Starting from May 15, 2014 the Visa Information System (VIS) has been rolled out on a regional basis at diplomatic missions of the Czech Republic in the USA.

For Schengen visa applicants, this means that they must provide their biometric identifiers (fingerprints) when applying for visa.

Therefore, the applicant must appear in person for the collection of fingerprints. When the fingerprints have been collected at the time of application, the applicant does not have to provide fingerprints for another 59 months when re-applying for a Schengen visa; however, the applicant has to present the original visa sticker in a travel document or a copy of the visa sticker issued after the collection of fingerprints. 

The new rule does not apply for US nationals who apply for long-term visa.