China Dependent Visa for Indians - Definitive Guide

When an immediate family member is dependent on the individual living in China and earning and this member of the family wants to live with the earning individual, a China dependent visa is issued to them. There is a China dependent visa for spouse of this temporary resident and there is a China dependent visa for parents as well. The holder of this visa is allowed to stay in the country and is allowed various kinds of leisure activities and tourism. The holder may be allowed to work if it is specified so in the visa policies. The validity of this permit will depend on the stay duration requested by the applicant and the validity of the resident permit holder in China.

In order to get a dependent visa for China from India, the applicant first needs to be an eligible candidate for the same. Since 22 December 2025, the process starts online: complete the Chinese Online Visa Application System (COVA) form at visaforchina.cn, upload your documents, then submit the printed confirmation page with your documents in person at the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (New Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata). The steps are:

1. Fill out the COVA application form online at visaforchina.cn and print the confirmation page.
2. Collect all the required documents for the visa.
3. Attach recent photographs to the application form as well.
4. Submit all the documents along with the confirmation page to the respective mission.
5. Pay the required fees for the dependent visa.

There are eligibility criteria that are to be followed mandatorily before carrying on with the application process. These are important to get the visa that you require. The parameters are listed as follows:

• You must have a resident sponsor in China
  1. The applicant must be directly related to the temporary resident permit holder in China.
  2. The applicants must be sponsored by the temporary resident permit holder in China.

• You must meet the health requirements
  1. You must be healthy enough to travel to China.
  2. You must perform a medical test before travelling to the country and provide relevant documentary proof.
  3. You must be within the age limit to be able to apply for a work permit.

• You must meet the character requirements
  1. You must be of good character and have genuine intentions behind working in China.
  2. You need to provide relevant documentary proof for the same as well in the form of a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).

• You must have sufficient funds
  1. There must be sufficient funds to support your stay in the country.
  2. The travel insurance must be issued from a certified company only.
  3. Bank statement or any equivalent document is to be submitted as well as proof of the same.

• S1 Visa China: This is a long term visa and is issued only to the immediate family members of the sponsor living in China. It is issued to those who are willing to stay in the country for more than 180 days.

• S2 Visa China: It is the kind of visa that is issued to the ones who plan on staying in China for no longer than 180 days. S2 visa is provided to the immediate family members as well as close relatives such as spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law.

The requirements of a dependent visa for China can be classified based on the type of the visa. They are given as follows:

• S1 Visa China Requirements
  1. Original passport which is valid ahead of the period of stay.
  2. Completely filled out visa application form
  3. Recent photographs as per the photo specifications
  4. Invitation letter from the sponsor
  5. Copy of inviter’s passport and residence permit
  6. Kinship Certification between inviter and invitee
  7. Proof of funds - bank statements, etc.

• S2 Visa China Requirements
  1. Original passport which is valid for at least 6 months ahead of the date of travel.
  2. Completely filled out visa application form
  3. Recent photographs as per the photo specifications
  4. Invitation letter from the sponsor
  5. Flight tickets for the complete round trip.
  6. Copy of inviter’s passport and residence permit
  7. Kinship Certification between inviter and invitee
  8. Proof of funds - bank statements, etc.

The photo specification of China dependent visa are as mentioned below -

• Two copies must be provided
• Photo size: 33 mm x 48 mm.
• Coloured copy must be provided
• Head should be well-centred.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white
• Neutral expressions
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgear is not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The validity for the S1 visa is generally in years as the duration of stay is also more than 180 days. On the other hand, the validity of the S2 visa is between 6 months to 1 year as the duration of stay for this type is less than 180 days. Also, note that having a valid visa does not guarantee you an entry into the country. If the border control finds an issue with your visa or yourself, there are chances that you will be asked to leave the country or will be deported.

The time required for the processing of the China dependent visa is about a couple of weeks. The time will still vary depending on certain factors like the workload at the consular office, the staff availability, whether the documents are complete or the rest of the documents are yet to be submitted and others. The time increases and decreases affected by these parameters. An additional factor that might affect if there is a requirement document attestation for commercial documents.

There are various aspects on which the China dependent visa fee is dependent upon. These include the type of visa, the validity of the visa required, the urgency of the visa issuance, etc. The fee includes the charges paid to the Chinese Consulate and the visa services that you avail. The fees can be paid offline as per the instructions.

"CVASC service fee ₹2,107 per application (express ₹3,106) is charged on top. Express processing adds ₹1,800, urgent adds ₹2,700. Reduced fees are valid until 31 December 2026 — confirm the current INR schedule on the official visaforchina.cn fee table, as it is adjusted quarterly with the exchange rate."

When the documents have been submitted, there are several things that come along. Some of the pointers are as follows:

• If there are any other requirements to be fulfilled or if there are any mistakes in the application, the embassy or the agency must be informed.
• If there are any changes related to the application, for instance, change in marital status or birth of a child, you must inform the embassy/agency.
• You can even check the status of the application and the processing in the meantime. 
• If there is a change of plans, you can withdraw the application.
• When the form is submitted along with the fees, the visa will be mailed to you on your registered address or can be collected by yourself from the embassy or the respective Consular section.

In order to check the status of your visa, you can check the website of the visa agency through which you have applied. Else, you can give a call to the Chinese embassy to track your application.

When the processing is done and you have your visa, there are certain things that must be kept in mind. There are guidelines to be followed that are provided along with the visa. Some of the important ones are listed as follows:

• Before you travel
  1. Make a note of the visa expiry date, as well as the number of entries permitted. You must not stay in the country beyond this period.
  2. You should travel to China within the validity of your visa.
  3. Make sure to carry a copy of your passport and other travel documents while you are in the country.
  4. Issue health insurance and travel Insurance from a certified company.

• At the Border
  1. Get your documents checked and your passport verified.
  2. Obtain the entry stamp on your passport.
  3. Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
  4. Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.

• When you enter China
  1. You may be allowed to get involved in some kind of employment but it must first be checked out with the authorities.
  2. The rules and restrictions of the country must be taken seriously and followed at any cost.
  3. The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
  4. Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for a visa extension in time.