France ends third-party Schengen visa filings for Russians in Russia

The rule that changed on July 15

France stopped accepting third-party Schengen visa filings at its centers in Russia on July 15, ending a long-standing practice where travel agencies and visa services submitted applications on behalf of Russian citizens under notarized powers of attorney.

Under the old setup, an applicant could hand paperwork to an agency, which would then drop it off at the French visa center in Moscow. That option is gone. Applications now must be lodged by the applicant in person or by an immediate family member , parent, guardian, spouse, child , who can produce original proof of the relationship, VFS Global announced at the end of June.

Personal biometrics remain mandatory for anyone over 12 unless valid fingerprints and photo from the previous 59 months are already on file. Signatures on the application form must also be given in person. Agencies can still help with document prep and appointment booking, but they can't file or sign for a client.

Who gets caught by the change

The rule hits Russian citizens applying inside Russia. Non-Russian applicants and Russians filing from third countries aren't covered by this specific ban, though separate EU restrictions still apply.

Anyone with a summer or early-fall trip planned should assume they need to attend a visa center themselves. Roughly 90% of French decisions for Russian applicants come back within about a month, though processing can stretch to six weeks when travel isn't imminent, per Russian travel industry reporting. Appointment slots for peak months like August book out fast, so applicants who were counting on an agency to handle timing now have to secure a slot personally and factor in domestic travel to Moscow or another center.

Minors can still be filed for by a parent or legal guardian with original documents proving the relationship. Adult applicants can have a spouse, child or parent submit paperwork if biometrics are already on record, but the family member must appear with original kinship documents.

The change compounds the European Commission's November 2025 tightening of multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russian residents, meaning Russians who once relied on a multi-year multi-entry visa to visit France may now face single-entry visas with more frequent in-person renewals.