Lunar New Year holiday to delay processing

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? China will welcome the Year of the Goat and observe a national holiday Feb. 18-24.

What does the change mean? Applicants should expect delays during and immediately following the holiday closures.

• Implementation timeframe: Feb. 18-24.
• Visas/permits affected: All visas and permits, as well as other services at immigration, labor and government ministries.
• Who is affected: Employers and foreign applicants.
• Impact on processing times: Processing will be interrupted during the week-long closures.

Background: The first day of the Chinese lunar year is Feb. 19. China observes a full week of festivities, beginning new year’s eve. Taiwan will close for six days, Feb. 18 -23, and other Asian countries will observe shorter public holiday periods on Feb. 19-20.

BAL Analysis: Employers should anticipate office closures and are encouraged to file time-sensitive applications before the holiday break to avoid delays.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in China. For additional information, please contact china@bal.com.

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