Visa Information System
The Visa Information System (VIS ) is a system for the exchange of data on short-term visas between the Member States of the Schengen area. On 11 October 2011, the system went into operation.
Operation
The VIS consists of a central database, a national port in the Schengen states and an infrastructure for communication between the two. Through the national data on all interfaces carried out in the Schengen State applications, exhibitions, denials, cancellations, Revoking, and renewals of visas by the competent authorities are fed into the system.
Two systems includes the VIS: the central database, which has an alphanumeric search function, as well as an automated system for identification of fingerprints (AFIS ), which new and captured already in the database compares fingerprints.
The main database of the VIS is located in Strasbourg (France), while a back-up version in Sankt Johann in Pongau ( Austria ) for a backup ensures its functioning.
The new Visa Information System authorities can more easily and quickly verify the identities of holders of a visa directly at the border crossing and check. All new inputs to the system are within minutes available to all national bodies.
In Germany the access of public authorities to the Visa Information System VIS Access Act ( VISZG ) is regulated. The Act shall enter into force on 1 September 2013.
Start the system and application
On 11 October 2011, the system became operational.
First region
First, however, it was at consulates in the region of North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia) limited. The schedule for other regions is defined in the Decision 2010/49/EC of the European Commission.
Second and third region,
On 10 May 2012, is the Middle East ( Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria) region and on 2 October 2012, the Gulf region (Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen) have been connected to the system.
Fourth and fifth region
Following the decision of 7 March 2013, the fourth and fifth region have been added to the March 14, 2013 .. It is the fourth region to Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d' Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Cape Verde, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. The fifth region includes Equatorial Guinea, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Chad and the Central African Republic.
Sixth and seventh region
By decision of 5 June 2013, the sixth and seventh region were supplemented .. The sixth region includes the Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The seventh region consists of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland.
Eighth region
The implementing Commission Decision of August 20, 2013 called the States of the eighth region. They are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The eighth region was taken into operation on 5 September 2013.
Ninth, tenth and eleventh region
By the Commission Implementing Decision of 8 November 2013, the States of the ninth, tenth and eleventh region are called. There are in the ninth region: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The tenth region includes the states of Brunei, Burma / Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The " Occupied Palestinian Territory " is the eleventh region.
Background
His most important legal documents is the VIS in the Decision 2004/512/EC of the Council and Regulation ( EC) No 767/2008, the conditions and procedures for the exchange of visa data between Member States of the European Union ( EU) and associated countries applying the common visa policy contains. The main objectives of the VIS are the simplification of visa application procedures, the prevention of " visa shopping ", as well as fraud. Responsibility for the development of the VIS is located at the European Commission.