China Work Visa Fees for Indians (2026, in Rupees)

If you are moving to China for a job, you might expect a separate, higher work-visa charge. There isn't one. The Embassy's fee table for Indian passport holders is set by the number of entries, and a Z visa sits in the same table as a tourist or business visa. What changes your total is the entries the Embassy grants, the speed you choose and the Visa Center's own charges. All figures here are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For the full China visa process, see our China visa guide for Indians.

How much is the China Z visa fee in rupees?

The Embassy's notice of 4 January 2026 extended these reduced fees until 31 December 2026. Read the Embassy fee notice for the official table. We do not know what fees will apply after that date, so check the Embassy's visa section if you apply after that date.

Why does a work visa cost the same as a tourist visa?

The Embassy publishes one fee table for Indian passport holders, organised by entries rather than by visa type, and its FAQ gives the same rupee fees for Indian citizens in general. A Z visa therefore costs the same as any ordinary visa with the same entries.

You do not pick the number of entries; the Embassy decides it. First-time applicants are generally issued a single-entry visa. To ask for double or multiple entries, you show a Chinese visa obtained in the past five years and enough passport validity. If you will work in China for more than 90 days, you also apply for a work residence permit within 30 days of entry.

What else do you pay on top of the visa fee?

The service fee is listed on VFS Global's China Logistic Fee pages as INR 1823.73 (normal) and INR 2688.14 (express) before taxes, which the centres show as Rs 2152 and Rs 3172 including tax. It is adjusted every quarter with the USD-INR exchange rate. The Embassy says the centre's VIP service is a third-party service and has nothing to do with visa issuance or processing time.

How and where do you pay?

• Service fee: paid online through VFS Global payment pages, before you submit the online application. You choose express or normal at this point, and the service cannot be changed later.
• Visa fee: paid at the Visa Center, not online. New Delhi accepts cash or demand draft; Mumbai and Kolkata accept cash only.
• Which centre: Mumbai handles Maharashtra and Karnataka; Kolkata handles Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal; New Delhi handles everywhere else.

What happens to your money if the visa is refused or withdrawn?

If the Embassy rejects an application, it charges no visa or express fee, and both are refunded through the visa centre. The Visa Center's service fees are non-refundable. If you need your passport back urgently during processing, you can submit a withdrawal letter through the centre; once the Embassy approves it, the passport and Embassy fees are returned. A withdrawn or returned application cannot be revived, so a later trip means a new application and new service fees.

Which work-related costs are not in this table?

The Z visa is the last step of a longer process, and the Embassy's fee table covers only the visa. Before you apply, your China-based employer must obtain the Notification Letter for Foreigner's Work Permit online through China's foreign worker management system. The work permit file needs your degree and professional certificates authenticated by apostille or by a Chinese embassy or consulate, a certificate of no criminal record and a health examination certificate. Our records hold no official rupee figures for those documents, so ask your employer which costs they cover and get local quotes for the rest.

Before you pay: a short checklist

• Confirm the Notification Letter for Foreigner's Work Permit has been issued; the Z visa checklist requires it.
• Choose normal or express service carefully, because you cannot change it after paying.
• Plan for an interview: Z applicants in the New Delhi jurisdiction attend one at the Embassy, and Mumbai and Kolkata applicants attend at the Consulate General if informed.
• Expect fingerprints. The fingerprint exemption covers short-term visas only, and fingerprints are still collected for Z visas.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages range from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or write to us through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I pay the China visa fee online?

No. Online payment of the visa fee is not available; it is paid at the Visa Center. Only the centre's service fee is paid online before you submit the online application.

How long does a China Z visa take to process?

No separate period is published for Z visas. For qualified applications the Embassy usually takes 4 working days (regular) or 3 (express), but the Z interview can add time.

Is there a China job-seeker visa for Indians?

No. The Embassy's list of ordinary visa types has no job-seeker category, and the only work visa, Z, requires the employer's work permit notice before you apply.

What does it cost to bring my family on a China work visa?

Family members apply for their own visas under the same entry-based fee table, for example Rs2900 for a single entry. Family of foreigners working in China use S1 (over 180 days) or S2 (up to 180 days) visas.