Which China Visa Should Indians Apply For?

Choosing the visa type is the first decision on a Chinese application. The visa officer then decides the type, number of entries, validity and duration of stay according to your purpose, length of stay and documents, and each type has its own supporting papers. This guide maps common reasons for travel to the right visa, using the Chinese Embassy in India's published rules, checked on 2026-10-15. For the full application process, see our China visa guide for Indians.

Which China visa matches your reason for travel?

The Embassy's August 2024 notice lists 16 ordinary visa types. Here is how they map to the reasons Indians travel, with the key document each one needs:

The remaining two types are C, for crew members, and D, for people whose permanent residence has already been approved by China's Ministry of Public Security.

Tourist (L) or business (M): how do you choose?

Choose by what you will do in China, not by which visa looks easier to document. The two carry different proof:

• L visa: since the New Delhi Visa Center's notice of 9 April 2026, tourists must show personal savings-account statements for the most recent 3 months with a minimum consistent monthly balance of INR 1 lakh, or a personal deposit certificate of a similar amount made at least 3 months before applying. Minors may use a parent's or guardian's statement with an authorisation letter signed by the account holder.
• M visa: 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 must state the purpose and carry a handwritten Chinese signature and the company's official seal; contract or personnel seals are not accepted. Your cover letter must give the company profile and the specific purpose and exact duration of the trip.

The application-accuracy rule applies to both: the form must be accurate and complete, the phone number and email must be your own, and failure to disclose information, concealment or falsification may lead to rejection.

Q or S: which family visa applies to you?

Both cover family visits. The difference is who your relative in China is:

• Q1 or Q2 if the inviter is a Chinese citizen or a foreigner with Chinese permanent residence. The Embassy defines family members for a Q visa as spouses, parents, parents of spouses, children, spouses of children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren. Other relatives apply for a tourist or business visa.
• S1 or S2 if the inviter is a foreigner, for example an Indian, working or studying in China. For S2, the Embassy's family list is similar: spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren and parents-in-law.

The number tells you the length: '1' is for stays over 180 days, '2' for stays up to 180 days. Q, S, X and Z applicants submit all documents at the Visa Center; New Delhi says they attend an interview at the Embassy, while Mumbai and Kolkata applicants may be interviewed at the Consulate General if informed.

Going to study or work: X or Z?

Students pick by course length: X1 for study of more than 180 days and X2 for up to 180 days. You need the original and a photocopy of the admission letter and a copy of Form JW201 or JW202. The Embassy's checklist sets no bank-balance figure for X visas; the INR 1 lakh rule is listed only for tourist visas. X1 holders whose visa requires it apply for a study residence permit within 30 days of arrival.

Workers need the Z visa, and only after the employer in China has obtained the Notification Letter for Foreigner's Work Permit. China has no job-seeker visa: none of the 16 ordinary types is for looking for work. If you will work for more than 90 days, you apply for a residence permit for work within 30 days of entry.

Does the visa type change the fee?

No. The Embassy's fee notice of 4 January 2026 sets one table for Indian passport holders by number of entries, not by visa type, so a Z or X visa costs the same as an L visa with the same entries. These reduced fees are valid until 31 December 2026.

The Visa Center's own service fee is extra: Rs 2152 for regular and Rs 3172 for express service, paid online before you submit. First-time applicants are generally issued a single-entry visa; to ask for double or multiple entries, show a copy of a Chinese visa obtained in the past five years.

Can Indians enter China without a visa?

Not for a normal trip. 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 use only the 24-hour visa-free transit to a third country while staying inside the port's restricted area. China's port visa is reserved for urgent needs such as urgent business, visiting a critically ill relative or attending a funeral; it is not a routine visa on arrival.

Where and how do you apply?

You apply at the Chinese Visa Application Service Center for your state:

• Mumbai: Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• Kolkata: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.
• New Delhi: all other states and union territories.

Since December 2025 you first pay the service fee online, then fill the form and upload documents on the Visa Center website. Only after the status shows 'online review completed' and the confirmation email arrives do you take your passport to the centre; no appointment is needed. For qualified applications the Embassy usually takes 4 working days (regular) or 3 working days (express), and the visa fee is paid at the centre. The full document rules are in the Embassy's notice on visa requirements.

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 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation + hotel + itinerary + cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or send us a message.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between validity and duration of stay on a China visa?

Validity is the period within which you can enter China, and the number of entries is how many times you can enter in that period. Duration of stay is the number of days allowed after each entry, counted from the day after entry. Staying beyond it without an extension is illegal overstay.

Do Indians give fingerprints for a China tourist visa?

Not at present for short stays. The fingerprint exemption for short-term visa applicants (stays up to 180 days) has been extended until 31 December 2026. Fingerprints are still collected for D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z visas.

Is the China visa fee refunded if my application is rejected?

The Embassy's part is. If an application is rejected, the Embassy charges no visa or express fee and both are refunded through the visa centre. The centre's own service fees are non-refundable.

Can I switch from normal to express service after paying?

No. You choose Express or Normal when you pay the Visa Center service fee online, and the service cannot be changed later. Express applications in New Delhi must also be submitted before 12:00.