# China Visa for Indian Parents and Senior Citizens > Which China visa Indian parents and senior citizens should use, what the invitation must say, fingerprint and interview rules, fees in rupees and stay limits. _Published: 2026-11-04 · Reading time: 6 min · Words: 1367_ ## TL;DR Indian parents choose an L visa for tourism, a Q2 visa to visit a child who is a Chinese citizen or permanent resident, or an S2 visa to visit a child working or studying in China. The single-entry fee is Rs2900 plus a Visa Center service fee of Rs 2152 (regular), and short-term applicants are exempt from fingerprints until 31 December 2026. ## Key takeaways - Parents visiting a child who works or studies in China use the S2 visa; parents of a Chinese citizen or permanent resident, or of their spouse, use Q2. - The tourist (L) list asks for 3 months of savings statements with a consistent monthly balance of INR 1 lakh; the Q2 and S2 lists rely on the invitation and relationship proof instead. - Applicants over 70 are exempt from fingerprints, and all short-term applicants are exempt until 31 December 2026. - New Delhi says S and Q applicants attend an interview at the Embassy; Mumbai and Kolkata call applicants only if informed. - Fees for Indian passport holders: Rs2900 single entry, Rs4400 double entry, plus Rs 2152 regular service fee. **According to the Chinese Embassy in India, Indian parents choose the visa by purpose: an L visa for tourism, a Q2 visa to visit a child who is a Chinese citizen or permanent resident, or an S2 visa to visit a child working or studying in China. The single-entry fee is Rs2900 plus the Visa Center service fee.** ## Article The rules below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Our China visa page for Indians covers every visa type; this post deals only with parents and older travellers. ### Which China visa should your parents apply for? There is no separate senior-citizen visa. The visa type follows the reason for the trip and who is hosting your parents in China. Your parents' situationVisaMain documentsSon or daughter works or studies in China on a residence permitS2 (family visit, up to 180 days)Invitation letter, copy of the child's passport and residence permit, relationship proofSon or daughter is a Chinese citizen or Chinese permanent residentQ2 (family visit, up to 180 days)Invitation letter, copy of the inviter's Chinese ID card or foreign passport and permanent residence permit, relationship proofSon or daughter is married to a Chinese citizen, who invites themQ2 (parents of spouses count as family)Same as above, plus the marriage certificate linking the familiesSightseeing or a group tour with no family hostL (tourism)Tour itinerary, hotel order, airline ticket order, bank proofThe Embassy defines family narrowly. For a Q visa, family means spouses, parents, parents of spouses, children, spouses of children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren. For an S2 visa, the list includes parents and parents-in-law of the person working or studying in China. Other relatives apply for a tourist or business visa. Stays of more than 180 days with family fall under Q1 or S1, which are long-stay visas with stricter checks. ### What should the invitation letter from your son or daughter say? For Q2 and S2, the invitation does most of the work. The Embassy says an invitation letter should include: - Your parents' details as written in their passports. - The purpose of the visit, the places they will stay and the duration. - Arrival and departure dates. - The relationship between your parents and the inviter. - Who pays for the trip. - The inviter's details, with a signature (and stamp where relevant). Attach the original and a photocopy of the relationship proof. For parents, that is usually the child's birth certificate naming them. If the names on old documents differ from the passports, add the name-change document the Embassy asks for. For an L visa, the CVASC New Delhi notice of 9 April 2026 asks for personal savings-account statements for the last 3 months with a consistent monthly balance of at least INR 1 lakh, or a personal deposit certificate of a similar amount made at least 3 months before you apply. The Q2 and S2 document lists do not set a bank-balance figure. ### Do senior citizens have to give fingerprints or attend an interview? Fingerprints are less of a hurdle than many families expect. Applicants aged over 70 are exempt from the ten-fingerprint requirement. On top of that, the fingerprint exemption for all short-term visa applicants (stays of up to 180 days) has been extended until 31 December 2026, so L, Q2 and S2 applicants of any age are currently exempt. Fingerprints are still taken for Q1 and S1. Interviews are a different matter. After online approval, S and Q applicants submit all documents at the Visa Center. The New Delhi Visa Center says these applicants attend an interview at the Embassy. The Mumbai and Kolkata centres say an interview at the Consulate General happens only if the applicant is informed. The New Delhi Visa Center also runs a 'green channel' for the elderly, the sick, disabled and pregnant applicants, toddlers, and emergencies such as medical treatment or visiting patients. These applicants can apply without queuing. ### How much do parents pay, and when? Each parent pays separately. The reduced fees for Indian passport holders are extended until 31 December 2026. Charge (per person)AmountWhen it is paidSingle entryRs2900At the Visa CenterDouble entryRs4400At the Visa CenterSix months multiple entryRs5900At the Visa CenterExpress / urgent feeRs1800 / Rs2700At the Visa Center, if chosenVisa Center service feeRs 2152 regular / Rs 3172 expressOnline, before the application is submittedThe visa fee is paid in cash or by demand draft in New Delhi, and in cash only in Mumbai and Kolkata. If the Embassy rejects an application, the visa and express fees are refunded through the Visa Center, but