French long-stay visa applicants complain again of appointment delays

Connexion readers have warned once again of long waiting times at French visa centres in the UK.

Read more: French long-stay visa delays hit British second-home owners

When a British person begins a French long-stay visa application, they must fill in an application form on the France-Visas website, before creating an account with handling agent TLS Contact in order to make an appointment for the submission of their supporting documents and biometric data.

A reader who had wanted to apply for a visa at the London TLS Contact centre – and who did not wish to be named in this article – told us on Friday (April 29), that it was booked up until July 25, which they described as “beyond reasonable”.

Another reader, Bruce Lippiatt, also found that there were no appointments available “for weeks” when he tried to obtain a six-month visa in order to be able to spend more time at his second home in France.

Mr Lippiatt, who is retired and lives on the Wirral, applied to the Manchester TLS Contact branch, and thought that he had been able to reserve a slot.

He said that he clicked on a time and it was outlined in green, so believed that the booking was complete.

However, “when we arrived at the centre and were called in they informed us that we weren’t booked in.

“Eventually a member of staff, who was helpful, showed me the times I had chosen were booked and the next available date was five weeks away.

“The staff member said that we were not the only ones who had had a problem and that the staff had complained to the IT department that the website was poor.

“I have asked a question on the contact [form on the] website and they have never come back. If you manage to get on the phone all you get is a recorded message telling you that they will get back to you in a few hours. In fact, they never come back to you.

“The whole thing is a farce. We have given up for this year,” he said.

Another reader who had hoped to apply from the Manchester TLS branch said earlier in April that it was “impossible” to get an appointment, and that she did not get a response when she called and emailed the centre.

The Connexion has contacted TLS Contact for further details on appointment availability in its different centres, and for more information on the reasons behind the delays.

Have you tried to apply for a French visa from the TLS Contact centres in London, Manchester or Edinburgh in the last month?

How long did you have to wait to get an appointment after you filled in your application form and did you manage to obtain the visa before your planned departure date?

Please tell us about your experience at news@connexionfrance.com

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