VFS, BLS and TLS: who the Schengen outsourcers in India are, what they may charge, and what they cannot do
The building you walk into is not the consulate. It matters what that does and does not change.
What an external service provider is
Article 43 of the Visa Code lets a state cooperate with an "external service provider" for tasks listed in Article 43(6): giving information, arranging appointments, collecting documents and the fee, collecting biometrics, and returning passports. Article 43(4) is the line that matters: examination of applications, interviews, decisions and the printing of visa stickers stay with the consulate. The provider is a front desk, not a decision-maker.
In India, at the time of writing, most Schengen states route applications through VFS Global; Spain uses BLS International; each state's embassy page names its provider and the centre for your city. Providers change by tender, so confirm on the embassy site rather than on a forum.
What they may charge
Article 17(1): a service fee "proportionate to the costs incurred". Article 17(4): it "shall not exceed half of the amount of the visa fee", that is EUR 45 at the current EUR 90 fee, and applies even where you are exempt from the visa fee. Everything else (courier, SMS updates, premium lounge, form assistance, photocopies) is optional, and Annex X requires the provider to "clearly inform the public that other charges cover optional services". Article 17(5) obliges the state to keep the possibility of lodging directly at the consulate without the service fee, subject to appointment availability.
What they cannot do
- Refuse or issue your visa, or tell you your chances.
- Demand documents beyond the state's published checklist as a condition of accepting the file (they may flag omissions).
- Keep your data: Annex X(B)(e) requires deletion "at the latest seven days after their transmission" to the consulate, keeping only appointment contact details and passport number until the passport is returned, then deleting those five days later.
Practical consequences
- Track your file with the provider's reference, but understand that "sent to embassy" and "received from embassy" are the only two events they see; the decision date is invisible to them.
- The 15-day legal clock (Article 23) starts on the day the admissible application reaches the consulate's hands, in practice the day of your appointment.
- Complaints about the provider's conduct go to the state's consulate, which is responsible for supervising it (Article 43(11)).
FAQ
Does VFS decide my Schengen visa?
No. Article 43(4) reserves examination and decisions to the consulate; the provider collects the file and biometrics.
How much can VFS or BLS charge for a Schengen visa?
Article 17(4) caps the mandatory service fee at half the visa fee (EUR 45 at present); optional services are extra and must be labelled optional.
Can I apply directly at the consulate instead?
Article 17(5) says the state may maintain that possibility; in practice most Schengen consulates in India accept direct lodging only in limited categories. Check the embassy page.
Questions this page answers
Does VFS decide my Schengen visa?
No. Article 43(4) reserves examination and decisions to the consulate; the provider collects the file and biometrics.
How much can VFS or BLS charge for a Schengen visa?
Article 17(4) caps the mandatory service fee at half the visa fee (EUR 45 at present); optional services are extra and must be labelled optional.
Can I apply directly at the consulate instead?
Article 17(5) says the state may maintain that possibility; in practice most Schengen consulates in India accept direct lodging only in limited categories. Check the embassy page.