The Polish Foreign Ministry on 14 September published an EU-wide tender for an external service provider to handle up to 60,000 visa applications over the contract period at its embassy in Ankara and consulate-general in Istanbul. The procurement notice, listed in the EU’s Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) under code 75211110, calls for a vendor to collect biometrics, verify documentation and operate appointment centres beginning in early 2027. Turkey is Poland’s largest non-EU source of work permits in the construction-machinery sector, and demand for Schengen C-type visas has surged 26 percent year-on-year, according to ministry figures. Outsourcing intake is expected to shave processing times by one week and allow consular staff to focus on adjudication. The winning bidder must maintain data servers in the EU, provide Turkish-language customer support and offer optional courier return of passports. For Turkish companies sending engineers to Polish factory projects—and for Polish exporters who rely on Turkish technicians for equipment installation—the tender promises faster turnaround once operational. In the interim, applicants should continue to book through the e-Konsulat platform, where appointment slots in Istanbul are currently sold out six weeks in advance. The tender also stipulates service-quality indicators similar to those used by VFS Global and TLScontact in other jurisdictions: 15-minute average processing per applicant, CCTV coverage of all counters and a maximum 15-kilometre distance from the diplomatic mission. Proposals are due 30 October, with contract award expected in December. Businesses planning mobility assignments for 2027 should monitor the outcome, as the new provider may introduce revised appointment quotas and fee structures.
Source: EU Tenders Electronic Daily
