# China Visa News for Indians: 2026 Rule Changes > Every dated China visa change that affects Indian applicants since late 2025: the tourist bank-balance notice, fee extension, online system, fingerprints and arrival cards. _Published: 2026-10-25 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1241_ ## TL;DR Five dated changes shape China visa applications from India in 2026. Tourist applicants at the New Delhi centre must show three months of savings statements with a consistent INR 1 lakh monthly balance (April 2026); reduced visa fees run until 31 December 2026; online pre-review has replaced appointments; short-term applicants stay exempt from fingerprints until 31 December 2026; and arrival cards can now be filled online. ## Key takeaways - 9 April 2026: tourist (L) applicants at CVASC New Delhi must show 3 months of statements with a consistent INR 1 lakh monthly balance. - 4 January 2026: reduced fees extended to 31 December 2026 (Rs 2,900 single to Rs 8,800 for 12 months or above). - 29 December 2025: fingerprint exemption for short-term applicants (up to 180 days) extended to 31 December 2026. - 22 December 2025: Online Visa Application System launched; mandatory at New Delhi from 20 December 2025. - India is still not on China's 30-day visa-free, 240-hour transit or Hainan lists. **According to a 9 April 2026 notice from the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in New Delhi, tourist applicants must now show three months of savings statements with a consistent monthly balance of INR 1 lakh. The Embassy has also extended reduced fees (single entry Rs 2,900) until 31 December 2026, and online pre-review is now mandatory.** ## Article Below is every dated change in the official notices that affects Indian applicants, what each one means in practice, and what has stayed the same. Each item comes from the Embassy of China in India, the Chinese Visa Application Service Centers (CVASC) or China's National Immigration Administration, as published and checked on 15 October 2026. For the complete process and checklists, see our China visa page for Indian applicants. ### Which China visa rules changed, and when? DateChangeWho it affects9 April 2026Tourist (L) applicants must show personal savings statements for the last 3 months with a consistent INR 1 lakh monthly balance, or a deposit certificate made at least 3 months earlier; business (M) invitations and licences need handwritten Chinese signatures and the company's official sealL and M applicants at CVASC New Delhi4 January 2026Reduced visa fees extended until 31 December 2026All Indian passport holders29 December 2025Fingerprint exemption for short-term applicants (stay up to 180 days) extended until 31 December 2026Short-term visa applicants22 December 2025Online Visa Application System launched; mandatory at the New Delhi centre from 20 December 2025All ordinary-visa applicants20 November 2025Online arrival-card filling launchedAll travellers entering China ### What does the April 2026 bank-balance notice mean for tourists? It turned a loose instruction into a specific test. The tourist checklist already asked for bank deposit proof of no less than 1 lakh rupees. The CVASC New Delhi notice of 9 April 2026 now asks for personal savings-account statements covering the most recent 3 months, with a minimum consistent monthly balance of INR 1 lakh. As an alternative, you can show a personal deposit certificate of a similar amount, made at least 3 months before you apply. Two consequences follow. A balance topped up just before applying is unlikely to meet the wording, because the notice asks for a consistent monthly balance across the three months. And minors can use a parent's or guardian's statement, but only with an authorisation letter signed by the account holder. The same notice tightened business (M) visas. The inviting company's business licence must be valid, show the business scope and carry a handwritten Chinese signature, date and note by the responsible person. The invitation letter needs a handwritten Chinese signature and the company's official seal; contract or personnel seals are not accepted. The cover letter must give the company profile and the exact purpose and duration of the trip. ### Are the reduced visa fees still in force? Yes, until 31 December 2026. The Embassy's notice of 4 January 2026 kept the reduced rupee fees for Indian passport holders: - Single entry: Rs 2,900 - Double entry: Rs 4,400 - Six months multiple entry: Rs 5,900 - 12 months or above multiple entry: Rs 8,800 - Express / urgent fee: Rs 1,800 / Rs 2,700, unchanged The same entry-based table applies to Z work and X student visas; there is no separate student or work fee. The Visa Center's service fee is extra and is adjusted every quarter with the USD-INR exchange rate. The October 2026 fee pages list Rs 2,152 for regular service and Rs 3,172 for express, paid online before you submit. ### Do Indian applicants still give fingerprints? Most tourists do not, for now. On 29 December 2025 the exemption for all short-term visa applicants with a stay of up to 180 days was extended until 31 December 2026. Fingerprints are still collected for D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z visas, so students going for more than 180 days and workers should expect them. The Embassy's other fingerprint exemptions are listed separately: applicants under 14 or over 70, those fingerprinted within the past five years with the same passport, applicants whose fingers cannot be collected, and diplomatic and official passport holders. ### How has the online system changed the visit to the Visa Center? The Embassy launched its Online Visa Application System on 22 December 2025, and the New Delhi centre made it mandatory from 20 December 2025. Mumbai and Kolkata publish the same steps. You now: - Pay the service fee online through the VFS Global payment page and choose Normal or Express (it cannot be changed later). - Create an account on the Visa Center website for your centre, fill in the form and upload your documents. - Wait for the status 'online review completed' and a confirmation email with the Visa Application Certificate. - Take your original passport to the Visa Center within 15 days, without an appointment, and pay the visa fee there. 