China launches online visa application system for Indian travellers starting today
New Delhi: The Chinese Embassy in India has rolled out a new online visa application system beginning Monday, aiming to make the visa process easier and faster for Indian travellers.
According to a report published by NDTV, the announcement was made by the Chinese Ambassador, who said that from December 22, 2025, applicants can fill out visa forms and upload all required documents online. The new facility can be accessed through the embassy’s official website, offering a more convenient way to apply without lengthy paperwork.
With this system, applicants will be able to complete most of the documentation online, reducing the time spent at the visa centre.
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The Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in New Delhi will continue to assist applicants alongside the online system. The centre functions Monday to Friday between 9 am and 3 pm and is located at the Shivaji Stadium Metro Station in Connaught Place. Applicants can also contact the centre by phone if needed. The information was shared by the envoy on his post on X, too.
According to an important notice issued by the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in New Delhi, applicants must now visit the official website of the centre to create or sign in to their accounts. After logging in, applicants are required to fill out the visa application form online and upload all necessary supporting documents through the portal.
As per the official notice, applicants must first create an account on the visa centre’s website, fill out the application form online, and upload all supporting documents. Before submitting their passport at the centre, they must ensure that their application status shows “online review completed” and that they have received the confirmation email.
The introduction of the online visa application system is seen as a step toward enhancing people-to-people exchanges and facilitating travel between India and China.
Recently, India also confirmed that the visa regime for Chinese nationals is now fully restored. Tourist visas, which were suspended after the 2020 border tensions, resumed globally in November 2025. Business visas had already restarted earlier.
As per the report, the resumption of visas is part of a series of "people-centric" confidence-building measures agreed upon by both sides in 2025, which also included the resumption of direct commercial flights in October 2025 and the revival of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra pilgrimage.
The move is expected to encourage tourism, business travel, and cultural exchange between the two countries.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms likely to lash Uttarakhand on Tuesday; IMD issues warning
Dehradun/Pithoragarh (PTI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for heavy rain and hailstorms across several districts of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, as temperatures remained markedly below normal in the region.
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Most places across all districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, while higher reaches are likely to witness snowfall, officials said on Monday.
The weather department warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and intense spells of rain in six districts, including Dehradun and Nainital. Gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50 kmph are also expected at isolated locations in these areas and other hilly districts.
In the state capital, Dehradun, the sky is forecast to remain partly cloudy with light rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Maximum temperatures during the past 24 hours remained markedly below normal in the hills and appreciably below normal in the plains. While no significant change in temperature is expected over the next 2-3 days, the IMD predicts a rise of 3-5 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3-4 days.
Rainfall was recorded in several areas after 8.30 am today, with Ramnagar receiving 31.5 mm and Nainital recording 26.5 mm. Other areas, including Pithoragarh, Khatima and Champawat, also reported moderate precipitation.
Authorities have stopped a batch of 36 Adi Kailash pilgrims at the Dharchula base camp and placed the high-altitude yatra route on high alert following heavy rains and hailstorms in the district on Monday.
Dharchula SDM Ashish Joshi said the pilgrimage was halted due to adverse weather conditions. The issuance of new inner-line passes has been suspended until the weather normalises.
With 1,700 passes issued so far, pilgrims already at higher camps are being monitored for safety, the official added.
