A France visa appointment involves at least two separate payments — the TLScontact service fee and the Schengen visa application fee — and potentially more if you added premium services or courier return. Each has its own refund policy. Understanding which fee is which, and what triggers a refund in each case, determines whether a change in plans costs you nothing or costs you everything.
This article covers each fee type in plain terms, then addresses Visa Master Premium's £19 success fee specifically, which operates on a different model from both.
The Fee Stack: What You Pay and to Whom
Before discussing refunds, it helps to be clear about what each charge is:
| Fee | Who receives it | Amount (2026) | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| TLScontact service fee | TLScontact | ~£55–75 (varies by centre and services) | Document handling, biometrics, centre operating costs |
| Schengen visa application fee | French Consulate (via TLS) | €90 (adults) / €45 (children 6–11) | Consular processing |
| TLS premium services | TLScontact | Variable | Priority appointment, lounge, courier return |
| Visa Master Premium success fee | torly.ai | £19 | Auto-booking when slot appears |
Each fee is charged by a different entity, governed by different terms, and subject to different refund conditions. A change in your travel plans does not trigger automatic refunds across all of them.
The TLScontact Service Fee: Generally Non-Refundable
The TLScontact service fee covers the cost of operating the UK visa application centres — staff, premises, IT systems, and the administrative overhead of your appointment. TLScontact's standard position across its operations is that service fees are non-refundable once paid.
This means:
- You cancel your appointment: Service fee is not returned.
- Your visa is refused: Service fee is not returned. TLScontact performed its service (collecting documents, capturing biometrics, forwarding to consulate) regardless of the outcome.
- TLScontact cancels your appointment: This is the exception. If TLScontact cancels an appointment at their end — due to centre closure, system failure, or administrative error — the standard position is that you are entitled to a refund or a replacement appointment. Document any cancellation notification carefully.
- You reschedule: Some TLScontact markets allow rescheduling with the fee carrying over to the new appointment slot rather than being charged again. Whether this applies depends on your booking configuration and TLScontact's current UK terms — check the TLScontact UK portal at the time of booking, as these terms change.
The service fee is charged at or before appointment booking, before any document submission. It is distinct from the visa fee.
The visa application centre service fee is non-refundable once paid, except where TLScontact cancels the appointment.
Note: TLScontact's specific terms are published on their booking portal and are subject to change. The above reflects the standard position as of the date of this article; always verify current terms before booking.
The Schengen Visa Application Fee: Non-Refundable After Submission
The €90 Schengen visa application fee is paid to the French Consulate-General (collected by TLScontact on the consulate's behalf). The EU Visa Code does not mandate refunds for refused applications — the fee covers the cost of processing, not the outcome.
Standard position for refused applications: The €90 fee is not refunded. This applies whether your application is refused at the preliminary stage (documents deemed incomplete or application inadmissible) or after full review by a consular officer. You paid for processing; processing occurred.
Before submission: If you withdraw your application before TLScontact forwards it to the consulate — effectively, if you cancel before your appointment or at the appointment before documents are accepted — the visa fee may not yet have been charged. TLScontact's billing practices on this point differ by configuration. If uncertain, contact TLScontact before your appointment to clarify at what point the visa fee becomes non-recoverable.
If the visa is not collected: In rare cases where a visa is issued but not collected (typically the applicant travel plans change after the visa was already approved), refund practices vary. The fee has been charged; the consulate's work is complete. There is no standard EU-mandated refund in this scenario.
Children under 6: Children under 6 years old are exempt from the Schengen visa application fee entirely. This exemption is mandatory under Article 16(4) of the Visa Code.
TLScontact Premium Services: Varies by Service
TLScontact offers several premium add-ons in UK centres:
- Priority appointment: Access to earlier appointment slots than standard queue. Non-refundable once the appointment date is used. May be refundable if TLScontact cancels the appointment.
- Passport courier return: Your passport is couriered back rather than collected in person. Generally non-refundable once dispatched. If not used (application withdrawn before return), contact TLScontact directly.
- Premium lounge: Access to a more comfortable waiting environment. Non-refundable once the appointment is attended.
The refund position on these services depends on TLScontact's current UK terms. Given the non-refundable nature of most TLScontact charges, treating all TLScontact payments as non-recoverable is the prudent planning assumption unless you have confirmed otherwise in writing.
The Visa Master Premium £19 Success Fee: A Different Model
Visa Master Premium operates on a success-fee model. The £19 is charged when the extension successfully books a TLScontact slot on your behalf — not when you apply for a visa, not when a visa is issued.
This is fundamentally different from TLScontact's upfront fee model. The implications for refunds are:
You are charged only when a booking is confirmed. If Visa Master Premium detects a slot but fails to book it, no charge is made. The £19 applies exclusively to successful appointment bookings.
24-hour refund window: After a successful booking, you have 24 hours to request a refund if you change your mind or if the booked slot is subsequently cancelled by TLScontact. This window exists because immediate post-booking decisions — checking the slot time against your travel plans, confirming with travel companions — are reasonable. After 24 hours, the fee is non-refundable: the slot was successfully obtained and held for you.
Visa refusal does not trigger a refund. Visa Master Premium secures your appointment slot — it does not determine visa outcomes. The £19 is for the appointment booking service. A subsequent visa refusal by the French Consulate is unrelated to the appointment booking; it does not affect the fee charged for obtaining the slot.
TLScontact-initiated cancellation: If TLScontact cancels the appointment after Visa Master Premium booked it, the 24-hour refund policy applies. Contact Visa Master support through the extension.
| Scenario | Visa Master £19 outcome |
|---|---|
| Slot successfully booked, you attend appointment | Non-refundable after 24h |
| Slot booked, you change mind within 24h | Refundable on request |
| Slot booked, TLScontact cancels the slot | Refundable on request |
| Visa refused by consulate | Not refundable — unrelated to booking |
| Slot not successfully booked | Not charged |
Travel Insurance as a Backstop
For travellers who need refund protection against scenarios where no refund policy applies — principally visa refusals causing loss of non-refundable travel bookings — specialist travel insurance with visa refusal cover is the appropriate instrument. Standard travel insurance policies do not typically cover visa refusal as a named peril; specialist policies do.
If you purchased flights, hotels, or tours before securing your visa, check your insurance policy's visa refusal clause before lodging a complaint with TLScontact or the consulate. The answer to "can I get my money back if my visa is refused?" is mostly: from TLScontact and the consulate, no. From your travel insurer, possibly — if you have the right policy.
Practical Steps If You Need to Cancel
If your travel plans change after booking a TLScontact appointment:
- Cancel your TLScontact appointment through the booking portal — this may allow others to take the slot and is courteous to other applicants.
- Request a refund from TLScontact customer service for any fees paid, on the basis of your specific circumstances.
- If Visa Master Premium booked the slot, request a refund through the extension's support channel within 24 hours of booking.
- Check your travel insurance for visa-related cancellation cover.
- Do not expect a visa fee refund unless your documents were not forwarded to the consulate before cancellation.
The France Visa Processing Times in 2026 article covers the timeline implications of cancelling and rebooking — if your travel dates change, the time to secure a new appointment slot can add weeks to your planning.
When you're ready to rebook, Visa Master Free monitors TLScontact continuously and notifies you the moment a new slot appears — so you don't lose more time waiting.
Next: For the full breakdown of France visa costs including all TLScontact fees, see France Schengen Visa Fees 2026. For advice on timing your application to avoid peak-period delays, see France Visa Summer 2026: Booking Strategy.
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