After more than two years of public-safety hearings and national-security reviews, Britain’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has approved Beijing’s plan to convert the former Royal Mint site in east London into what will be the largest Chinese embassy complex in Europe. Housing Secretary Steve Reed signed off on the project on 20 January 2026 after UK intelligence services imposed a series of mitigation measures, including restrictions on rooftop antenna arrays and mandatory 24/7 CCTV data-sharing with the Metropolitan Police.
The decision has immediate mobility implications. The Chinese Embassy’s visa-processing section—currently scattered across multiple rented buildings—will be consolidated into a purpose-built facility capable of handling up to 16,000 applications a day, triple existing capacity. Consular officials say the move will enable same-day express processing for business travellers and streamline passport renewals for the roughly 200,000 Chinese nationals living in the UK.
For applicants trying to stay ahead of these changes, VisaHQ’s digital visa service offers step-by-step application guidance, document pre-check, courier submission and real-time tracking—tools that can minimise disruption while embassy operations are in flux. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/china/.
![UK green-lights London ‘mega-embassy’, giving China Europe’s largest diplomatic compound]()
Security concerns remain. MPs on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee had warned that the 4.5-hectare compound, with its alleged “208 secret rooms,” could be used for signals-intelligence collection. A parallel worry for mobility practitioners is data protection: the embassy will house China’s Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, which manages the controversial “overseas police service stations” that several European governments have ordered to close. London’s approval explicitly bans any law-enforcement activity on-site without UK consent, but business-immigration advisers will be watching compliance mechanisms closely.
For corporates, the upside is logistical. Visa brokers say appointment slots have been fully booked until March at existing centres in Manchester and Edinburgh; the new London hub (scheduled to open in late 2027) should alleviate regional backlogs. Chinese multinationals operating in the City also expect faster document legalisation and notary services. On the UK side, officials hope the approval will unlock reciprocal progress on rebuilding Britain’s own embassy in Beijing, whose redevelopment has stalled since 2019.
Until the new complex is operational, travellers should continue to submit applications at Portland Place and at the Chinese Visa Application Centre in Queensway. However, transition plans envisage phased migration of fingerprinting equipment as early as Q2 2026, so HR teams are advised to monitor embassy notices for location changes.
The decision has immediate mobility implications. The Chinese Embassy’s visa-processing section—currently scattered across multiple rented buildings—will be consolidated into a purpose-built facility capable of handling up to 16,000 applications a day, triple existing capacity. Consular officials say the move will enable same-day express processing for business travellers and streamline passport renewals for the roughly 200,000 Chinese nationals living in the UK.
For applicants trying to stay ahead of these changes, VisaHQ’s digital visa service offers step-by-step application guidance, document pre-check, courier submission and real-time tracking—tools that can minimise disruption while embassy operations are in flux. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/china/.
Security concerns remain. MPs on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee had warned that the 4.5-hectare compound, with its alleged “208 secret rooms,” could be used for signals-intelligence collection. A parallel worry for mobility practitioners is data protection: the embassy will house China’s Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, which manages the controversial “overseas police service stations” that several European governments have ordered to close. London’s approval explicitly bans any law-enforcement activity on-site without UK consent, but business-immigration advisers will be watching compliance mechanisms closely.
For corporates, the upside is logistical. Visa brokers say appointment slots have been fully booked until March at existing centres in Manchester and Edinburgh; the new London hub (scheduled to open in late 2027) should alleviate regional backlogs. Chinese multinationals operating in the City also expect faster document legalisation and notary services. On the UK side, officials hope the approval will unlock reciprocal progress on rebuilding Britain’s own embassy in Beijing, whose redevelopment has stalled since 2019.
Until the new complex is operational, travellers should continue to submit applications at Portland Place and at the Chinese Visa Application Centre in Queensway. However, transition plans envisage phased migration of fingerprinting equipment as early as Q2 2026, so HR teams are advised to monitor embassy notices for location changes.
