The China Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) network has issued simultaneous notices confirming that its branches in Lahore, Islamabad, Bangkok, Manila and several European capitals will suspend normal visa-submission services from 25 September for the Mid-Autumn Festival public holiday, resuming only on 28 September. Although the holiday is domestic, the closures affect applicants abroad who need physical biometric collection for work and business visas. Mobility consultants say the four-day pause, combined with heavy pre-National-Day workload, has already pushed earliest appointment slots into mid-October at high-volume posts such as London and Singapore. Export-oriented manufacturers in Guangdong and Zhejiang warn that client inspection trips could be delayed. “Our German buyer was expecting to send quality engineers next week; now their visas won’t be issued in time for the production ramp-up,” said a Ningbo-based auto-parts supplier. Some firms are shifting meetings to Hong Kong, where mainland entry permits for foreigners are still processed in as little as two working days. Travel managers should advise employees to check individual CVASC websites, as opening hours vary by location and ‘express’ or ‘rush’ services may also be unavailable. Applicants who have already submitted biometrics but not yet received an issued visa will face mailing delays because Chinese diplomatic missions are likewise closed for the festival. Practical tip: where feasible, leverage China’s 30-day unilateral visa-free program for passport holders of 49+ countries, or the 240-hour transit scheme, to bridge short-trip requirements until full consular operations resume.
