China · Visa guide
China · Visa guideChina Visitor / Tourist Visa
The Chinese tourist (L) visa from India — no e-Visa, the COVA online form, the CVASC centre, documents and the bookings and finances that keep the file query-free.
- ProcessingAbout 4 working days at the centre for standard processing
- Visa categoryVisitor / Tourist Visa
- Your guideOne consultant
Reading is not the hard part. Knowing if YOUR bank statements and ties will pass is. Call us and tell us your travel month. We tell you honestly if your China file is ready.
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China Visitor / Tourist Visa — overview
What the China tourist (L) visa is
The L visa is China's short-stay tourist visa. For Indian travellers it is the standard route for holidays and personal sightseeing trips — there is no e-Visa and no visa-free entry for Indian passport holders, so an L visa must be obtained in advance for every tourist visit. It is typically issued as a single- or double-entry visa allowing a stay of up to 30 days per entry, with the exact validity and number of entries decided by the Chinese mission on a case-by-case basis.
No e-Visa, no visa-free entry for India
China runs several visa-free and transit schemes, but none of them apply to Indian nationals. The 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit and the unilateral 30-day visa-free entry cover only specified countries, and India is not on those lists. There is also no online/e-Visa for Indians. Every Indian tourist must file a consular L-visa application through the official centre before travelling — be wary of any "China e-visa for Indians" offer.
How Indian applicants apply — COVA and CVASC
Two things define the China application from India:
- The COVA online form (China Online Visa Application). You complete it online, then print and sign the confirmation page to bring with your documents.
- The CVASC (Chinese Visa Application Service Center), the official outsourced centre where you submit the file and give biometrics. The Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulates-General in Mumbai and Kolkata then decide the visa.
The centre that handles your file is set by your residence in India — your state determines the consular jurisdiction. Applying outside your jurisdiction leads to rejection, so we confirm the correct centre before filing.
Verified from Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) · checked 2026-06-22
What the officer is looking for
A China tourist-visa file is reviewed against straightforward questions:
- Is the trip genuine and well planned? A coherent itinerary with flight and hotel bookings whose dates and cities match the COVA form.
- Can you fund it? Bank statements and income proof that comfortably cover the trip, ideally with a clean pattern over a few months.
- Is the file consistent? Mismatches between the form, the bookings and the itinerary are the most common cause of queries and refusals.
Costs — third-party fees and our service fee
The Chinese visa fee and CVASC service charge are third-party costs you pay directly, and we pass them through at cost with no markup. Our own visitor-visa filing service is from INR 9,999, all-in (18% GST included). See the cost table for current approximate figures — these change, so confirm at the time of filing.
Refusals and what to do next
If a China visa is refused, the practical path for most Indian applicants is a fresh application that fixes the specific weakness — usually an inconsistency, a thin itinerary, or insufficient financial evidence — rather than an appeal. We diagnose each refusal and rebuild the file honestly.
How we can help
We are a licensed visa consultancy based in Patiala, Punjab. We handle China L-visa applications end to end: confirming your jurisdiction, completing the COVA form correctly, reviewing your itinerary and bookings, preparing the financial and supporting documents, and filing at the right CVASC centre. One consultant sees your case from first call to decision — no handoffs. Our fee is from INR 9,999 all-in (18% GST included); embassy and CVASC fees are separate, at cost. Book a free assessment and we will tell you honestly whether your file is ready.
8 items
Documents you need
Valid passport
Original passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay, with at least 2 blank visa pages.
COVA confirmation page
The printed, signed confirmation page from the China Online Visa Application (COVA) portal — completed before your CVASC appointment.
Photograph
Recent colour photograph to Chinese visa specification: 33mm × 48mm, white background, full face, no glasses.
Round-trip flight booking
Confirmed return flight reservation showing entry and exit dates that match your itinerary.
Accommodation evidence
Confirmed hotel bookings for the full duration of stay; or, for family/host visits, an invitation letter with the host's details and address in China.
Travel itinerary
A clear day-by-day plan of the cities and dates you will visit, consistent with your bookings.
Financial proof
Bank statements, salary slips and ITRs showing you can comfortably fund the trip. A clean financial pattern over a few months strengthens the file.
CVASC submission and biometrics
Application submitted at the Chinese Visa Application Service Center for the jurisdiction covering your Indian state of residence; fingerprints captured where required.
