Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

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Biometrics (Fingerprints)

 

Biometric data - fingerprints - are submitted when filing a visa application.

Applicants submit their fingerprints in person.

Once submitted, applicants are not required to re-submit them for the next 59 months. However, they can be resubmitted in case of uncertainty.

Children younger than 12 years are exempt from the fingerprints requirement.

Fingerprints are collected when processing visa applications at all diplomatic missions of the Czech Republic and of other states of the Schengen Area. To this end, they use the Visa Information System (VIS), which allows visa information exchange and contains also biometric data of applicants, including fingerprints.

 

Legal sources:

  • 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)
  • 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) (article 48 stipulates the gradual implementation of VIS)

 

Useful links:

Office for Personal Data Protection

EC Press Release upon Introduction of the VIS

Information of the European Commission about VIS

Flyer of the European Commission about VIS

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