'Online review completed' is not a visa approval. Acceptance is confirmed only at the counter. In April 2026 the New Delhi centre also advised applying well in advance because of higher application volumes. ### Has China opened visa-free entry to Indians? No. India is not on China's unilateral 30-day visa-exemption list (as of 17 February 2026), not on the 57-country list for 240-hour visa-free transit (August 2026) and not among the 59 countries allowed visa-free entry to Hainan. Indians can only use the 24-hour visa-free transit to a third country while staying in the port's restricted area. China also issues no eVisa to Indian passport holders: the online system is a pre-review, and the passport still goes to the Visa Center. The newest change at the border is administrative. Since 20 November 2025 you can fill the arrival card online through the National Immigration Administration website, the NIA 12367 app or WeChat and Alipay mini programs, or still fill it on arrival. ### What should you do differently in 2026? - Check your savings balance across the last three months before you start the online form, not on the day you apply. - If a company in China invites you, ask for the handwritten Chinese signature and official seal before you upload anything. - Plan around 31 December 2026, the end date of both the reduced fees and the fingerprint exemption, and check the Embassy's notices if you will apply after it. - Keep the same itinerary, hotel order and flight reservation dates across the whole file. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for China files, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation up to INR 3,000 for the full set. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or reach us on our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Does the INR 1 lakh rule apply at the Mumbai and Kolkata centres too? The April 2026 notice was issued by the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in New Delhi. The general tourist checklist for all centres lists bank deposit proof of no less than 1 lakh rupees, so applicants in Mumbai and Kolkata should also be ready to show that balance. #### Do I still need an appointment for a China visa in India? No. Appointments were removed in November 2023. You submit online first and walk in with your passport after the status shows 'online review completed', within 15 days of the confirmation. #### Is the China visa fee refunded if my application is rejected? Yes for the Embassy's part. If an application is rejected, the Embassy charges no visa or express fee and both are refunded through the visa centre; the centre's service fees are non-refundable. #### Can I fill China's arrival card before I fly? Yes. Since 20 November 2025 China's National Immigration Administration offers online arrival-card filling on its website, the NIA 12367 app and WeChat or Alipay mini programs. You can still fill it on arrival. ## FAQ ### Does the INR 1 lakh rule apply at the Mumbai and Kolkata centres too? The April 2026 notice was issued by the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in New Delhi. The general tourist checklist for all centres lists bank deposit proof of no less than 1 lakh rupees, so applicants in Mumbai and Kolkata should also be ready to show that balance. ### Do I still need an appointment for a China visa in India? No. Appointments were removed in November 2023. You submit online first and walk in with your passport after the status shows 'online review completed', within 15 days of the confirmation. ### Is the China visa fee refunded if my application is rejected? Yes for the Embassy's part. If an application is rejected, the Embassy charges no visa or express fee and both are refunded through the visa centre; the centre's service fees are non-refundable. ### Can I fill China's arrival card before I fly? Yes. Since 20 November 2025 China's National Immigration Administration offers online arrival-card filling on its website, the NIA 12367 app and WeChat or Alipay mini programs. You can still fill it on arrival. ## Sources 1. [CVASC New Delhi - Important Notice (9 Apr 2026): tourist bank statements, business documents, biometrics](https://www.visaforchina.cn/DEL3_EN/tongzhigonggao/502142967226699776.html) — Chinese Visa Application Service Center, New Delhi 2. [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 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, Mumbai 4. [Chinese Embassy in India - Notice Regarding Online Visa Processing Approval (8 Dec 2025)](https://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/embassy_news/202512/t20251208_11768481.htm) — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India