At a Beijing media briefing, outsourcing giant VFS Global urged Chinese nationals planning summer trips to submit their visa applications well ahead of peak season. Company data show a steady rise in first-quarter 2026 submissions, mirroring the rebound in international capacity and the resumption of multi-country tour packages. Simon Peachey, chief operating officer for China, Australasia and RCIS, said many consulates have reinstated biometric appointments and stricter document checks, stretching lead times to six weeks or more for Schengen and UK visas. The warning comes amid a spike in fraudulent ‘express slot’ offers on social media, with victims paying hefty fees only to receive fake appointments. VFS has rolled out a ‘Track My Application’ portal and priority return-courier service tailored to high-frequency business travellers who cannot spare multiple trips to visa centres. For corporate travel managers the advice is clear: block travel dates early, pre-collect bank statements and HR letters, and budget for premium-rate appointments if executives are booking within four weeks of departure. Firms should also remind staff that third-party agents cannot legally guarantee slots and that personal appearance is mandatory for most fingerprint submissions. Outbound traffic from China is tracking at roughly 85 percent of 2019 levels, and a backlog in some European consulates could create a bottleneck just as companies plan July-August incentive travel and client-site visits.
Source: China.org.cn
