I don't know what back to normal means. Let me explain. I went to the Chinese consulate Friday morning - Jun12, to apply for a visa. I waited about 40 minutes to get to the front of the line. Handed in my paperwork, requested same day service and was told to come back at 2PM.
Arrived a bit early at 1:30, got in line to pick up visa. I left the consulate at 4:12. The initial line was up the steps to the second floor. Then I waited on line to get a number to wait on another line to pay. The lines were long, the place was hot, no one was sure we were in the right lines, the process was absurd. Is that back to normal???
the ~10 times ive been to the chiense consulate, both for myself and others, that is the norm. Most of the time the line is for the application and not the pickup, but lately both have been very long. Just volume.