Someone who does not know the difference between a visa centre and an embassy often goes to the wrong place and loses their appointment. The centres are not embassies but private companies accepting documents on their behalf. The decision is still made by the consulate, and a centre employee has no influence on the result. Below I have written how the centres work and what the biometrics procedure involves.
What the visa centre does and what it does not
The centre accepts the documents, takes the fingerprints, takes the photograph and sends the package to the consulate. Then it collects the finished passport and hands it over to you. A service charge is taken for that and it is separate from the visa fee.
The centre does not make the decision, bears no responsibility for the content of the documents and cannot speed the visa up. So offers of the “I have a contact at the centre” kind are meaningless. They do check whether the documents are complete and tell you if something is missing, and that is the useful part.
How biometrics are taken at the visa centre
Biometrics cover the prints of ten fingers and a digital photograph. The procedure takes a few minutes and is painless. Biometric data taken for Schengen is kept for fifty-nine months, that is, roughly five years.
During that period the fingerprints are not taken again on a new application and you can even send the documents by courier. Biometrics are not taken from children under twelve. If there is a cut or henna on a finger, the procedure can be postponed, so pay attention to your hands a few days before the visit.
How to book the appointment
| Appointment | Online, from the centre’s official site |
| Summer season | Slots fill up 4–8 weeks ahead |
| Fast service | Available at some centres for an extra fee |
| Courier | Passport delivery to your home, paid separately |
Book the appointment only from the official site. There are “appointment for sale” offers on social media and some of them are fraud, while the rest simply cost you extra. When planning the season, count the appointment wait backwards from the date of the trip.
Read more: A visa for Canada: 185 dollars, biometrics at VFS and how many months you have to wait
What to take on the day of the visit
Take the passport, the document package, the photograph and a printout of the appointment confirmation. Arrange the documents in order, because time at the window is limited. Confirm in advance how you will pay the fee; some centres accept only cash and some only cards.
Come to the centre fifteen minutes before your time, as latecomers are often not admitted. If you find it difficult to assemble the documents yourself, you can use a visa document support service. The rules on storing biometric data are published on the European Commission site.
A short conclusion
The visa centre is not the body that decides but an intermediate link that accepts documents, and knowing that saves a lot of tension. Book the appointment from the official site, remember the five-year period for biometrics, arrange the documents in order. To prepare the package together, fill in the application form.
Note: the centres’ working rules and service charges change, so check the official site before the visit.
