The Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) in Karachi has issued a holiday notice stating that the counter will be closed on 1 May 2026 in observance of International Labour Day. Only document-collection services will operate on 4 and 5 May. The centre is asking travellers and corporate mobility teams to file applications and collect passports either before 30 April or after the holiday window to avoid disruption. Express processing—-which ordinarily takes two working days—-will be unavailable from 30 April through 5 May, effectively extending urgent lead times to a minimum of four calendar days. Pakistan is one of the busiest outposts for Chinese visa processing, handling thousands of applications related to energy-sector projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Any delay risks cascading effects on project mobilisation schedules, so contractors have been advised to submit crew-change paperwork well in advance. The notice follows similar Labour-Day closure announcements by CVASC offices in Colombo and Dhaka, and reflects a coordinated effort to give staff uniform rest days across South Asia. Applicants can continue to complete the online form and book post-holiday appointments through the CVASC portal, but the website warns that early May slots are filling quickly.
