I booked a premium appointment through the VFS Global portal for a short-stay visa to Italy, and while the payment was deducted from my bank account immediately, I never received a confirmation email or appointment letter.
I have now spent ten days trying to contact them. Their helpline disconnects after the automated menu, and my emails to the dedicated support address have gone completely unanswered. It feels like the money has vanished into a void.
Has anyone else experienced this specific type of silence where they take the fee but provide no service or accountability? Is there a specific fraud reporting channel for VFS that actually gets a human response, or should I go straight to my bank for a chargeback?
Unfortunately, yes — people do run into exactly what you’re describing with VFS premium/appointment payments, where the money gets deducted but no confirmation comes through. It’s frustrating, but it does happen more often than it should.
A few practical points based on others’ experiences:
1) Double-check spam/junk/misc folders
Sometimes confirmation emails land there or get blocked by corporate filters.
2) VFS rarely responds quickly
Their official support systems are notoriously slow or silent — phone menus that hang up, tickets that go unanswered — so this isn’t unique to you (many travelers report similar issues).
3) Contact the specific consulate
In parallel, email or call the Italian consulate/Visa section directly explaining the situation (payment taken, no appointment confirmation). They have visibility on whether a slot was actually booked under your passport.
4) Chargeback / bank dispute
If it’s been this long with no response, it’s reasonable to start a dispute with your bank/card provider. A chargeback is often the fastest way to get the funds back when a service hasn’t been delivered.
5) Fraud reporting with VFS
There isn’t a widely known direct “fraud hotline” that guarantees human contact. The official routes (support email, portal tickets) are the only ones, and they’re notoriously slow. So don’t wait on that alone.
What others do:
Open a chargeback/dispute with the bank
Send a concise email to the Italian consulate/VFS cc’d
Try different VFS contact emails and follow-ups
So.. yes, other people have faced this kind of silence. If VFS won’t acknowledge it, pushing with your bank is the most effective next move.