COVA Says "Passport to be Submitted"? Here's Exactly What to Do Next
✓ Government information last checked: September 20, 2026
This status means your online application cleared preliminary review — not that your visa is approved. Here's what it means, what it doesn't mean, and exactly what to email and mail next.
Quick Answer. "Passport to be Submitted" means your online COVA application has passed preliminary review and can now move to the physical passport-submission stage. It does not mean your China visa has already been approved or issued.
If you are using ChinaVisaMail, take one screenshot that shows your applicant name, application barcode, and "Passport to be Submitted" status together on the same screen. Email that screenshot to ChinaVisaMail. We can print the application-information page for physical submission, so you do not need to print it yourself. After receiving your mailing instructions, send your original passport and any case-specific originals we tell you are required.
What this page covers. This page explains one specific thing: what the COVA status "Passport to be Submitted" means and what to do the moment it appears. For help filling out the COVA application itself, see the general COVA guide. For a mission's complete step-by-step procedure, see the Los Angeles, Washington D.C., or San Francisco guides. For passport-mailing logistics and safety, see the how-to-mail-passport guide.
See What It Looks Like
Sample "Passport to be Submitted" Screen
Sample only — use your own COVA status screen. Your screenshot should show your name, barcode, and "Passport to be Submitted" together.
The Most Important Distinction on This Page
What Does "Passport to be Submitted" Mean?
Official visa rule
✅ It DOES mean:
Your online application passed preliminary review
COVA has moved you to the physical-submission stage
Your original passport now needs to reach the correct embassy/consulate
An applicant or permitted representative/agent can physically submit the required documents
❌ It does NOT mean:
Your visa has been approved
Your requested visa validity or number of entries has been guaranteed
Your passport is ready to collect
No further document request can occur
An interview can never be requested
"Passport to be Submitted" means COVA preliminary review has cleared the application for physical passport submission; it does not mean the visa has been approved. The handling mission still makes the final visa decision.
Where You Are in the Process
The COVA Status Flow
Exact status wording can vary by case and mission. This is the general progression — do not read "preliminary review" as "visa approval."
1. Online application submitted
2. Preliminary review
3. Correction / supplementary material if requested
Only if the system flags something — not every case reaches this step.
4. Passport to be Submitted
You are here. Preliminary review cleared — physical stage begins.
5. Physical passport / document submission
6. Final consular review
7. Passport to be Collected / collection stage
Your Next Action
My Status Says "Passport to be Submitted." What Do I Send ChinaVisaMail?
ChinaVisaMail workflow
1
Take One ScreenshotName + barcode + "Passport to be Submitted" on the same screen.
2
Email It to UsSend the screenshot to ChinaVisaMail. No printing required at this step.
3
Get Mailing InstructionsChinaVisaMail provides the appropriate mailing instructions for your case.
4
Mail Your PassportPlus only the case-specific originals we confirm are required.
5
We Prepare SubmissionChinaVisaMail can print the application-information/barcode page for you.
6
We Submit & ReturnPhysical submission, pickup, and tracked return handled for you.
ChinaVisaMail customers email one screenshot showing the applicant name, barcode and "Passport to be Submitted" status together. ChinaVisaMail is an independent document submission service — an agent you authorize, not a government-authorized or government-endorsed agent.
A Common Point of Confusion
Do I Need to Print Anything Myself?
Official government requirement
Official visa rule
What the Government Requires
The physical submission must include the required application-information/status page showing the barcode and status.
That page, the original passport, and any case-specific originals must physically reach the handling mission.
ChinaVisaMail customer workflow
ChinaVisaMail workflow
What This Means for You
You do not have to print that page personally.
You email ChinaVisaMail the status screenshot showing your name, barcode, and "Passport to be Submitted."
ChinaVisaMail can print the required page for physical submission.
Customer printing is optional because ChinaVisaMail can print the required application-information page for physical submission.
Timing Your Mailing
When Should I Mail My Passport?
