Documents Required for China Visa from India: 2026 Checklist

Regular applications go to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centers in New Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata, depending on where you live; the centre's service fee is paid online through VFS Global payment pages before you apply online. This checklist follows the Chinese Embassy in India's notices; fees and processing times are as published on those official sources, checked on 10 October 2026. For an overview of visa types and routes, see our China visa guide for Indians.

Core papers for every ordinary China visa

Since December 2025 the online application is compulsory: you pay the Visa Center's service fee online, fill the form and upload your passport, photo and supporting documents on the Visa Center website (visaforchina.cn), then wait for the status 'online review completed'. At the centre you hand in the Visa Application Certificate from the approval email and your original passport, plus anything requested during the online review.

Tourist (L) visa: five extra items

• Tour itinerary
• Hotel order (booking)
• Airline ticket order (booking)
• Bank account deposit proof of no less than 1 lakh rupees
• An invitation letter from a relevant entity or individual, when necessary

For the bank proof, the New Delhi Visa Center's April 2026 notice asks for your 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; minors may use a parent's or guardian's statement with an authorisation letter signed by the account holder. The checklist asks for a ticket order, not a paid ticket. Embassies generally advise against buying non-refundable tickets before the visa decision, and a verifiable flight reservation in your name shows an air booking without committing to a paid ticket. Requirements can vary, so check the latest Embassy notice before you submit.

Business, work, study and transit files

M visa (commercial and trade)

• Documents on the commercial activity issued by your trade partner in China, or a trade fair invitation or other invitation letter
• Copy of the inviting party's business licence
• Copy of the front and back of the inviter's ID card, or the legal representative's ID card

Z visa (work)

• A valid Notice for Foreigner's Work Permit

X1 and X2 visas (study over or up to 180 days)

• Original and photocopy of the Admission Letter from the school or other entity in China
• Photocopy of the Visa Application for Study in China (Form JW201 or JW202)

F visa (exchanges, visits, study tours) and G visa (transit)

• F: an invitation letter issued by the relevant entity or individual in China
• G: an onward air, train or ship ticket with confirmed date and seat to the destination country or region

Family visits under Q and S visas

Q visas cover family of Chinese citizens or permanent residents; S visas cover family of foreigners working or studying in China. Both run in two lengths, over 180 days (Q1, S1) and up to 180 days (Q2, S2).

What a Chinese invitation letter must contain

Whether it comes from a company, a school or a relative, the Embassy expects the invitation letter to include:

• Your details as the applicant
• The purpose of the visit, places you will go and how long you will stay
• Arrival and departure dates
• Your relationship with the inviter
• Who is paying for the trip
• The inviter's own details, with stamp or signature

The Embassy may ask to see the original letter, so make sure your inviter can send it to you if needed.

Fingerprint exemptions and photo checks

You do not give fingerprints if you are under 14 or over 70, if you were fingerprinted within the past five years with the same passport, or if your fingers cannot be collected. For now, applicants for short-term single or double-entry visas of less than 180 days are also exempt. The Embassy pages we checked do not specify a photo background colour, so confirm it with the Visa Center before printing, and make sure the photo is no older than 6 months.

Where to submit and what it costs

Jurisdiction decides your centre. The Mumbai Consulate covers Maharashtra and Karnataka; the Kolkata Consulate covers Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal; the Embassy in New Delhi covers all other areas. No appointment is needed, but you go to the Visa Center only after your online application shows 'online review completed', and within 15 days of the confirmation email.

Qualified applications are usually processed in 4 working days (regular) or 3 working days (express). The Visa Center's own service fee (Rs 2,152 regular or Rs 3,172 express per application, October 2026) is paid online before you submit the online application.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, which covers the tour itinerary, hotel order and airline ticket order on the L visa list. Packages cost INR 1,000 for a flight reservation up to INR 3,000 for reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Which China visa centre should a Bengaluru resident use?

Karnataka falls under the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai, so Bengaluru residents submit at the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Mumbai. Maharashtra residents also use Mumbai.

Do I need an appointment to submit my China visa documents?

No appointment is required. Since December 2025 you fill the online form and upload your documents on the Visa Center website first; once the status shows 'online review completed', bring the Visa Application Certificate from the approval email and your original passport to the centre on a working day.

Is travel insurance required for a China visa from India?

The Embassy pages we checked do not publish an insurance requirement for ordinary visas. Check the current Embassy notice or ask the Visa Center if you are unsure.

Do diplomatic and official passport holders use the same centres?

No. Diplomatic, official and courtesy visas are submitted to the Embassy's Consular Section rather than the Visa Application Service Centers.