Travellers in the Gulf planning trips to China face a two-day processing blackout after the China Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) in Dubai issued an “Important Notice” suspending all external operations on 2 and 3 March 2026. The advisory, citing a new security risk evaluation, urges applicants to postpone visits unless they have life-or-death emergencies. While details were not disclosed, regional security analysts link the precaution to recent drone incidents in neighbouring states. The shutdown affects passport submission, biometric collection and document return; premium-lounge services are also paused. Normal Ramadan-adjusted hours (09:00-14:00 submission, 09:00-15:00 collection) are expected to resume on 4 March. Corporate mobility teams with projects in China’s energy sector—many managed from UAE headquarters—should immediately inform travellers holding booked flights. Express visas lodged on 1 March will now be released no earlier than 4 March, potentially forcing ticket changes. Airlines are waiving date-change fees for affected passengers who show the CVASC notice. Applicants who must travel urgently can approach China’s Consulate-General in Dubai to request an exception letter, but approval is discretionary and requires proof of humanitarian need. HR should also remind staff that China’s 144-hour visa-free transit scheme through selected airports does **not** apply when the final destination is mainland China itself. The episode highlights the value of maintaining multi-country visa strategies—e.g., processing in Abu Dhabi or Bahrain—so that single-centre closures do not derail time-sensitive deployments.
