On Wednesday, India announced it will resume accepting tourist visa applications from Chinese nationals starting July 24, 2025—the first such move in five years since the suspension in February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indian Embassy in China shared the update via its Sina Weibo account, stating that Chinese travelers can apply by completing an online form, scheduling an appointment, and submitting their passports along with required documents in person at three visa centers located in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou (Guangdong Province).
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun acknowledged the development, calling it a “positive step.” He added that China is open to further discussions with India to streamline cross-border travel.
Experts in China viewed this decision as a significant step toward improving bilateral relations and fostering greater people-to-people exchanges.
The suspension was initially imposed on February 2, 2020, when India halted its e-visa system for Chinese travelers and foreign residents in China amid the pandemic, as reported by The Times of India.
Before the pause, visa applications from China had been steadily rising. Data from Chinese travel platform Trip.com showed strong year-on-year growth in 2019. Meanwhile, Indian media estimated that India issued around 200,000 visas to Chinese nationals in 2019, a sharp contrast to just 2,000 in 2024, according to The Times of India.
A spokesperson at the Indian Consulate General in Guangzhou confirmed the news to the Global Times, stating, “We received the directive from Beijing today. Starting tomorrow, we will await further instructions from the embassy regarding the application process.”
