France moves Schengen tourist visa appointments in Türkiye to a waiting list: what travel sellers should change

France has changed how travellers in Türkiye get a visa appointment. Since 15 October 2026, applicants for a short-stay visa for tourism or a private visit sign up on a waiting list on the VFS Global site instead of picking a slot. Other visa categories keep the normal booking process.

For OTAs, tour operators and TMCs selling France (and Schengen trips that start in France) to travellers in Türkiye, lead times get longer and less predictable.

This note is for travel sellers. It is not legal advice.

What changed

Before 15 Oct 2026 Since 15 Oct 2026

Tourist and private-visit visas Book a VFS slot directly Join a VFS waiting list

Lists n/a Two lists: (1) holders of a Schengen visa that expired less than 2 years ago; (2) all other applicants. Ankara also has a separate list for truck drivers

Slot confirmation n/a When a slot is assigned, pay the VFS service fee online by card within 3 days, or the slot is cancelled automatically

Other categories (business, students, family of French citizens, etc.) Normal booking Unchanged

What stays the same

Who decides: the French Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul. VFS Global only receives files.

Where to file: VFS centres in Ankara, Gaziantep, Istanbul and Izmir. Applicants must prove they live in the right consular district with an ikamet (residence certificate).

VFS fee: €30 per file, non-refundable once biometrics are taken, plus optional paid services. The French visa fee is charged separately, in euros.

Biometrics: in person. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprints but must attend.

Lead time warning: France says average waits for a short-stay appointment "can be several weeks", and that an application filed less than 15 days before the planned trip may be treated as inadmissible.

Airport transit visa: Turkish nationals have needed an airport transit visa to change planes in a French airport since 3 July 2022, unless they hold a valid Schengen visa or residence permit, or a valid visa or residence permit from an EU/EEA country, Canada, Japan or the United States (with the conditions listed on France-Visas).

What travel sellers should do

Move the booking deadline earlier. For travellers in Türkiye going to France on a tourist or family visit, do not sell departures that leave no time for a waiting list, an appointment and processing. France gives no fixed wait time, so do not promise one.

Ask about past Schengen visas. Travellers whose Schengen visa expired less than two years ago go on a separate list. Capture the expiry date at booking.

Warn about the 3-day payment window. A slot that is not paid within three days is cancelled. Make sure the traveller (or your team, if you handle the appointment) watches the inbox and has a card ready.

Flag the 15-day floor. Applications filed less than 15 days before travel may be rejected as inadmissible.

Check connections through France. Turkish passport holders changing planes in Paris or another French airport may need an airport transit visa. Check this when selling one-stop itineraries.

Watch for scams. France-Visas warns about fake emails, calls and paid offers of appointments. Only the VFS Global site and France-Visas are official.

Watch France

Coverage alerts send one email per rule change for the destinations you pick, from the partner console. Systems can take the same events as webhooks; the shape is in the developer docs. The live requirement for any passport is always in the requirements checker.

Sources

France-Visas (official site of the French government), Turquie: s'informer, prendre rendez-vous et déposer son dossier, sections Prendre rendez-vous, Délais de rendez-vous, Confirmation du rendez-vous, Quels sont les frais de dossier ? verified 19 Oct 2026 · VFS Global France in Türkiye verified 19 Oct 2026

Loris Mazloum

Founder, SimpleVisa

Loris Mazloum founded SimpleVisa and writes the coverage notes on this blog for airlines, OTAs, and other travel companies. Each note is checked against the government source named at the bottom before it publishes. SimpleVisa keeps requirement data for 190+ destinations and files applications where a government channel exists.