Border control connects to central database

TALLINN - The Foreign Ministry reports that starting Oct. 11, Estonia will join the central database of the Schengen Visa Information System (VIS). In connection with this, the consular establishments and border control points of Schengen countries located at exterior borders will be connected to the central VIS database. The system will be put into operation in the different regions of the world one area at a time, starting in North Africa.

In connection with the introduction of the information system, fingerprints will start to be taken in accordance with the schedule set by the European Commission from visa applicants at border control points and from people applying for an extension of the duration of a visa at the Police and Border Guard Board; fingerprints will also be taken at Estonian foreign representations. Fingerprints will start being taken at Estonian foreign representations starting on Oct. 11 at the Estonian Embassy in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Since in Estonia the procedure for processing short- and long-term visas, as well as extensions of the duration of stay is the same, fingerprints will be taken upon application for both short- and long-term visas.
Children younger than 12 do not need to have their fingerprints taken. Heads of state and government and members of their delegation are also not required to do so. A person under 15 years of age may give their fingerprints in the presence of a legal or authorised guardian. A visa applicant’s fingerprints must be taken if they have never been taken before or if more than 59 months have gone by since the last fingerprinting was done.

The implementation of the VIS is one of the key elements of the unified visa policy, which together with other active policies will allow the European Union to create a region where freedom, security and justice reign.
The Visa Information System of the Schengen member states is a unified electronic visa data system that in addition to alpha-numeric data also contains applicants’ fingerprints and facial images. The system helps to speed up the processing of visa applications, simplify checks on the Schengen zone’s exterior borders, and improve security in the Schengen area.