6 more Chinese embassies announce new visa application process

Thailand

India

1. Chinese visa applications processed in accordance with respective consular jurisdiction area in principle.

For applicants who reside in Maharashtra or Karnataka, their visa applications are processed by Chinese Consulate-General in Mumbai. For applicants who reside in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chattisgarh, and West Bengal, their visa applications are processed by Chinese Consulate-General in Kolkata. For applicants who reside in areas other than those mentioned above, their visa applications are processed by Chinese Embassy in India.

2. Regular visa application submitted through Chinese Visa Application Service Center.

According to the consular jurisdiction area, applicants submit visa application documents through Chinese Visa Application Service Center in New Delhi, or Mumbai or Kolkata. For applicants in consular jurisdiction area, please visit the website of New Delhi Chinese Visa Application Service Center

(https://bio.visaforchina.org/DEL2_EN/),  fill out visa application form, then submit the application form and documents (please check Part 2 for documents requirements) as well as retain ten fingerprints as required (please view the detail in the part below for Fingerprint collection exemption）at Chinese Visa Application Service Center, which will be sent to Embassy for further processing. Starting from November 2023, the requirement for appointment has been removed and applicants can directly submit application documents at the Visa Center on any working day; the Visa Center will accept all applications submitted within the due time limit; please see more information of the due time limit through logging on the website

https://www.visaforchina.cn/DEL2_EN/aboutus/277101.shtml 

The Visa Center will accept all visa applications that meet the application requirements on the same day.

3. Fingerprint collection exemption convenience available to certain applicants.

The following applicants can be exempted from fingerprints collection: applicants under the age of 14 or over the age of 70; or applicants already had fingerprints collected within the past five years at Chinese Embassy in India or Chinese Visa Application Service Center in New Delhi using the same passport; or with all fingers mutilated or uncollectible. Starting from August 2023, temporary measure of fingerprints collection exemption for certain applicants has been implemented (As to the expiration of the temporary measure, please refer to Embassy’s relevant notice): applicants eligible for single or double-entry visas for business (M Category), tourism (L Category), short-term family visit to Chinese citizens (Q2 Category), transit (G Category), and crew (C Category) purposes are exempted from fingerprints collection.

4. Processing period for qualified application fixed.

Applicants can choose the type of counter service by themselves. For qualified visa applications, the processing period by the Embassy is usually 2 working days (for express application) and 4 working days (for regular application). VIP service is a third party service offered by the Visa Center. The content of the VIP service is subject to the Visa Center, and is NOT related to the issuance of visas by the Embassy or the processing time.

5. Fee charges for visas clarified. 

Fee charges for visas by the Embassy include visa fees and express fees, please refer to the notice of Fee Charges for Visas & Consular Services（2024 Renewed）through the Embassy's Chinese website http://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/lsfw/4consularservice/202401/t20240118_11228490.htm,  or English website http://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/tzts/202401/t20240118_11228514.htm. For any other fees incurred, they will be charged for services by the visa center or agency.

6. Diplomatic or official applications submitted to consular section.

Diplomatic, official and courtesy visa applications are exempted from fingerprints collection. Please fill out the visa application form online

(https://bio.visaforchina.org/DEL2_EN/) and submit application form and required documents such as verbal note, as well as original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages, a photocopy of the passport’s data page and the photo page if it is separate, one color passport photo to the Consular Section of Chinese Embassy in India. For relevant questions, please directly contact the Consular Section of Chinese Embassy in India (Contact details in Part IV of this notice).

7. Foreign nationals who don’t need applying visa

(1) Subject to mutual visa exemption agreements; 

(2) Holding valid permanent resident permit ID card;

(3) Holding valid residence permits;

(4) Holding valid APEC business travel cards and APEC virtual cards;

(5) Under the 24/72/144-hour Transit Visa Exemption Program. Please refer to the notice of Visa-Free Transit Policies for Foreign Nationals issued by National Immigration Administration of China, through its Chinese website

https://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741577/c1659077/content.html.

or English website 

https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147463/c156086/content.html.

Ireland

Spain

Kazakhstan

Switzerland

Source: Chinese Embassy

Expat Focus