Article 43 — Cooperation with external service providers
Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009
What does VISA-CODE Article 43 say?
Short answer, straight from the official text
1. Member States shall endeavour to cooperate with an external service provider together with one or more Member States, without prejudice to public procurement and competition rules. 2. Cooperation with an external service provider shall be based on a legal instrument that shall comply with the requirements set out in Annex X.
Source: Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, read 2026-10-13.
| In the act | EC 810/2009 |
| CELEX | 32009R0810 |
| Read on | 2026-10-13 |
Official text
Read from the EU Publications Office for this CELEX number. The wording stands as published; nothing here is rewritten or summarised.
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1. Member States shall endeavour to cooperate with an external service provider together with one or more Member States, without prejudice to public procurement and competition rules.
2. Cooperation with an external service provider shall be based on a legal instrument that shall comply with the requirements set out in Annex X.
3. Member States shall, within the framework of local Schengen cooperation, exchange information about the selection of external service providers and the establishment of the terms and conditions of their respective legal instruments.
4. The examination of applications, interviews (where appropriate), the decision on applications and the printing and affixing of visa stickers shall be carried out only by the consulate.
5. External service providers shall not have access to the VIS under any circumstances. Access to the VIS shall be reserved exclusively to duly authorised staff of consulates.
6. An external service provider may be entrusted with the performance of one or more of the following tasks:
(a) providing general information on visa requirements and application forms;
(b) informing the applicant of the required supporting documents, on the basis of a checklist;
(c) collecting data and applications (including collection of biometric identifiers) and transmitting the application to the consulate;
(d) collecting the visa fee;
(e) managing the appointments for appearance in person at the consulate or at the external service provider;
The article continues in the official text.
The text is quoted from the official source and is not legal advice. A national court reads the language version that binds in its jurisdiction.
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