“We take note of India’s resumption of tourist visas for Chinese citizens. This is a positive move. Easing cross-border travel is widely beneficial. China will maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
The Embassy of India in Beijing confirmed the development in a statement posted on its official Sina Weibo account. Chinese citizens can now apply for a tourist visa by filling out an online form, scheduling an appointment and submitting their passport and supporting documents in person at the Indian Visa Application Centres in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
China’s state-run English daily, Global Times, reposted the Indian Embassy’s Weibo announcement in Chinese.
The Embassy of India in China announced via its Sina Weibo account on Wednesday that, starting from July 24, 2025, Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa to visit India after completing an online application, scheduling an appointment, and personally submitting their… pic.twitter.com/RlaGjdVsHe
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) July 23, 2025
“Please be informed that all passport withdrawal requests for applications submitted in the India Visa Application Centre in Beijing must be accompanied by a passport withdrawal letter,” the embassy said in its announcement.
This marks the first time since 2020 that India has reopened tourist visa services for Chinese nationals. The move follows years of travel restrictions, first due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then border tensions.
Meawhile. China has reacted positively to India’s move to issue tourist visas to Chinese citizens.
“We take note of India’s resumption of tourist visas for Chinese citizens. This is a positive move. Easing cross-border travel is widely beneficial. China will maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
Tourism and regular people-to-people exchanges had come to a halt during the pandemic. Simultaneously, bilateral ties plunged to a historic low after clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June 2020.
In the aftermath, India tightened investment norms for Chinese firms, banned numerous Chinese mobile apps and curtailed air connectivity. China, in turn, suspended visa issuance to Indian citizens.
Starting July 24, Chinese nationals can once again apply for tourist visas to India. After a 5-year suspension since 2020, the Indian Embassy in China has officially announced the restart of tourist visa services. @Zenia171996 gets you all the details#IndiaChina #TouristVisa… pic.twitter.com/bA1BjcRGcZ
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) July 23, 2025
Beijing resumed granting visas to Indian students and business professionals in 2022, but tourist travel remained suspended until now.
The move reflects an attempt by both nations to ease tensions and revive people-to-people exchanges.
Both governments have taken gradual steps to rebuild the fractured relationship. Over the past year, military commanders and diplomats from both sides have engaged in talks to resolve outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
In October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan, where they discussed ways to strengthen engagement.
The meeting followed another encounter in Russia, pointing to a renewed willingness from both sides to stabilise ties.
This year, India and China also began talks to boost cultural and interpersonal exchanges. The two nations have discussed restarting direct flight operations and reviving the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage route suspended since the onset of the pandemic.
India and China share a disputed 3,800-kilometre border, and the legacy of the 1962 war continues to cast a long shadow over their relationship.
While border negotiations have made only modest progress over decades, the resumption of tourist visas may be an early indicator of a more constructive phase in bilateral ties.
