China’s visa centres in Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai will stop accepting new applications on October 26, 2026. Despite the headline’s reference to a reopening, the change sends applicants to Chinese government offices for direct processing.
The Chinese Embassy in India and its Mumbai consulate will handle visa and consular legalization applications, under an embassy notice dated October 22. The centres, operated by VFS Global, will no longer take new files from the effective date.
Applicants covered by the consular district of the Chinese Consulate General in Kolkata will temporarily use the embassy in New Delhi. Processed documents still waiting at the centres can be collected until 12 noon on October 30.
The new filing arrangement applies to legalization applications as well as visa requests. For legalization, the office responsible depends on where the documents were issued.
Applicants must use the office assigned to their state
The temporary assignment for Kolkata’s consular district sends applicants from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh to New Delhi. The broader filing map is:
| India | China | ROW | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 | Feb 01, 2023 | Aug 01, 2023 ▲31d | Current |
| EB-2 | Nov 01, 2013 | Oct 01, 2021 | Apr 01, 2025 ▲90d |
| EB-3 | Jan 22, 2014 ▲21d | Jan 22, 2022 ▲14d | Jun 15, 2024 ▲31d |
| F-1 | Jan 22, 2021 ▲366d | Jan 22, 2021 ▲366d | Jan 22, 2021 ▲366d |
| F-2A | Oct 22, 2026 ▲30d | Oct 22, 2026 ▲30d | Oct 22, 2026 ▲30d |
| Applicant’s location | Filing office |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra and Karnataka | Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai |
| West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh | Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, temporarily |
| All other Indian states and Union Territories | Chinese Embassy in New Delhi |
The online process comes first. Applicants complete the form, upload supporting papers through the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ consular and visa portal, and submit the application for review. No fee applies during that online review.
After approval, applicants receive an email and have 30 days to deliver their passport, application form and supporting documents in person to the designated office. Fingerprints are taken when required. People seeking diplomatic, official or courtesy visas must arrange an appointment by phone.
Fees and payment methods change with direct filing
Applications submitted online after 5 pm on October 23, 2026, will not incur a service fee. The service fees already paid for earlier applications will not be refunded. Direct filing also removes the regular-service centre fee of INR 3,910.
Indian passport holders will pay ₹2,900 for a single-entry visa, ₹4,400 for a double-entry visa, ₹5,900 for a six-month multiple-entry visa and ₹8,800 for a multiple-entry visa valid for 12 months or longer.
The embassy and Mumbai consulate will temporarily accept payments only by demand draft. Cash and cheques will not be accepted.
Fingerprint waivers and supporting documents depend on visa type
Applicants seeking short-term visas for stays of up to 180 days do not need to provide fingerprints through December 31, 2026. The waiver does not cover long-term Z, X1 and J1 applicants. Applicants whose prints cannot be matched in the system must also provide them in person.
Tourist visa applicants need six months of personal bank statements showing a consistent average monthly balance of at least INR 1 lakh (INR 100,000). A fixed-deposit certificate can be submitted instead, but it must have been issued at least three months before the application date.
Business visa applicants must provide an Invitation Letter (PU) or an Invitation Verification Notice issued in China. The file also requires handwritten Chinese endorsements on documents from the inviting company. Student applicants need the original Admission Notice and JW202 form.
Applications missing required documents will be rejected outright. The embassy has advised applicants to check its current notices for category-specific document lists and procedural instructions before filing.
A busy November travel period will test the new process
Travel-management companies advise corporate travellers to submit complete applications at least ten calendar days before departure while the new workflow settles. They also recommend staggering large group submissions or working with local agents to limit congestion.
The advice is aimed in part at companies arranging post-Diwali travel to the 2026 China International Import Expo in Shanghai, scheduled for 5–10 November. The embassy said it would “optimise appointment slots” if daily capacity proves insufficient.
The embassy’s address is 50-D, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021.
