New Delhi: In a significant move toward mending diplomatic and people-to-people ties, India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals starting July 24, 2025. This marks the first time since 2020—and effectively in five years—that Chinese citizens will be allowed to apply for Indian tourist visas.
The Indian Embassy in Beijing made the announcement on its official Sina Weibo account, a major Chinese social media platform. Chinese applicants will now be able to apply online, book appointments, and personally submit their passports and supporting documents to Indian Visa Application Centres located in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
Tourist visas for Chinese nationals were suspended in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) formally notified that existing Indian tourist visas for Chinese citizens would no longer be valid. This was followed by reciprocal actions from China, including restrictions on the return of over 22,000 Indian students studying in Chinese universities.
The restoration of tourist visas is seen as a breakthrough in India-China relations. Earlier this year, both nations successfully completed troop withdrawals from Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh—two long-standing points of military friction. In January, commercial flights between New Delhi and Beijing also resumed for the first time since the pandemic, following Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to China.
Additionally, the two countries reached a consensus to reopen pilgrimage routes for Indian citizens to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet—another major step toward rebuilding trust.
