United States · Visa centres
Visa application centres in the US
In the US, VFS Global takes applications for Austria, India, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Switzerland; BLS International takes applications for Germany and Spain; TLScontact takes applications for France; Belgium, Brazil, China, Greece, Italy and Poland take applications at their own embassy and consulates. Each row below links the official page we read, with the date we read it.
Unofficial directory. We are not VFS Global, BLS International, TLScontact or any embassy. We don't book appointments or sell slots: every booking link goes to the official site, and we list only what we could confirm on an official page.
Which centre handles which country
| Country | Who takes applications | Where | Book or official info | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Austria | VFS Global | Washington, DC, Houston, Miami, Chicago, New York and 2 more | vfsglobal.com | austria.orgread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Belgium | The embassy or consulates themselves | Washington, DC, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York | visaonweb.diplomatie.be | FPS Foreign Affairsread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Brazil | The embassy or consulates themselves | Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hartford and 6 more | brazil.vfsevisa.com | gov.brread 1 Nov 2026 |
 China | The embassy or consulates themselves | Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago | consular.mfa.gov.cn | losangeles.china-consulate.gov.cnread 1 Nov 2026 |
 France | TLScontact | Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and 5 more | visas-fr.tlscontact.com | us.diplomatie.gouv.frread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Germany | BLS International | Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC and 4 more | blsinternational.com | germany.inforead 1 Nov 2026 |
 Greece | The embassy or consulates themselves | Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and 3 more | mfa.gr | mfa.grarchived copy of 20 Apr 2026 |
 India | VFS Global | Washington DC, Raleigh, Sandy Springs, Chicago, Detroit and 3 more | visa.vfsglobal.com | indianembassyusa.gov.inread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Italy | The embassy or consulates themselves | Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and 5 more | prenotami.esteri.it | ambwashingtondc.esteri.itread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Netherlands | VFS Global | Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and 2 more | visa.vfsglobal.com | netherlandsworldwide.nlread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Norway | VFS Global | On the operator's page | visa.vfsglobal.com | norway.noread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Poland | The embassy or consulates themselves | Washington, DC, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York | e-konsulat.gov.pl | gov.plread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Portugal | VFS Global | New York and San Francisco | visa.vfsglobal.com | novaiorque.consuladoportugal.mne.gov.ptread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Spain | BLS International | Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and 3 more | usa.blsspainglobal.com | exteriores.gob.esread 1 Nov 2026 |
 Switzerland | VFS Global | On the operator's page | — | schweiz-vereinigtestaaten.eda.admin.chread 1 Nov 2026 |
“Checked” links the official page that names who takes the applications, or the operator's own page for that mission. Addresses are on each country's page, where an official page gives one.
Visa centres by city in the US
The cities where the most countries take applications, from the official pages above. One operator can run separate centres for different countries in the same city.
- New York: The mission itself for Belgium, Brazil, China, Greece, Italy and Poland; VFS Global for Austria, the Netherlands and Portugal; BLS International for Germany and Spain; TLScontact for France.
- Chicago: The mission itself for Brazil, China, Greece, Italy and Poland; VFS Global for Austria, India and the Netherlands; BLS International for Germany and Spain; TLScontact for France.
- Los Angeles: The mission itself for Belgium, Brazil, China, Greece, Italy and Poland; VFS Global for Austria and the Netherlands; BLS International for Germany and Spain; TLScontact for France.
- San Francisco: VFS Global for Austria, India, the Netherlands and Portugal; the mission itself for Brazil, China, Greece and Italy; BLS International for Germany and Spain; TLScontact for France.
- Houston: The mission itself for Brazil, Greece, Italy and Poland; VFS Global for Austria, India and the Netherlands; BLS International for Germany and Spain; TLScontact for France.
- Washington, DC: The mission itself for Belgium, Greece, Italy and Poland; VFS Global for Austria and the Netherlands; BLS International for Germany and Spain; TLScontact for France.
- Miami: VFS Global for Austria and the Netherlands; the mission itself for Brazil and Italy; BLS International for Germany and Spain; TLScontact for France.
- Boston: The mission itself for Brazil, Greece and Italy; BLS International for Germany and Spain; TLScontact for France.
