US to change French visa applications company
VFS Global will no longer serve as the application centre for Americans applying for French visas. Instead, it will be replaced by TLSContact, following a contract change by French authorities.
The service provider change will happen on April 18th, according to the French government website
France Visas.
VFS Global had 10 centres in the United States, and these will close on April 17th.
From April 18th, TLSContact will take over operations, also offering 10 centres in the same US cities. You can see their map of where centres will be located
on their website
.
READ MORE:
What is the difference between a French 'carte de séjour' and a visa?
What does that mean for people with ongoing applications?
VFS Global says it will continue processing applications until April 17th, so if you have your appointment already booked before that you can either keep it or cancel it and book a new one with TLSContact after April 18th.
For all future appointments, you will need to book with TLSContact (more info on steps below).
If you already had your appointment - and you are waiting to get your passport back - it will depend on whether you opted to pick it up in person or have it shipped.
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VFS Global said in their
press release
that "if you requested your passport to be shipped back to you by express mail, no action is required from your side."
However, "if you chose to retrieve your passport at a VFS center, please note that you will have to retrieve it at a different location after the 18th April."
VFS Global then advised people in this situation to go to the France Visas website to consult where the new pick-up location would be, but presumably this would be the new TLSContact centre in the same city or area that the VFS Global office was located.
To double check that your passport will be given to the new TLSContact centre, you can fill out their
contact form
and verify.
What will change for new applications?
The initial steps will remain the same. Assuming you do not hold EU nationality, you first need to determine the type of visa you need.
READ MORE:
EXPLAINED: What type of French visa do you need?
Once you have done so, you submit your visa application on the
France-Visas website
.
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When you have completed the application, you print out the form along with the receipt and the other supporting documents that they ask you to provide (eg proof of finances, work contract, etc). The documents required are not affected by the change, as these are decided by the French government.
READ MORE:
New rules for French visas and residency cards in 2025
Compile your file (
dossier
) and now, instead of submitting to VFS Global, submit to TLSContact.
You will need to create a TLSContact account, then book an appointment at one of their centres. At the appointment, you will submit your passport and file. They will also collect biometric data (as they would have at VFS Global).
Keep in mind that the application itself is actually processed by consular authorities, not TLSContact. You should be able to track your application on your TLSContact account.
Once your visa is ready, your passport will be sent back to you with the visa stamped inside. In some locations, you may be able to opt to pick up your passport in person.
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What will this mean for processing times?
TLSContact has said that their new facilities "are designed to optimise the visa application process, reduce appointment times, and improve the overall customer experience."
The company will have 50 staff in total in the US and Jamaica, who will be "shadowed by TLScontact operations experts sent to the US for the first few weeks of our new operations, to ensure a smooth launch."
That said, the company warned in their announcement that the "timelines are very tight for these openings, and teams from across our organisation have been working around the clock to ensure that the new centres are ready on time."
As such, there may be an adjustment period as the transition takes hold.
TLSContact already operates visa processing centres in dozens of other countries, and they currently operate French visa processing for people in the UK.
Readers in the UK have long complained about long processing times and repeated technical glitches with TLSContact's website.
It remains to be seen if similar issues will occur in their US sites.
READ MORE:
'We'll give up our French house' - users speak of their frustration with TLS visa site
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