Journalist Visa

Eligibility

Journalist Visa is issued to a professional journalist, a press person, a film-person (other than commercial), a representative of a radio and television organization and similar personnel in the field of information such as travel writers, travel journalists, travel promotion photographers, television producers, advertising, commercial persons and those who write on fashion, costumes and sports.

The applicants are required to contact on arrival in New Delhi, the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of External Affairs and in other places, the Office of the Government of India's Press Information Bureau, so that they could be given necessary assistance in various matters including planning their itineraries.

There is no requirement for accreditation for journalists on brief professional visits to India, but temporary accreditation may be extended for journalists from reputed media organizations, if so requested by them. However, all journalists on long-term assignment in India are obliged to apply compulsorily for accreditation with Press Information Bureau (PIB), when they are based in Delhi. This can only be done after arrival in India.

Journalist visas are extendable after arrival in India, for representatives of established media organizations, on the basis of letters of nomination specifying the duration of assignment and provided they hold valid PIB accreditation. Extensions are issued for upto one year at a time. Visa extensions are issued by the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) in the city where the journalist is based.

Jurisdiction of Embassy of India, Beijing

Provinces Municipalities Autonomous Regions
  1. Anhui
  2. Gansu
  3. Guizhou
  4. Hebei
  5. Heilongjiang
  6. Henan
  7. Hubei
  8. Jiangxi
  9. Jilin
  10. Liaoning
  11. Qinghai
  12. Shaanxi
  13. Shandong
  14. Shanxi
  1. Beijing
  2. Tianjin
  3. Chongqing
  1. Inner Mongolia
  2. Ningxia
  3. Tibet
  4. Xinjiang

Required Documents

  1. Visa Application form (No column to be left unfilled) duly signed along with photograph pasted at the designated space
  2. Copy of passport
  3. Copy of Chinese ID Card
  4. Proof of identity as a Journalist
  5. All relevant supporting documents for the assignment
  6. Copy of return air ticket booking (Not required if J Visa is requested for working in India)

Fees

All Payments are accepted in cash only. Payment through bank cards will not be acceptable at the India Visa Application Center.
If the applicant wants to withdraw his/her application the visa and service fee will NOT be refunded either by the Consulate nor the India Visa Application Center. The applicant in order to get the refund of the visa and service fee will have to withdraw the application on the same day of submission between 8.30 am-3 pm.

India Visa Application Center will ONLY provide FAPIAO for the service fee per application and courier fee per application if any. The India Visa Application Center will NOT be able to provide FAPIAO for the visa fee.
Applicants from the below mention countries need not to pay any visa fee:

Visa Type Journalist Visa (J)
Duration/Entries Upto 6
Months/SE
Fee in RMB 571

Service Charges by Indian Visa Application Centre (BLS International Ltd.)

Service Charge RMB32

Value Added Services:
Photocopy per Page      RMB 1/page
Printing per Page      RMB 5/page
Photos (4 copies)      RMB 35
Courier (Normal)      RMB 65


General rates of Visa Fee to be charged in convertible hard currencies (w.e.f. 01.04.2021)   ROE 6.5
Sl Type of Visa Fixation of fees in USD & Hard Currency at ORE for April, 2021      
USD RMB ICWF TOTAL
1 JOURNALIST VISAS (J) Up to 6 months/Single Entry (or Double Entry with HOM’s approval) 80 520 20 540
2 MISSIONARY VISAS (M) Up to 6 months/Single or Multiple Entry 80 520 20 540
More than 6 months and up to 1 year/ Multiple Entry 120 780 20 800
More than 1 year and up to 5 years/Multiple Entry 200 1300 20 1320
3 MOUNTAINEERING VISAS (MX) Up to 6 months/Single (or Multiple) Entry  80 520 20 540
More than 6 months and up to 1 year/ Multiple Entry 120 780 20 800
4 Intern Visas (I) Up to 1 year/Multiple Entry 80 520 20 540
5 Film Visas (F) Up to 1 year/ Single or Multiple Entry
(Maximum duration of the visa will be 1 year		 120 780 20 800
               
*Note 1 - Owing to bilateral arrangements, there will be different Business Visa fee for 13 specified countries at the rates indicated in Annexure - 2    
**Note 2- Owing to bilateral arrangements, there will be different Employment Visa Fee for 10 specified countries at the rates indicated in Annexure - 3.    
***Note 3- Owing to bilateral arrangements/agreements, there will be different visa fee for certain categories of visas for 13 specified countries
at the rates indicated in Annexure - 4		      

 

Special Visa fee Categories (w.e.f. 01.04.2021): ROE 6.5
S No. For nationals of Country: Type of Visa Fixation of fees in USD & Hard Currency at ORE for April, 2021      
USD RMB ICWF TOTAL
1 Argentina For All other types of visas, General visa fee will be applicable.      
2 Japan All other categories of visas irrespective of duration 8 52 20 72
3 Mozambique All other types of visas except Transit and Student      
Up to 6 months 220 1430 20 1450
Up to 6 months (in Emergency) 300 1950 20 1970
Up to 1 year 300 1950 20 1970
Up to 1 year (in Emergency) 300 1950 20 1970
Up to 5 years 300 1950 20 1970
up to 5 years (in Emergency) 300 1950 20 1970
4 Nigeria All type of visas irrespective of duration 250 1625 20 1645
5 Pakistan All types of Visas (Rs. 100) 1.369 9 20 29
6 Russia All types of visas (excluding ICWF charges and Service Provider's Service Fee):      
Single Entry 40 260 20 280
Double Entry 90 585 20 605
Multiple Entry 120 780 20 800
7 Seychelles All types of visas, except Employment/ Work Visas Gratis 0 20 20
8 Singapore For All other types of visas, General visa fee will be applicable.      
10 UK Emergency visa charges 89 579 0 579
11 Ukraine All other types of Visas i.e. Entry Visa, Conference Visa, Journalist Visa etc.      
Less than 6 months 85 553 20 573
6 months to 1 year 130 845 20 865
1 to 5 years (S/D/M Entry) 200 1300 20 1320
Emergency visa fee 85 553 20 573
12 Uruguay For All other types of visas, General visa fee will be applicable.      
13 USA For other categories of Visas (except tourist & Business visa, Visa application fee of US$ 20 should continue to be charged in addition to prescribed visa fee.

*SE - Single Entry; DE - Double Entry; ME - Multiple Entry

Notes:

  1. Gratis Visa for nationals of Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, DPRK, Jamaica, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nepal, South Africa and Uruguay.
  2. Gratis Visa for German Spouses of Indian Nationals and their dependent Children.
  3. Nepali Nationals visiting India from China require visa. It is issued gratis.
  4. Nationals of Bhutan entering India (including from China) do not require visa.
  5. All visa of Pakistani nationals chargeable @ RMB.23.00.
  6. Fee for Medical/Medical attendant visa (up to 1 year) for UK nationals is RMB 1912.00
  7. Student Visa fee for Sri Lanka nationals (for institutions not covered by bilateral agreement) is RMB 688.00.
  8. Entry Visa fee for Sri Lanka nationals (1Y/ME) is RMB 349.00