China will directly accept and process visa applications and consular legalization requests in India from October 26, ending the application services previously handled through visa application centers in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

In a notice issued on October 22, the Chinese Embassy in India said the embassy in New Delhi and the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai would directly handle the applications. Services in the jurisdiction of the Chinese Consulate General in Kolkata will temporarily be handled by the embassy in New Delhi.

The change means Indian travelers, business visitors and others applying for Chinese visas will need to follow the revised submission process and check which diplomatic mission handles applications from their area. Applicants seeking consular legalization of documents will also have to follow the new arrangements. Where Indian applicants need to submit documentsAccording to the embassy’s official notice, applicants residing in Maharashtra and Karnataka must approach the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai.

Indians travelling to Australia may now be required to provide fingerprints, facial imagesApplicants from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh must temporarily submit applications to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. Applicants from other states and Union Territories will also apply through the embassy.

For consular legalization, the relevant jurisdiction is determined by the place where the documents were issued, according to the embassy’s detailed guidance.

The Chinese Visa Application Centers in the three cities will stop accepting new applications from October 26. Applicants who have already submitted documents can collect processed documents from the existing centers until noon on October 30, according to the centers’ notices. Online visa review remains mandatoryThe revised system requires applicants to complete an online application before submitting their passports and supporting documents in person.

Applicants must fill out the form and upload the required documents through the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official visa application portal. After the online review is approved, applicants will receive an email and must submit their passport, application form and relevant documents to the designated embassy or consulate within 30 days.

Vasant Bhatt: Indian-American student, 21, claims Campus Reform removed him after vote against ‘anti-Indian bigotry’The embassy has separately issued an updated Chinese visa application notice outlining the required documents and procedures. Service center fees removed for eligible applicationsThe changes also include the removal of visa application service center fees for online applications submitted after 5 pm on October 23. Fees already paid for applications submitted before the deadline will not be refunded, according to the notice published by the Chinese visa application center.

Applicants should distinguish between service center fees and the visa fees charged by Chinese authorities. The embassy has published a separate schedule of consular service fees, including charges for different visa categories and express processing. Fingerprint and document requirementsChina has also updated its visa application guidance. Short-term visa applicants whose intended stay is up to 180 days are exempt from fingerprint collection until December 31, 2026, under the temporary arrangement. Exemptions do not apply to every visa category, so applicants should check the specific requirements before submitting documents.

Tourist visa applicants must provide financial documents, including bank statements covering the previous six months showing a consistent average monthly balance of at least ₹1 lakh, or an eligible deposit certificate of a similar amount made at least three months before the application.

The embassy has advised applicants to consult its official notices for the latest requirements before applying. The revised arrangements apply to mainland China; separate procedures apply to Hong Kong and Macao.