- Atlanta: The mission itself for Belgium, Brazil and Germany; TLScontact for France.
China: no visa application service centre in the US
The Chinese Visa Application Service Center website lists application centres by country, and the United States is not among them (visaforchina.cn, read 1 Nov 2026). Since 30 September 2025 the Chinese Embassy in the US takes visa applications through the online COVA system, where applicants fill in the form and upload documents for a preliminary review (us.china-embassy.gov.cn, read 1 Nov 2026). Since 23 October 2023 the Embassy and Consulates-General take visa applications on a walk-in basis, with no appointment needed (us.china-embassy.gov.cn, read 1 Nov 2026). The Embassy does not accept visa applications by mail; they are submitted in person or by an agent (us.china-embassy.gov.cn, read 1 Nov 2026). The Embassy and Consulates-General accept passports submitted by the applicant or by an agent (us.china-embassy.gov.cn, read 1 Nov 2026). Our China visa services page has the rest of the Embassy's rules and the agencies on our US list that handle Chinese visas.
| Place | Address | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Embassy visa officeWashington DC | 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite110, Washington, D.C. 20007 U.S.A.Office hours 9:30-14:30, Monday to Friday. | us.china-embassy.gov.cnread 1 Nov 2026 |
| Chinese Consulate General in New York, Passport and Visa SectionNew York | 520 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036Office Hours 9:00-15:00 (Monday to Friday, closed on weekends and holidays). | newyork.china-consulate.gov.cnread 1 Nov 2026 |
| Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, Visa OfficeSan Francisco | 1450 Laguna Street, San Francisco, CA94115 ( Visa Office Entrance at Geary Blvd)Visa office hours 9:30am-2:30pm, Monday to Friday. | sanfrancisco.china-consulate.gov.cnread 1 Nov 2026 |
| Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, Visa OfficeLos Angeles | 3rd Floor, 500 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, CA 90020Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM; no public parking in the building. | losangeles.china-consulate.gov.cnread 1 Nov 2026 |
| Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, Passport & Visa OfficeChicago | 1 East Erie Street, Suite 500 Chicago, IL 60611 USAOffice hours 9:30 am - 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday. | chicago.china-consulate.gov.cnread 1 Nov 2026 |
- Visa fee, US citizens, any number of entries (reduced until 31 Dec 2026): USD 140 us.china-embassy.gov.cn · read 1 Nov 2026
- Express service surcharge per visa: USD 25 us.china-embassy.gov.cn · read 1 Nov 2026
- COVA in New York. The New York Consulate-General launched the online system on 30 September 2025. newyork.china-consulate.gov.cn · read 1 Nov 2026
Visa centre or agency?
A visa centre only takes in applications for the embassies that hire it; it doesn't advise or decide. An agency can prepare your forms and documents, but you usually still hand them in at the centre yourself, and only the embassy or consulate decides. Our list has 64 visa agencies in the US, with city pages for Washington DC.
FAQ
Is VFS Global part of the embassy?
No. VFS Global is a private company that collects applications for the embassies that hire it; the embassy or consulate decides.
Which visa centres are in New York?
Do I need an agency to apply for a visa in the US?
No. You can book and hand in the application yourself at the centre or mission in the table above. An agency can help you prepare the forms and documents; our list of agencies in the US shows what each one handles.
Related
India visa centresBrazilian visasSchengen visa centresVisa centres in the UAEVisa centres in IndiaVisa centres in the UKVisa centres in CanadaVisa centres in FranceVisa centres in SpainVisa centres in GermanyVisa centres in ItalyVisa centres in the NetherlandsVisa centres in Poland
Sources, read 1 Nov 2026 unless marked: austria.org, FPS Foreign Affairs, gov.br, losangeles.china-consulate.gov.cn, us.diplomatie.gouv.fr, germany.info, mfa.gr, indianembassyusa.gov.in, ambwashingtondc.esteri.it, netherlandsworldwide.nl, norway.no, gov.pl, novaiorque.consuladoportugal.mne.gov.pt, exteriores.gob.es, schweiz-vereinigtestaaten.eda.admin.ch, visaforchina.cn, us.china-embassy.gov.cn and newyork.china-consulate.gov.cn. We are not an embassy or a visa operator, and we don't book appointments.