China Centralizes Visa Processing for Indian Passport Holders
China has closed its visa application centres in India, requiring all new visa applications to be submitted directly to diplomatic missions.
Traveller Impact
If you are an Indian passport holder, you must now apply for your Chinese visa directly through the Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulate in Mumbai.
Why This Matters
Effective October 26, 2026, the Chinese government has fundamentally altered the visa application landscape for Indian citizens. The network of third-party visa application centres previously operating in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata has ceased accepting new visa and consular legalisation applications. This shift centralizes the entire administrative process under the direct authority of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulate General in Mumbai.
This change represents a significant tightening of the administrative pipeline. By removing intermediary service providers, the Chinese government is likely aiming to exert stricter control over the vetting process and reduce the volume of applications handled by external entities. While the official visa fee schedule for Indian passport holders remains unchanged through the end of 2026, the removal of these centres may lead to increased processing times and higher demand for appointments at the remaining diplomatic missions.
Who Is Affected
This policy change exclusively impacts Indian passport holders intending to travel to China for tourism, business, or other purposes. It also affects those requiring consular legalisation services who previously utilized the now-closed application centres.
What Travellers Should Do
Do not attempt to visit the former visa application centres, as they are no longer accepting new submissions.
Check the official website of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulate General in Mumbai to confirm the current appointment booking system.
If you have an application already in progress, ensure you collect your documents from the previous centre before the final deadline of noon on October 30, 2026.
Factor in additional time for your application, as the transition to direct embassy processing may cause initial administrative delays.
Makutet Insight
Makutet expects that this centralization will likely result in a bottleneck for Indian travellers, particularly as the year-end holiday season approaches. We anticipate that the Chinese authorities may maintain this direct-processing model to ensure higher scrutiny of applicants, and travellers should prepare for a more rigorous and potentially slower application experience throughout 2027.
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