Brussels, 02/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 2 December, the European Commission announced that the process of the roll-out of the VIS information system, which contains information on visas allowing the holder to enter the Schengen free-movement area, was complete.
“The database now contains all data related to visa applications by third country nationals who require a visa to enter the Schengen area, including biometric data (fingerprints and digital facial image)”, the Commission stated in a press release.
This means that it will have taken four years for the information system to get up and running, starting in October 2011 with visa applications from North African nationals.
National authorities with responsibility for migration control, legal authorities and the police cooperation agency Europol will have access to this database for counter-terrorism purposes. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)