Wait until COVA shows "Passport to be Submitted," then request ChinaVisaMail's mailing instructions. Do not mail your passport before your status reaches this stage.
If ChinaVisaMail chooses to hold a passport early for a particular urgent or customer-specific case, that is a case-by-case operational exception and does not change this standard public instruction.
Mission-Specific Differences
Does "Passport to be Submitted" Work the Same in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.?
The core meaning is the same everywhere: online preliminary review is complete and the physical passport stage can begin. But physical-submission details can differ by mission. These are the three jurisdictions ChinaVisaMail currently serves — not the only Chinese missions in the U.S.
Requirement
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Washington D.C.
Who may submit
Applicant, another person, or an agency
Applicant or authorized representative
Applicant or agent
Appointment
No appointment required
No appointment required
No appointment noted for this stage
What must be printed/shown
Printed barcode/application page
Printed screenshot/status page showing barcode + "Passport to be Submitted"
This table reflects current SF, LA, and DC guidance as reviewed for this page. Requirements can change — always confirm against the current official page before relying on a specific detail.
⚠ Los Angeles Applicants: Do Not Ignore the 30-Day Deadline
LA's 30-Day Physical-Submission Deadline
Current Los Angeles Consulate guidance dated September 17, 2026 states that if required physical documents are not submitted within 30 days after the status changes to "Passport to be Submitted," the application is automatically cancelled by the system.
This is an official Los Angeles rule. Do not generalize it to San Francisco or Washington D.C. unless current official sources state the same. Los Angeles customers should act promptly — email ChinaVisaMail your screenshot as soon as the status appears.
If the application is automatically cancelled, the Consulate states that a new application is required if the applicant still wants a visa.
A Common Misunderstanding
If the Consulate Says "No Mail Service," How Can ChinaVisaMail Help?
For the three jurisdictions ChinaVisaMail serves, the physical passport stage is handled through submission at the visa office by the applicant or an agent/representative. San Francisco and Los Angeles explicitly state that no mail service is provided. Current Washington D.C. Embassy guidance directs the applicant or agent to submit the passport and required documents to the Visa Office after the status reaches "Passport to be Submitted." That does not mean an applicant cannot mail a passport to an independent document-submission service.
ChinaVisaMail's model is straightforward:
Customer → mails passport to ChinaVisaMail
ChinaVisaMail / representative authorized by the customer → physically submits at the correct mission
ChinaVisaMail → handles pickup and tracked return
ChinaVisaMail is "an agent you authorize" and an "independent document submission service" — not authorized by, endorsed by, or officially designated by the Consulate. Current official SF, LA, and Embassy materials explicitly permit another person, agent, or representative to perform physical submission.
Beyond the Passport
Besides My Passport, What Else Might Need to Be Mailed?
Most supporting material is uploaded during COVA. At the physical stage, ChinaVisaMail will tell you which originals are required for your particular case.
Possible case-specific originals can include:
An old passport containing a still-valid Chinese visa or residence permit
A prior Chinese passport for certain former-Chinese-national cases
Original relationship documentation for categories where current official rules require it
Another original specifically requested by the handling mission
If the previous Chinese visa in an old passport was still valid when the current COVA application was started, ChinaVisaMail may require that original old passport together with the current passport. This is not a blanket rule that every previous passport must be mailed.
Photo Requirement
Do I Need a Physical Visa Photo?
Official visa rule
If COVA accepts the digital photo, a physical photo is normally not routinely required.
A physical photo may be needed if repeated online photo checks fail but COVA permits continuation, or if the mission specifically requests one. When required, the standard size is 33mm wide × 48mm high.
See our jurisdiction-neutral COVA photo guide for full specifications. Do not include an extra physical photo "just in case" unless one is actually required.
Pricing
How Much Does ChinaVisaMail Cost?
