Chinese govt eases its visa regulations temporarily for citizens of India

China has eased its visa regulations temporarily for citizens of India applying for business (M), tourism (L), short-term family visits (Q2) to Chinese citizens, transit (G), and crew (C) visas.

The Chinese Embassy in India has issued a statement highlighting these changes. According to the embassy, eligible applicants seeking single or double-entry visas for business, tourism, short-term family visits, transit, and crew purposes will no longer have to provide biometric data (fingerprints) until December 31. These changes will remain in effect until the end of 2023.

Some exemptions were already present, including for individuals below 14 or above 70 years old, those who have recently undergone fingerprint collection by the Chinese Embassy, and those whose fingerprints are deemed "uncollectable."

The price of a Chinese visa for Indian travellers ranges between Rs 3,800 to Rs 7,800. This depends on the type of visa and its validity period. Direct communication channels have also been established to help Indian nationals.