Visa Information System to be operational in Western Balkan countries from September 25

The Visa Information System (VIS) will become operational on September 25, 2014, in Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia) and Turkey, it was announced by the EU Delegation to BiH, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

VIS is a central database that allows Schengen countries to exchange data on short-stay visas. The launch of VIS means that EU member state consulates will begin collecting fingerprints and digital photographs of visa applicants, and their data will be stored in VIS. Data in Schengen countries can be accessed by all authorities responsible for issuing visas and can be checked by border police upon the visa holder's entry into the Schengen area.

This will apply to citizens of countries that require a visa to enter the Schengen area. Citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM, Montenegro, and Serbia can travel visa-free. Individuals entering from Kosovo and Turkey are subject to visa requirements.

Therefore, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the introduction of VIS will only affect residents who, due to their citizenship, are subject to visa requirements (e.g., a Turkish citizen residing in BiH). Such individuals only need to provide fingerprints every five years, meaning those who travel frequently will not have to do so every time they apply for a visa.

As a rule, data from VIS cannot be transferred or made available to third countries or international organizations. In certain cases, some data registered in VIS (name and surname, nationality, passport number, place of residence) may be provided to a third country or international organization when necessary in a specific case to prove the identity of a third-country national, as well as for the purpose of return. Strict data protection rules are defined by the VIS Rules and are subject to the control of national and European data protection authorities. Data is stored in VIS for a maximum of five years.

The launch of VIS is part of the gradual establishment of this system worldwide, which began in October 2011 and will last until June 2015, with the aim of covering consulates of all Schengen countries. The Western Balkan region is the 16th to implement this system.