ChinaVisaMail workflow — U.S.-citizen pricing
Service
1 U.S.-Citizen Applicant
2 U.S.-Citizen Applicants
Standard
$449 TOTAL
$799 TOTAL
Express
$494 TOTAL
$849 TOTAL
These are the total ChinaVisaMail prices for U.S. citizens. We do not add another $140 government visa fee afterward.
The applicable U.S.-citizen government fee is already built into the total. Non-U.S.-passport holders should contact ChinaVisaMail for their exact total because government fees may differ by nationality.
3 or more applicants? Choose your applicant count on the Apply page to see current family/group pricing.
Timing
How Long After "Passport to be Submitted"?
ChinaVisaMail workflow
Standard: approximately 11–13 business days after ChinaVisaMail receives your passport. Express: approximately 8–11 business days after ChinaVisaMail receives your passport.
Your shipping time to ChinaVisaMail occurs before that clock begins.
ChinaVisaMail's Standard 11–13 and Express 8–11 business-day estimates begin when ChinaVisaMail receives the passport. The embassy/consulates publish shorter office-only processing estimates after physical submission, but those are not equivalent to ChinaVisaMail's complete customer timeline, which accounts for handling, logistics, physical submission, pickup, and return.
Troubleshooting
What If My COVA Does Not Say "Passport to be Submitted"?
Status
What It Generally Means
What to Do
Rejected and to be Modified
COVA/consular review identified something that needs correction or additional material. Not the same as final visa refusal.
Follow the feedback in the system, correct/upload what is requested, and resubmit as instructed.
Supplementary materials requested
The mission needs more information or documents before it can proceed.
Respond through COVA according to the mission's instructions.
Still under preliminary review
Your application has not yet cleared preliminary review.
Continue monitoring the application. There is no fixed, guaranteed review time.
Passport to be Collected
A later status indicating that processing has reached the passport-collection stage. Do not confuse it with "Passport to be Submitted."
Follow the handling mission's instructions to collect the passport.
Whose Job Is It to Watch COVA?
ChinaVisaMail Does Not Monitor Your COVA Account
The customer owns and controls their own COVA account. ChinaVisaMail does not automatically see when a customer's status changes.
Monitor your COVA account yourself. When it changes to "Passport to be Submitted," email ChinaVisaMail the screenshot.
"Passport to be Submitted" means your online COVA application has passed preliminary review and can now move to the physical passport-submission stage. It does not mean your China visa has already been approved or issued.
No. This status only means online preliminary review has cleared the application for the physical passport-submission stage. The handling mission still makes the final visa decision after the passport and required documents are physically submitted.
If you are using ChinaVisaMail, take one screenshot that shows your applicant name, application barcode, and "Passport to be Submitted" status together on the same screen, and email that screenshot to ChinaVisaMail. Wait for our mailing instructions before sending your passport.
One screenshot showing your applicant name, application barcode, and "Passport to be Submitted" status all together on the same screen, emailed to ChinaVisaMail.
No. Customer printing is optional because ChinaVisaMail can print the required application-information page for physical submission. You only need to email us the screenshot.
After you receive ChinaVisaMail's mailing instructions, mail your original passport plus only the case-specific original documents ChinaVisaMail confirms are required for your case.
Yes. Current official guidance for the three jurisdictions ChinaVisaMail serves allows physical submission by the applicant or another person, agent, representative, or agency as applicable. San Francisco and Los Angeles explicitly state that no appointment is required. Current Washington D.C. Embassy guidance directs the applicant or agent to submit the passport and required documents during Visa Office hours after the status reaches "Passport to be Submitted."
For the three jurisdictions ChinaVisaMail serves, the physical passport stage is handled through submission at the visa office by the applicant or an agent/representative. San Francisco and Los Angeles explicitly state that no mail service is provided. Current Washington D.C. Embassy guidance directs the applicant or agent to submit the passport and required documents to the Visa Office after the status reaches "Passport to be Submitted." That does not mean an applicant cannot mail a passport to an independent document-submission service. The customer mails the passport to ChinaVisaMail, and ChinaVisaMail — a representative the customer authorizes — physically submits it at the correct mission, then handles pickup and tracked return.
