A growing public outcry has emerged in Uzbekistan regarding the extreme difficulty of booking appointments to apply for Schengen visas. Local bloggers and residents affected by the issue claim that a severe shortage of available time slots at visa processing centers has fueled a thriving underground black market for appointments.
Most of the complaints are directed at the French visa pathway and the operations of the TLScontact visa center, which has been handling applications on behalf of the French Embassy since March.
TLScontact is an international visa processing operator that services various governmental clients. In Uzbekistan, the company manages visa applications for countries including France and Germany; however, these pathways operate through entirely separate websites, under distinct rules, and at different physical locations. The French visa application center is situated at 32 Fidokor Street, while the German center is located at 26 Oybek Street. Crucially, the visa centers themselves do not make visa decisions; those are handled entirely by the respective embassies.
One applicant noted that when they applied through a different outsourcing company—VFS Global—in October of last year, booking an appointment was completely seamless. In contrast, they have been trying unsuccessfully to secure a slot through TLScontact "for months now."
Another traveler shared that after multiple failed attempts to book a slot through TLScontact, they reached out directly to the French Embassy, its consular section, and even the ambassador personally, but received no response.
A frequent traveler also related her experience, stating that she regularly applies for Schengen visas and faces a grueling battle for an appointment every single time. She added that during a recent visit, a security guard aggressively reprimanded her just for holding her phone, while TLScontact representatives simply gave vague promises that they would "fix everything."
Amid the wave of complaints, the French Embassy in Uzbekistan has released an official statement declaring that "any attempts by individuals or businesses to exploit this procedure, particularly for financial gain, are strictly prohibited.”
"Verifications are carried out on a regular basis. If any instances of fraud are detected, appropriate sanctions will be applied to those responsible," the embassy warned.
The embassy advised applicants to refuse any requests for fees that are not officially charged by the authorized service provider, TLScontact. It also urged travelers to plan their trips to France well in advance and, if no appointments are currently available, to try again later, noting that new slots "open up regularly."
Furthermore, the diplomatic mission reminded the public that current and former Uzbek students in France, as well as working professionals, are granted priority when submitting visa applications.
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