflow. Applicants must complete the visa application form through China's official Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal and upload supporting documents there. Once the application receives preliminary approval, the system sends an email notification.

That email starts a countdown. Applicants must visit the designated embassy or consulate within 30 days of receiving the approval email, carrying their passport, the application form and supporting documents. Officials will collect fingerprints where required.

What are the financial requirements for a tourist visa?

Tourist visa applicants face concrete proof-of-funds rules:

• Bank statements covering the previous six months, showing a continuous average monthly balance of at least ₹1 lakh; or
• A bank deposit certificate for a similar amount, provided the deposit was made at least three months before the application date.

General document rules also apply. Applicants need a passport valid for more than six months with at least two blank visa pages, plus two recent colour photographs. Additional documents depend on the visa category.

Who is exempt from fingerprints, and what about fees?

The new arrangements include a temporary fingerprint exemption. Applicants seeking short-term visas for stays of up to 180 days are excluded from fingerprint collection until December 31, 2026. Some categories, including certain long-term and residence-permit visas, may still require fingerprints.

Applicants should also separate two kinds of charges: the visa fee itself and service-centre charges. Under the latest system, service-centre fees are waived for qualifying online applications submitted after 5 pm on October 23. Fees paid earlier for applications already submitted are non-refundable.

What does this change for Indian travellers?

The practical effect is a tighter, more centralised process. Instead of walking into a visa centre in one of three cities, every Indian applicant now starts online, waits for an approval email, and then appears in person at the correct mission — Mumbai for Maharashtra and Karnataka, New Delhi for everyone else — within 30 days. Travellers planning trips after October 26 should budget time for the online approval step, verify their bank statements meet the ₹1 lakh threshold, and check whether their visa category requires fingerprints before the December 31, 2026 exemption window closes. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulate General in Mumbai remain the official points of contact for jurisdiction questions.