The standard workflow is to request ChinaVisaMail's mailing instructions promptly once your status changes to "Passport to be Submitted." Los Angeles applicants currently face an official 30-day deadline — see the LA-specific section on this page for details.
Yes. Current Los Angeles Consulate guidance states that if required physical documents are not submitted within 30 days after the status changes to "Passport to be Submitted," the application is automatically cancelled by the system. This is an official Los Angeles rule; do not assume it applies the same way in San Francisco or Washington D.C. unless current official sources state the same.
If COVA accepts your digital photo, a physical photo is normally not routinely required. A physical photo may be needed if repeated online photo checks fail but COVA permits continuation, or if the mission specifically requests one. When required, the standard size is 33mm wide × 48mm high.
Most supporting material is uploaded during COVA, not mailed separately. At the physical stage, ChinaVisaMail will tell you which originals are required for your particular case. If a previous Chinese visa in an old passport was still valid when your current COVA application was started, ChinaVisaMail may require that original old passport together with your current passport. Not every applicant needs to send a previous passport.
Standard service is approximately 11–13 business days after ChinaVisaMail receives your passport. Express service is approximately 8–11 business days after ChinaVisaMail receives your passport. Your shipping time to ChinaVisaMail occurs before that clock begins.
This generally means COVA or consular review identified something that needs correction or additional material. Follow the feedback shown in the system, correct or upload what is requested, and resubmit as instructed. It is not the same thing as a final visa refusal.
"Passport to be Collected" is a later status indicating that processing has reached the passport-collection stage. Follow the handling mission's instructions to collect the passport. Do not confuse it with "Passport to be Submitted."
Yes. Passing online preliminary review does not remove the handling mission's ability to request an interview or additional documents. The consular officer makes the final decision on each application.
Supports: the meaning of the physical-submission stage, applicant/agent submission, the passport/application-information page/originals requirement, and passport validity/blank-page requirements for the Washington D.C. Embassy jurisdiction. Checked September 20, 2026.
Supports: preliminary review, the "Passport to be Submitted" status, the possibility of additional documents or an interview after preliminary review, and general status progression. Checked September 20, 2026.
Supports: San Francisco physical submission, agent/agency submission, no appointment required, no mail service, and San Francisco's blank-page requirement. Independently confirmed by direct review of this page's text on September 20, 2026.
Confirms: the application status must reach "Passport to be Submitted" before physical submission; the applicant may entrust someone else or an agency to submit the passport; no appointment is required; the printed status/barcode page and original passport must be presented; there is no direct mail-in service to the Consulate; the passport must have more than six months' validity and at least one blank visa page; and physical submission is subject to a 30-day deadline with automatic cancellation if missed. Checked September 20, 2026.
Confirms: the Los Angeles physical-submission requirement and the 30-day automatic-cancellation rule for applications that reach "Passport to be Submitted" without a physical submission. Checked September 20, 2026.
Supports: the U.S.-citizen regular visa government fee of $140, the $25 express consular surcharge per visa, that fees for non-U.S. citizens may vary by nationality, and that the current reduced fee schedule continues through December 31, 2026. This is the government fee only and does not include ChinaVisaMail's service pricing.
Supports: the official Chinese visa photo specifications (33mm × 48mm). Current COVA guidance remains the source for the rule that, if repeated online photo checks fail, applicants may continue and bring a standard photo at physical submission; a physical photo is not routinely required when the digital photo is accepted.
Government visa rules can change. We review this page against current Chinese Embassy, Consulate, and COVA guidance, but the handling mission makes the final decision on individual applications. ChinaVisaMail is an independent visa document submission service and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or officially designated by the Chinese government.
Status Changed? Act Now.
My Status Says "Passport to be Submitted"
Get your mailing instructions. Email us your screenshot showing name, barcode, and status together, then mail your passport once we confirm what's needed for your case.
