From 1 January 2026, travellers in mainland China seeking Schengen visas for Greece can no longer submit files at third-party Visa Application Centres (VACs). Global Visa Center World (GVCW) shuttered all 15 of its Chinese VACs following a late-December notice, redirecting applicants to Greek embassies or consulates in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou depending on their province of residence.
The abrupt closure lengthens lead-times and eliminates value-added services—such as document photocopying and premium lounges—that business travellers had come to rely on.
To navigate these new complexities, many applicants are turning to digital intermediaries. VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers China-based travellers step-by-step guidance, document pre-screening and courier coordination for Schengen applications, helping organisations bridge the gap left by the closure of physical VACs while still respecting Greece’s in-person submission rules.
![Greek Visa Application Centres Close Across China, Forcing Applicants to Apply Directly at Diplomatic Missions]()
Applicants in second- and third-tier cities face new logistical hurdles: securing embassy interview slots by email, translating documents, and potentially making two out-of-town trips (one for biometrics, one for collection). Travel-management companies (TMCs) report that appointment availability in Beijing has tightened to three weeks, while Shanghai is running at capacity for the next month.
Corporate mobility teams should proactively map employees’ domicile to the correct Greek mission and budget additional processing time—currently estimated at 15–18 calendar days door-to-door. Firms using China-based relocation vendors must verify that courier arrangements comply with Schengen rules for in-person passport submission and collection.
The development also raises broader questions about the future of outsourced visa centres in China’s tier-1 markets. While some European states renewed multi-year contracts with commercial partners in 2025, others—citing data-protection concerns—are reviewing the model. Mobility professionals should monitor for similar retrenchment by other Schengen members.
Until further notice, travellers bound for Greece should initiate visa planning at least five weeks before intended departure and consider neighbouring Schengen entry points (e.g., Italy) if itineraries permit.
The abrupt closure lengthens lead-times and eliminates value-added services—such as document photocopying and premium lounges—that business travellers had come to rely on.
To navigate these new complexities, many applicants are turning to digital intermediaries. VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers China-based travellers step-by-step guidance, document pre-screening and courier coordination for Schengen applications, helping organisations bridge the gap left by the closure of physical VACs while still respecting Greece’s in-person submission rules.
Applicants in second- and third-tier cities face new logistical hurdles: securing embassy interview slots by email, translating documents, and potentially making two out-of-town trips (one for biometrics, one for collection). Travel-management companies (TMCs) report that appointment availability in Beijing has tightened to three weeks, while Shanghai is running at capacity for the next month.
Corporate mobility teams should proactively map employees’ domicile to the correct Greek mission and budget additional processing time—currently estimated at 15–18 calendar days door-to-door. Firms using China-based relocation vendors must verify that courier arrangements comply with Schengen rules for in-person passport submission and collection.
The development also raises broader questions about the future of outsourced visa centres in China’s tier-1 markets. While some European states renewed multi-year contracts with commercial partners in 2025, others—citing data-protection concerns—are reviewing the model. Mobility professionals should monitor for similar retrenchment by other Schengen members.
Until further notice, travellers bound for Greece should initiate visa planning at least five weeks before intended departure and consider neighbouring Schengen entry points (e.g., Italy) if itineraries permit.