the service fee is not. ### How should you fill the online application for your parents? Since December 2025, every regular application starts online. You pay the service fee through the VFS Global payment page, create an account on the Visa Center website for the correct centre, fill the form and upload the passport, photo and documents. The passport goes to the centre only after the status shows 'online review completed', and no appointment is needed. Families often do this for their parents. Two rules matter here. The New Delhi Visa Center says the phone number and email in the form must be the applicant's own, so use your parents' contact details, not yours. And the photo (48mm x 33mm, colour, within 6 months) must be taken without glasses, which catches out many older applicants. Choose the centre by your parents' home state. Mumbai covers Maharashtra and Karnataka. Kolkata covers Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. New Delhi covers all other states. ### Can parents stay longer or come back again? The visa officer decides the visa type, number of entries, validity and duration of stay. First-time applicants are generally given a single-entry visa. To ask for double or multiple entries, your parents should show a Chinese visa obtained in the past five years. The duration of stay is counted from the day after entry. If plans change while they are in China, they must apply to the local public security exit and entry authority at least 7 days before the permitted stay ends. Staying beyond the permitted days without an extension is illegal overstay. Processing at the Embassy usually takes 4 working days (regular) or 3 working days (express) for qualified applications. In New Delhi and Kolkata, regular passports are expected back on the 6th working day after submission. Add time for the interview in New Delhi. ### Points families often miss - India is not on China's visa-free lists, so even a short family trip needs a visa. - Upload the printed payment confirmation email with the documents and then click Submit; otherwise the status stays 'Pending'. - 'Online review completed' is not a visa approval; acceptance is confirmed at the counter. - Travel insurance is not listed on the Embassy pages checked, but older travellers should still consider medical cover for the trip. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, which suits parents applying for a tourist (L) visa. Packages range from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or visit our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Can my parents visit me in China on a tourist visa instead of S2? They can apply for an L visa if the trip is tourism, but then the tourist list applies, including 3 months of savings statements with a consistent monthly balance of INR 1 lakh. If you work or study in China and are hosting them, the S2 family visit visa matches the purpose. #### Can my brother's in-laws use a Q2 visa? Only relatives on the Embassy's list qualify for a Q visa: spouses, parents, parents of spouses, children, spouses of children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren. Other relatives apply for a tourist or business visa. #### Do my parents need an appointment at the Chinese Visa Center? No. Appointments were removed in November 2023. Your parents take the original passport and the Visa Application Certificate to the centre after the online review is completed, within 15 days of the confirmation. #### Can a 75-year-old get a multiple-entry China visa on the first application? Age does not change the rule. First-time applicants are generally issued a single-entry visa, and the officer decides the entries. A Chinese visa from the past five years supports a request for double or multiple entries. ## FAQ ### Can my parents visit me in China on a tourist visa instead of S2? They can apply for an L visa if the trip is tourism, but then the tourist list applies, including 3 months of savings statements with a consistent monthly balance of INR 1 lakh. If you work or study in China and are hosting them, the S2 family visit visa matches the purpose. ### Can my brother's in-laws use a Q2 visa? Only relatives on the Embassy's list qualify for a Q visa: spouses, parents, parents of spouses, children, spouses of children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren. Other relatives apply for a tourist or business visa. ### Do my parents need an appointment at the Chinese Visa Center? No. Appointments were removed in November 2023. Your parents take the original passport and the Visa Application Certificate to the centre after the online review is completed, within 15 days of the confirmation. ### Can a 75-year-old get a multiple-entry China visa on the first application? Age does not change the rule. First-time applicants are generally issued a single-entry visa, and the officer decides the entries. A Chinese visa from the past five years supports a request for double or multiple entries. ## Sources 1. [Chinese Embassy in India - Notice on Updating Requirements for Chinese Visa Application (Aug 2024)](https://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/qz/202408/t20240820_11476941.htm) — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India 2. [Chinese Embassy in India - FAQs on Applying for Chinese Visa (II) (14 May 2025): no appointment, fingerprints, refunds](https://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/qz/202505/t20250514_11622818.htm) — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India 3. [CVASC Mumbai - Extension of fingerprint exemption until 31 Dec 2026](https://www.visaforchina.cn/BOM4_EN/tongzhigonggao/553118174351069233.html) — Chinese Visa Application Service Center 4. [Chinese Embassy in India - Notice on Extension of Visa-Fee Reduction (4 Jan 2026)](https://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/qz/202601/t20260104_11797373.htm) — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India