Since 26 October 2026, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai have directly accepted and processed visa and consular legalisation applications. The embassy’s notice also says New Delhi is temporarily handling the Kolkata consular district’s applications.
Find the office responsible for your address
The embassy directs residents of Maharashtra and Karnataka to the consulate in Mumbai. New Delhi handles applications from other areas, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal while the Kolkata arrangement is in place. The old New Delhi visa application centre stopped taking new applications when the switch took effect.
Choose the purpose before building the file
For a mainland China trip, an L visa is the usual category for tourism, M is for commercial or trade activities, Z is for employment, and X1 and X2 are for long- and short-term study respectively. Start with the actual activity you will undertake. A trade-fair invitation and an offer to take up employment call for different supporting documents. Confirm the category with the mission if your itinerary combines several activities.
Online review comes before the passport visit
Use the Chinese consular visa system to complete the form and upload the documents. The October notice says there is no fee at the online review step. When the approval email arrives, follow the instructions on taking your passport and other originals to the correct office. Bring the application form and any supporting documents the notice asks for, and plan for fingerprints if required. Keep the collection slip and check the visa details when you collect your passport.
Plan the trip around both processing stages
The embassy lists seven working days for regular processing and four for express processing, counted from the day after passport submission. The time needed for online review comes first. A Bengaluru applicant flying out in two weeks still has to wait for online clearance and submit the passport in Mumbai, so count working days and mission holidays before making a non-refundable booking.
What Indian passport holders should budget
The consular schedule lists ₹2,900 for single entry, ₹4,400 for double entry, ₹5,900 for six-month multiple entry and ₹8,800 for multiple entry of 12 months or more. These are the published visa fees. Confirm any express surcharge and collection payment instructions with the mission. Ask which entry count fits your actual plans. A side trip that takes you out of mainland China can affect what you need for re-entry.
Check the day before you leave for the mission
Confirm jurisdiction from your residence, save the approval email, check opening hours and bring the passport and category-specific originals. A business traveller should double-check that the invitation details match the intended visit. A worker or student should obtain the relevant employer or school documentation before starting online review. The process above covers mainland China. Hong Kong and Macao have separate entry arrangements.
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