The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Kigali has notified the public that its consular service counters will be closed from 1 to 2 October and again from 5 to 6 October 2026 to observe China’s National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival. The notice, published on 22 September, advises applicants with urgent needs to adjust their schedules or contact the 24-hour emergency hotline (+250-784825635). Although the shutdown lasts only four working days, it straddles a weekend and could effectively delay visa processing by more than a week. Mobility teams moving Rwandan engineers to construction sites in Guangdong, or Chinese expatriates renewing passports, should factor in the blackout period. Courier services collecting passports on behalf of applicants will also be suspended. The embassy’s reminder reflects a broader pattern: most Chinese diplomatic missions worldwide close for both holidays, which this year fall back-to-back. In past years, unprepared travellers have missed key project kick-off dates because their passports remained at the embassy. Companies are therefore urged to submit applications no later than 26 September to avoid bottlenecks. Emergency assistance, including the issuance of one-way travel documents to Chinese nationals, will still be available via the hotline. The embassy will resume normal service hours on 7 October.
Source: Embassy of China in Rwanda
