For the first time since 2019, China will issue visas and mountain-travel permits to Indian pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a sacred trek in Tibet that was halted by the pandemic and border tensions. Moneycontrol confirms that Chinese authorities have approved two corridors—the traditional Lipulekh route via Uttarakhand and the Nathu La route via Sikkim—for a combined quota of 1,000 pilgrims starting next month. India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will run an online lottery to allocate slots, with successful applicants required to submit biometrics and pay a RMB 12,000 permit fee within ten days. All travellers must hold a passport valid for at least 18 months and produce a negative high-altitude medical fitness certificate.
![China re-opens Kailash Mansarovar routes, clearing 1,000 Indian pilgrims for 2026 season]()
If the layers of paperwork feel daunting, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can simplify the process by checking documents, arranging courier pick-ups, and coordinating both Chinese group visas and the necessary dual-entry Nepal permits—saving pilgrims valuable time before their departure.
The Chinese side will issue group visas in Kathmandu, meaning participants will need dual-entry Nepal visas as well. The reopening is a diplomatic bright spot amid a still-tense Line of Actual Control. Analysts say Beijing wants to project normalcy before the 2026 BRICS summit in Shanghai, while New Delhi sees the move as confidence-building ahead of the next round of corps-commander talks. For mobility planners, the main implication is a fresh spike in leave requests: large public-sector employers historically grant special casual leave for the pilgrimage, and many private companies match the policy. Tour operators are scrambling to secure hotel inventory in Nepalgunj and Gyirong, warning of price inflation exceeding 40 percent compared with pre-pandemic seasons. Companies approving pilgrimage leave should verify that employees buy evacuation insurance covering helicopter rescue, which Chinese authorities now require up to USD 15,000 coverage. If the rollout is smooth, officials hint the quota could double in 2027, potentially restoring the yatra as a reliable mobility corridor between the two Asian giants.
If the layers of paperwork feel daunting, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can simplify the process by checking documents, arranging courier pick-ups, and coordinating both Chinese group visas and the necessary dual-entry Nepal permits—saving pilgrims valuable time before their departure.
The Chinese side will issue group visas in Kathmandu, meaning participants will need dual-entry Nepal visas as well. The reopening is a diplomatic bright spot amid a still-tense Line of Actual Control. Analysts say Beijing wants to project normalcy before the 2026 BRICS summit in Shanghai, while New Delhi sees the move as confidence-building ahead of the next round of corps-commander talks. For mobility planners, the main implication is a fresh spike in leave requests: large public-sector employers historically grant special casual leave for the pilgrimage, and many private companies match the policy. Tour operators are scrambling to secure hotel inventory in Nepalgunj and Gyirong, warning of price inflation exceeding 40 percent compared with pre-pandemic seasons. Companies approving pilgrimage leave should verify that employees buy evacuation insurance covering helicopter rescue, which Chinese authorities now require up to USD 15,000 coverage. If the rollout is smooth, officials hint the quota could double in 2027, potentially restoring the yatra as a reliable mobility corridor between the two Asian giants.
