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RUSSIA: Schengen Visa Biometrics Introduced for Russian Nationals
September 3, 2015
Russian nationals applying for Schengen visas will soon be required to submit their biometric data, including fingerprints and digital photos.
Press secretary of the European Union Delegation in Russia, Soren Liborius, confirmed that the Schengen Visa Information System (VIS) will be launched in Russia on 14th September 2015.
VIS handles the exchange of visa data among Schengen Member States and has been implemented in a number of regions including North Africa, Middle East and South America. It is used to process travellers” data and decisions for visit visas or transit travel in the Schengen Area, and its primary objective is the simplification of the visa issuance process.
Biometrics data will be stored in VIS for a period of five years. Russian applicants will only need to provide their biometric details once during that five year period while submitting their documents. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from the requirement entirely.
Please contact us if you have any queries on these changes or need advice on Schengen visas.
