A NUMBER of visa
lodgement centres
are violating a Visa
Information System (VIS) rule
that requires Schengen visa
applicants’ biometric data to
be stored on a database for up
to five years.
The rule was introduced
in November 2015 and
eliminates the need for
travellers to have to appear in
person every time they apply
for a visa.
At some lodgement centres,
including those for The
Netherlands, Greece and
Austria, travellers have to
appear in person each time
they apply. Other lodgement
centres require to see only
certain applicants.
The rule came into effect
as part of the European
Commission’s worldwide
introduction of VIS, a process
that aims to better protect
applicants against identity
theft and to prevent document
fraud and so-called ‘visa
shopping’. This is the practice
of applying for visas at
different consulate posts in
the hope of finding that one
will be more sympathetic and
thus approve the application,
or in order to process the
application faster.
According to Liam Flett,
owner of Simply Visa, it has
been rumoured that lodgement
centres are requiring to see
some – if not all – applicants
in person as some biometric
data was not captured properly
when the rule was first
introduced. “Applicants can
risk assuming that they will
not need to appear in person
at certain lodgement centres.
However, to stay on the safe
side, I would recommend that
agents advise their clients that
they should be prepared to go
in anyway.”
Visa centres violate VIS rule
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