Is TLScontact the embassy?

No. TLScontact is a private company that collects applications and biometrics for the consulate. The consulate alone decides whether to issue the visa.

Is booking a TLScontact appointment free?

Booking on the official site is free. You pay the visa fee and the service fee at or before submission. Avoid anyone selling slots.

Can TLScontact tell me if my visa will be approved?

No. Staff only check that your file is complete and take biometrics. The decision is made by the consulate.

Guides·7 min read·Oct 29, 2026

TLScontact Schengen Visa Appointment: How to Book (2026)

How to book a Schengen visa appointment with TLScontact: which consulates use it, registering, fees, documents and what happens at the visa centre.

By the SchengenDoc editorial team · Checked against the EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009), European Commission visa statistics and official consulate checklists. How we verify

TLScontact is a private visa-application company (part of Teleperformance) used by several Schengen consulates — most visibly France and Germany in many countries. Like any provider, it only collects your file; the consulate makes the decision.

01Key takeaways

Book only through the official TLScontact site linked from your destination's embassy website.
TLScontact pages are country-specific: there is one for France in the UK, another for Germany in Morocco, and so on.
For France, you usually complete the online form on the official France-Visas site first, then book TLScontact.
You pay the visa fee plus a TLScontact service fee; optional extras are not required.
Booking is free on the official site. Paid "slot finders" are not TLScontact.

02Which consulates use TLScontact?

It varies by country. On pages we have checked against official sources, France uses TLScontact in the UK, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, China and Cameroon, and Germany uses TLScontact in the UK, Egypt, Kenya and Morocco. Elsewhere the same consulate may use VFS Global, Capago or its own booking system. Always start from the embassy's website.

03Step 1: Fill in the application form (France)

For France, complete the form on France-Visas, the official French visa website. It gives you a reference number and tells you which centre to use. Other countries have their own forms — follow the embassy instructions.

04Step 2: Create a TLScontact account and book

Register with your email, add each applicant, upload or link the application form, and choose an available date at your nearest centre. Print the appointment letter.

New slots are released regularly. If none are available, check again rather than paying someone to book for you.

05Step 3: Fees

Visa fee: €90 for adults, reduced for children aged 6–11 (EU rules), plus any exemptions.
TLScontact service fee: shown on the TLScontact page for your country.
Optional services: priority, courier, SMS, photocopies. None affects the decision.

06Step 4: The appointment

Bring your appointment letter, passport, printed form and documents in the order listed on the TLScontact checklist for your visa category. Biometrics are taken unless you gave them within the past 59 months.

07After submission

Track the application in your TLScontact account. The consulate decides, usually within 15 calendar days. You collect your passport at the centre or by courier.

08Before the appointment: have your file ready

An appointment slot is only useful if the file is complete on the day. Missing or inconsistent documents mean a wasted trip or a refusal. Build your complete visa file — $19 (cover letter, itinerary and checklist matched to your trip). Not sure which papers you need? Use the free document checklist.

Appointment reality check: the slot wait comes first

The legal decision clock only starts once your application is lodged. Before that, you need an appointment — and how long that takes depends on your consulate or visa centre, not on the law.

Stage 1 — Appointment
"The applicant may be required to obtain an appointment for the lodging of an application. The appointment shall, as a rule, take place within two weeks from the date when it was requested." (Art. 9(2))
Stage 2 — Decision
"Applications shall be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible." (Art. 23(1))
Stage 3 — Possible extension
"That period may be extended up to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed." (Art. 23(2))

When you can apply (Art. 9(1))

Earliest: 6 months before the start of your trip (9 months for seafarers).
Latest: 15 calendar days before the start of your trip.

Have your documents ready before booking, so you can take a cancelled slot if one opens up.

Check your actual wait

Start from your destination consulate's website — it names the centre it uses. Our provider guides:

Source: consolidated EU Visa Code. Full processing-times guide

Going to your appointment? Print the folder-order checklist or read the field-by-field form guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is TLScontact the embassy?: No. TLScontact is a private company that collects applications and biometrics for the consulate. The consulate alone decides whether to issue the visa.
Is booking a TLScontact appointment free?: Booking on the official site is free. You pay the visa fee and the service fee at or before submission. Avoid anyone selling slots.
Can TLScontact tell me if my visa will be approved?: No. Staff only check that your file is complete and take biometrics. The decision is made by the consulate.