China’s international push to digitise visa applications via the China Online Visa Application (COVA) portal is running into service-level issues, according to applicants posting from India overnight. A Mumbai-based traveller reported that three family applications filed on 16 February received mixed outcomes: two were approved after a week, but the third has been ‘in review’ for 17 days with no status updates. Under COVA rules, once an application is approved online the passport must be submitted in person within 15 days, forcing the family to consider flying to Mumbai twice if the third approval does not materialise soon. Other users chimed in with similar stories of stalled applications and unclear fee-payment instructions, complaining that the system’s promised transparency is undermined by a lack of real-time status alerts. The Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) in Mumbai has not issued any public explanation. Visa agents say the backlog stems from a surge of post-Lunar-New-Year travel demand colliding with staff rotations. They recommend submitting applications at least six weeks before travel and using the “group submission” option so passports can be handed in together once all approvals arrive.
![COVA online visa portal criticised for patchy processing as Indian applicants face delays]()
For applicants who would rather not navigate these pitfalls alone, VisaHQ offers an end-to-end concierge service for China visas (https://www.visahq.com/china/). The firm can double-check COVA entries, monitor approval queues, and arrange consolidated passport drop-offs—helping travellers and HR teams alike avoid unnecessary centre visits and costly schedule changes.
For corporates moving employees into China, the episode highlights the importance of contingency planning. Until COVA processing times stabilise, HR teams should avoid booking non-refundable flights and hotels and should consider the Express or Rush channels where available, noting that fees can exceed RMB 900 per visa. Maintaining a buffer also protects against knock-on delays in police registration and work-permit conversion once the employee lands. China’s embassies have touted COVA as a cornerstone of its “Smart Consular” initiative, but these on-the-ground reports suggest further optimisation—and clearer user guidance—is still needed to deliver the promised efficiency gains.
For applicants who would rather not navigate these pitfalls alone, VisaHQ offers an end-to-end concierge service for China visas (https://www.visahq.com/china/). The firm can double-check COVA entries, monitor approval queues, and arrange consolidated passport drop-offs—helping travellers and HR teams alike avoid unnecessary centre visits and costly schedule changes.
For corporates moving employees into China, the episode highlights the importance of contingency planning. Until COVA processing times stabilise, HR teams should avoid booking non-refundable flights and hotels and should consider the Express or Rush channels where available, noting that fees can exceed RMB 900 per visa. Maintaining a buffer also protects against knock-on delays in police registration and work-permit conversion once the employee lands. China’s embassies have touted COVA as a cornerstone of its “Smart Consular” initiative, but these on-the-ground reports suggest further optimisation—and clearer user guidance—is still needed to deliver the promised efficiency gains.
