What the visa centre is and why it sits between you and the consulate
BLS International and VFS Global are commercial contractors that accept Spanish visa applications on behalf of consulates but don't make visa decisions: that's done by the Spanish consulate or embassy. The centre checks that the set of documents is complete, collects biometric data, takes the fees and passes the documents on — and the answer on your application comes from the consulate, through the same visa centre.
Because of this division, it's important to distinguish between two types of problem. If a document isn't accepted at the counter, that's a question of completeness, and it can be solved on the spot or in advance. If the consulate refuses the visa after you've applied, that's a question of the application's content, and the visa centre has nothing to do with it: the centre's staff can neither speed up processing nor influence the decision.
How to book an appointment
The appointment is booked in advance, separately from the visit itself: first you choose a date and time on the visa centre's website, and only then do you come to that slot with a complete set of documents. You can apply no earlier than 6 months before the trip and no later than 15 calendar days before your stated departure date (some visa centres ask for a bigger margin) — it makes sense to book as soon as you've settled on your travel dates, not in the last week.
The standard processing time is 15 calendar days, but it can stretch to 45 if the consulate schedules an interview or requests additional documents. The practical conclusion: if your travel dates are already close, it's more sensible to check straight away whether you fit into these timeframes with a margin than to book an appointment "right up against it" and hope for the best-case scenario.
If you're unsure whether you'll have a complete set of documents ready by your appointment date, it's useful to check against a checklist in advance — or better still, take a short quiz and get a personal plan of what to finish and in what order.
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The visa centre's main rule is simple and has no exceptions: an incomplete set of documents isn't accepted for processing. This means you need to come to your appointment not with an "almost ready" set but with a complete one — otherwise you'll have to book again.
In addition to your international passport (it must be valid for at least 3 months after your planned date of departure from the Schengen area and issued no more than 10 years ago) you need a completed and signed Schengen visa application form, a recent photo, and proof of the trip's purpose, accommodation, return ticket, proof of funds and insurance. Visa centres usually also require you to sign consent forms for the processing of personal and biometric data — without them your documents may not be accepted either.
And last but not least: payment. Visa centres differ — some accept cards or online payment, others cash only (this is the case, for example, at BLS in Russia). Check the payment method on your visa centre's website so you don't get caught out on the day.
How the application itself works
At the counter, a visa centre employee checks your set of documents, checks the application form for errors and mismatched dates and names, takes the fees and gives you a receipt. Then comes the collection of biometric data, which is what those three consent forms are for. After that, your documents go to the consulate for processing, and you're left with an application number you can use to track the status.
It's important to understand that submitting documents doesn't in itself guarantee a visa, and the fees — both the visa fee and the service fee — aren't refunded whatever decision the consulate makes. It's worth factoring this into your trip budget: the fee is payment for processing the application, not for a positive answer.
Can you submit documents for someone else?
The key restriction here isn't the paperwork but the biometrics. Taking fingerprints and a photo for the visa file generally requires the applicant to be there in person, and you usually can't simply bring someone else's documents on a general basis. There are exceptions — for example, for young children or for people whose biometric data was recently recorded as part of another Schengen application — but the exact conditions for these exceptions are best checked directly with the visa centre before booking rather than relying on general information online: the rules and how long previously given biometrics remain valid may differ from centre to centre.
If your situation is non-standard — for example, you need to apply on behalf of an elderly relative who can't travel in person to the city where the visa centre is located — it's more sensible to ask the visa centre in advance which options exist at all than to turn up for the appointment and learn about the restriction on the spot.
Final checklist for your appointment
- Passport valid for at least 3 months after leaving Schengen, issued within the last 10 years.
- Completed and signed Schengen visa application form and a recent 3.5×4.5 cm photo.
- The visa centre's consent forms for the processing of personal and biometric data.
- Proof of the trip's purpose and accommodation — a booking, an invitation or a tour operator's letter.
- A round-trip flight booking with dates.
- Financial documents — an original bank statement (stamped, if your consulate requires it) or a letter from your employer.
- Medical insurance for the whole trip, with no excess and cover of at least €30,000.
- Visa and service fees ready in the payment form your visa centre accepts.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, and it's better to do so in advance than to turn up with an incomplete set: an incomplete set of documents isn't accepted for processing at all, so a visit without your papers ready is simply pointless.
Rescheduling a slot is usually done through the visa centre's website or call centre — check the rescheduling conditions and deadlines there specifically, as the mechanics may be updated.
The standard application is made in person at the visa centre, because collecting biometric data requires the applicant to be present. Visa centres may have separate paid services for particular categories of applicants — check on your visa centre's website or with its call centre whether such an option is available in your case.
The standard visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12; children under 6 don't pay, and some nationalities pay a reduced fee (for example, €35 for citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus). The visa centre's service fee is charged separately, varies by country and isn't refunded.
The fee is often charged in local currency, and payment methods differ between visa centres, so check the current amounts and how to pay on your visa centre's website right before your visit.
As a rule, Schengen visas are applied for in the consular district covering the applicant's place of registration, not in any convenient city — this is a general rule of the Schengen regulations, not a feature of a particular visa centre. There are exceptions, for example when studying or on a long business assignment in another region.
There's no single public list of grounds for such an exception, so if your registered address doesn't match the city where it's more convenient to apply, check this directly with the visa centre or the consulate before booking an appointment.
If something in your situation doesn't fit the general pattern, that's normal — visa cases almost always have nuances. and we'll look at it for free and suggest your next step.