Visa Information System

VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM

The Visa Information System is the largest database containing information, including photographs and fingerprints, on applicants for a short stay in the Schengen area. The Visa Information System enables the Schengen States to exchange visa data for this purpose by means of a system which connects the consulates of the Schengen States located outside the European Union and the external border crossing points of all Schengen States. The Visa Information System processes data relating to applications for short-stay visas for the purpose of visiting or crossing the Schengen area. The Visa Information System enables border authorities to verify, using biometric data, whether the visa applicant is its legal holder and to identify persons who do not have documents or hold forged documents.

The system was established in accordance with Council Decision 2004/512/EC of 8 June 2004 establishing the Visa Information System (VIS) and Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 concerning the Visa Information System (VIS) and the exchange of data between Member States on short-stay visas (VIS Regulation).

Only data on the applicant, his/her visas, photographs, fingerprints, links to other applications and visa application documents of accompanying persons may be registered in the Visa Information System. Access to the Visa Information System for the purpose of recording, amending or erasing data is limited to the visa authorities of the Member States and access to the data shall be granted to visa issuing authorities and authorities competent for carrying out checks at external border crossing points, immigration checks and competence in the field of asylum. Under certain conditions, national competent police authorities and Europol may request access to data recorded in the Visa Information System for the purposes of the prevention, detection and investigation of criminal and terrorist offences.

LEGISLATION

Council Decision 2004/512/EC of 8 June 2004 establishing the Visa Information System (VIS)>>

Council Decision 2008/633/JHA of 23 June 2008 concerning access for consultation of the Visa Information System (VIS) by designated authorities of Member States and by Europol for the purposes of the prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offences and of other serious criminal offences>>

Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 concerning the Visa Information System (VIS) and the exchange of data between Member States on short-stay visas (VIS Regulation)>>

Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code)>>

Resolution No 1456 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 4 November 2009 establishing the Lithuanian National Visa Information System, approving its provisions and determining the commencement of operations>>

Order of the Minister for the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania of 22 December 2017 No 1V-883 approving the data security regulations for certain registers and state information systems managed by the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania>>

VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM SUPERVISION COORDINATION GROUP

In order to ensure a coordinated approach, the European Data Protection Supervisor and the national data protection supervisory authorities meet regularly to discuss common issues related to the functioning of the Visa Information System and to recommend common solutions.

The Visa Information System Supervision Coordination Group usually meets twice a year.

Protection of personal data in the Visa Information System:
Lithuanian>>
English>>
Russian>>
Arabic>>

NATIONAL DATA PROTECTION SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY

The State Data Protection Inspectorate supervises the processing of personal data by national authorities in the Lithuanian National Visa Information System, as well as the transmission of such data to the central unit.

For more information, please contact
the State Data Protection Inspectorate:
L. Sapiegos str. 17
LT-10312 Vilnius, Lithuania
+370 5 271 2804
[email protected]
https://vdai.lrv.lt

EXERCISE OF THE DATA SUBJECT RIGHTS

All data subjects have the right to receive information about the processing of their personal data in the Lithuanian National Visa Information System and may submit to the data controller a request for access to their personal data, rectification of incorrect and deletion unlawfully processed personal data.

In order to exercise these rights, the data subject shall have the right to apply to the data controller of the National Visa Information System, the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, at the following address: Šventaragio str. 2, Vilnius, e-mail: [email protected].

Model forms for requests for the exercise of the rights of the data subject:

If the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania does not reply within one month or you are not satisfied with the reply, you have the right to make a complaint to the national data protection supervisory authority, the State Data Protection Inspectorate, at the following address: L. Sapiegos str. 17, LT-10312 Vilnius, e-mail: [email protected].

Information on how to submit a complaint to the State Data Protection Inspectorate>>
Recommended form of the complaint>>

AUTHORITIES INVOLVED IN THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA OF VISA APPLICANTS

Last updated: 11-09-2023