6 steps
How the process works
Typical processing: About 4 working days at the centre for standard processing, plus collection/courier time. Express (2 – 3 working days) and rush (same/next day) options are usually available at a higher service fee. Apply 2 – 3 weeks before travel
Step 1
Confirm category and jurisdiction
For a holiday you apply for the L (tourist) visa. The CVASC centre that handles your file is decided by which Indian state you live in — New Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata jurisdiction. Filing at the wrong centre causes delay or rejection.
Step 2
Complete the COVA online form
Fill in the China Online Visa Application (COVA) form online, then print and sign the confirmation page. The form is detailed — travel history, itinerary and personal information must be accurate and consistent.
Step 3
Prepare your bookings and itinerary
Confirm round-trip flight reservations and hotel bookings for the full stay, and prepare a day-by-day itinerary that matches them. Inconsistent dates between flights, hotels and the form are a common query trigger.
Step 4
Assemble the document file
Passport, COVA confirmation, photograph, flight and hotel bookings, itinerary and financial proof. Match the current CVASC checklist for your jurisdiction — requirements can vary and change.
Step 5
Submit at the CVASC centre
Attend the Chinese Visa Application Service Center to submit your application and give biometrics where required. You can usually choose standard, express or rush processing.
Step 6
Pay fees and collect the passport
Pay the Chinese visa fee and the CVASC service fee, then collect your passport once the decision is made — by visit or courier. The visa, if approved, is stamped into your passport.
Transparent
Costs & fees
Item
Amount
Lifeset Overseas service fee
All-in, 18% GST included; one consultant from first call to decision
from INR 9,999
Chinese visa fee (Indian nationals)
Set by the mission; varies by single / double / multiple entry. Paid to the centre, at cost
INR 1,400 – 2,200
CVASC service fee
Visa Application Service Center handling charge per applicant; higher for express / rush. At cost
INR 600 – 1,200
Photographs
China-spec photos (33mm × 48mm, white background)
INR 300 – 600
Travel insurance (recommended)
Not mandatory for China but strongly advised; per person for a typical trip
INR 1,000 – 4,000
Government and third-party fees change often — we confirm the exact current amounts for your case before you pay anything.
6 answers
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Indian passport holders need a consular visa for China — there is no e-Visa and no visa-free entry for India. Tourists apply for the L visa before travelling.
No. There is no e-Visa for Indian nationals, and the visa-free transit and 30-day visa-free entry schemes do not apply to India. Every Indian tourist must file an L-visa application at the CVASC centre in advance.
The L visa is usually granted with a stay of up to 30 days per entry. The number of entries and the validity period are decided case by case by the Chinese mission.
At the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) for the jurisdiction covering your state of residence — New Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata. You complete the COVA online form first, then submit at the centre.
Standard processing is about 4 working days at the centre, plus collection or courier time. Express (2 – 3 days) and rush (same/next day) options are usually available for a higher service fee. Apply 2 – 3 weeks before travel.
The Chinese visa fee for Indian nationals is roughly INR 1,400 – 2,200 depending on entries, plus a CVASC service fee of about INR 600 – 1,200 — both paid directly, at cost. Our visitor-visa filing service is from INR 9,999 all-in, with 18% GST included.
Why it matters
Going it alone vs filing with us
On your own
- Guessing the document list — one missing or wrongly formatted paper triggers a refusal.
- Generic cover letters copied from the internet that officers recognise and flag.
- No read on peak rejection windows or what this visa post is strict about.
- Government and VFS fees are non-refundable — money lost if you are refused.
- A refusal stamp follows you and weakens every future visa application.
With Lifeset Overseas
- An honest case assessment before you spend a rupee on government fees.
- A file built to the embassy's exact checklist and in the exact order.
- Weak finances, ties or purpose identified and fixed before submission.
- Previously refused? We can rescue and rebuild the file.
- Every case handled by one consultant, end to end.
Refused before?
A refusal isn't the end
A refusal is not a permanent bar — but it only improves if the actual reason is found and answered, and nobody can tell you a second application will succeed. If a China visa has been refused, we:
- Read the actual refusal letter and pinpoint the real gaps.
- Advise whether to pull the officer's notes (CAIPS / GCMS) for the true reason.
- Identify which part was weak — funds, employment, purpose or ties.
- Tell you honestly whether to reapply now or strengthen the file first.
- Refused? Your fee back, or a rebuilt application free — your choice.
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China visitor visa: get a straight answer before you pay the fee.
- Honest assessment
- Fixed all-in fees
- No handovers between staff
- Licensed in Patiala
Let’s discuss your case
Message us your travel month and who is paying. A consultant from our Punjab-licensed consultancy checks your ties and funds and tells you what to fix.