VFS Global & visa centres: what they may and may not do

If you submit via VFS Global, TLScontact, BLS and the like, you often wonder how much power such a centre has: can it reject a file, "flag" someone, or speed things up? The short answer is no.

What a visa centre does

Under Art. 43 of the Visa Code, consulates may entrust external service providers with specific tasks: scheduling and receiving the application, checking completeness against the checklist, taking biometrics (photo, fingerprints), collecting fees, forwarding to the consulate and returning the passport. The data goes into the Visa Information System (VIS).

What it does not do

It does not decide: the consulate decides on granting or refusal. It cannot "flag" anyone — a note, if any, is created at the consulate, not at the counter. It cannot speed up processing; 15 calendar days apply, in individual cases up to 45 (Art. 23). And it does not provide legal advice.

Why a file is rejected at the counter

This is procedural and not a "flag". If mandatory documents are missing, acceptance is refused until you supply them. Unusable biometrics or photos are retaken. And without a valid appointment or payment, nothing moves on.

A rejected submission is not a decision on your application. The centre can technically accept or reject applications, but not refuse them on the merits.

Extra services are optional

Photo, SMS notification, courier, premium lounge and the like are usually extra services. Check what is mandatory (visa fee, possibly a service fee) and what you can leave out. Keep receipts for all fees.

With problems: write to the consulate

For anything substantive, the consulate is the right address, not the counter. Write with the reference number, submission date and travel date. For a delay, refer to the deadline (15 or 45 days). For a refusal, the remedy applies exactly as set out in the information on remedies in the notice. Complaints about authority conduct go through an ombudsman depending on the country, in Spain for instance the Defensor del Pueblo.

Three misunderstandings

"VFS refused my visa" — no, the consulate did. "EES NOT OK means refusal" — no, EES is the entry/exit system, not the visa status. "Paying more means faster" — no, the order is determined by the consulate.

How long it takes and how to follow up properly: Processing time, VFS/BLS appointment. What the EES actually records: EES 2026.

Note: general information, not legal or case-specific advice. The competent authority's answer is decisive. Last updated: 16.10.2026.

Fits with this

Sources

Regulation (EC) 810/2009 (Visa Code), Art. 43 (cooperation with external service providers) and Art. 23 (processing time): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02009R0810-20200202
European Commission — Visa policy / Visa Information System (VIS): https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy_en