VFS Global review: Formal complaint

I am writing to formally report a persistent technical issue preventing me from booking an appointment for an Italy short‑stay (C‑type / Schengen) visa via the official VFS Global booking system.

Despite following all guidance provided, my account has repeatedly been temporarily restricted or locked, even when making limited, valid login attempts. This issue has occurred multiple times over a prolonged period and has made it impossible to access the appointment booking function.

On 15 April 2026 at 12:00 PM, I was informed by the helpdesk that my account had been unrestricted and was advised to wait before attempting to log in again. While I am carefully following this advice, sadly my account is still restricted. The broader issue remains that the system appears extremely sensitive and unreliable, making it very difficult for applicants to access a public service despite acting in good faith and within stated usage limits. On top of this, you do not offer the Visa At Your Doorstep Service to customers who need a C-Type (Tourist) Visa, so there is no additional support for applicants who need to use your app.

This does not appear to be an isolated issue. Many applicants report the same repeated lockouts and access restrictions when attempting to book Italy visa appointments, even when using a single device, a single account, and without excessive refreshing.

I would be grateful if you could please advise:

Whether there is any alternative support or safeguarding process for applicants who are repeatedly blocked by the system despite compliance
Whether my account can be technically reviewed or monitored to prevent further automated restrictions
What applicants in this situation are realistically expected to do in order to access appointments fairly
I fully understand that appointment availability is subject to consular capacity, however the issue in this case is technical access to the booking platform itself, rather than appointment availability.

Thank you for your assistance. I would appreciate any guidance you can provide to help me proceed without risking further account restrictions.