In this guide3 sections
China is the route where Indian applicants most often discover the total only at the counter, because the price arrives in two pieces from two different organisations.
The two charges#
The consular fee. Set by the Chinese Embassy's published Charging Standard and scaled by the number of entries — single, double, or multiple over six or twelve months. The Embassy has revised this schedule more than once in recent years, including a general reduction announced in January 2024, which is precisely why a figure quoted in a two-year-old blog post is worthless.
The visa centre service charge. Levied separately by the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre, per applicant, and unrelated to the entry count.
We deliberately do not reprint a rupee figure here. The consular schedule moves, the service charge moves, and on a YMYL question the only number worth having is the one on the official page on the day you file: the Embassy's Charging Standard section and the centre's own fee notice.
What the fee does not buy#
An outcome, and not a fast one either. The fee is non-refundable on refusal, and the standard route runs through in-person biometric enrolment at the centre — the Embassy has published exemptions for particular categories at particular times, so read the current notice rather than an older one.
Where the real cost sits for Indian travellers#
Documents. A Chinese tourist visa application is document-heavy by the standards of the region: confirmed flights and hotels for the whole stay, an itinerary that matches them, and financial evidence. Rebooking after a refusal, not the fee, is what makes this route expensive when it goes wrong.
The full requirement list and the current process are in China visa for Indians. If Hong Kong is on the itinerary, note that it is a separate permission with its own rules. And for how China's total compares with the cheaper regional routes an Indian passport can use, see visa fees for Indians in 2026.
VisaGyan is an independent journal, not affiliated with the Chinese Embassy or the visa application centre. Because the consular schedule is revised periodically, verify the current fee on the Embassy's own Charging Standard page before applying. Checked 22 August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a Chinese tourist visa cost from India?
- Two separate charges. The consular fee is set by the Embassy's published charging standard and depends on the number of entries — single, double or multiple. The Chinese Visa Application Service Centre then adds its own service charge per applicant. Check both on the Embassy's Charging Standard page and at the centre before you file, because the consular schedule has been revised more than once since 2024.
- Is the China visa fee refundable if the application is refused?
- No. As with every consular route an Indian applicant uses, the fee pays for the assessment, not the outcome. A refusal ends the process with the money spent.
- Do Indians need to give fingerprints for a Chinese visa?
- Biometric collection is the standard requirement at the visa centre, though the Embassy has published exemptions for certain applicant categories at various times. Check the current notice on the Embassy's consular pages before assuming an exemption applies to you.