According to the official notification posted on the TLS Contact website, the processing of documents for a Swiss visa in Russia will be fully transferred to VFS Global from June 30, 2025. This decision is the result of a regular public procurement procedure conducted by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, which resulted in a new contract for the maintenance of visa centers.
Procedure for applicants during the transition period
The process of changing the visa operator is organized in such a way as to minimize inconveniences for citizens planning a trip to Switzerland. Experts recommend paying attention to the following points:
- Applicants who have already signed up to submit documents before June 30, 2025, can submit documents to TLS Contact without any changes;
- The new VFS Global website with information on the procedure for submitting documents, necessary papers and service fees will be launched on May 26, 2025;
- Appointment via VFS Global will be available from June 2, 2025;
- Passports with visas, the decision on which was made before the closure of the TLS Contact center, are issued until July 30, 2025, after which the documents will be transferred to the Swiss Consulate.
TLS Contact is completely shutting down its operations in Russia. The company has already stopped accepting UK visa applications in December 2024 and transferred the responsibilities for accepting biometric data for visas to Australia to VFS Global in March 2025.
“Now is the most favorable time to apply for a Swiss visa, as it will be more difficult to obtain a visa within a reasonable time frame closer to the high tourist season,” the Russian Association of Tour Operators said in a report.
VFS Global, which is being given the functions of accepting visa applications, demonstrated revenue growth of 14.1% in 2023 (up to 1.3 billion rubles), while the revenues of most other visa center operators in Russia fell.
A similar operator change will occur in other countries. For example, in Turkey, VFS Global will start dealing with Swiss visas on June 27, 2025.
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Expert support during the transition period
Due to changes in the Swiss visa application process, many applicants face additional questions and uncertainties. Our company’s professional migration lawyers will provide consulting services on applying for Schengen visas in the new conditions, help prepare a package of documents taking into account the latest requirements of the consulate and the new visa operator, and explain the procedure in case of incomplete procedures during the transition period. By applying for a consultation, you can receive qualified assistance that will significantly increase the chances of a positive visa decision.
Implemented a system for tracking the stages of visa processing for clients, which increased their satisfaction by 30% (according to survey results).
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