Visa Information System (VIS)

Purpose of the VIS

Among other things, the VIS aims to improve the implementation of the common visa policy of the European Union (EU) and to combat visa shopping and fraud.

Management of the VIS

The VIS is centrally managed by eu-LISA. This is a European agency that manages large-scale IT systems in the fields of freedom, security and justice. In addition, the Schengen countries each have a national section. These national systems are connected to the VIS.

In the Netherlands, the national section of the VIS consists of several coherent systems, which are owned by the competent authorities that are permitted to use the VIS. One of these systems is the New Visa Information System (NVIS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Fine for Foreign Affairs for poor security on visa applications

Legislation for the VIS

• The VIS was established under the VIS Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008) and has been operational since 2011.
• Regulation (EU) 810/2009 (Visa Code) specifies the procedures and requirements for issuing visas.
• In the meantime, two new regulations have been adopted: (EU) 2021/1133 and (EU) 2021/1134. These new regulations do not yet apply.
• The processing of personal data in the Dutch section of the VIS is subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Currently, only data from persons with a short-stay visa is registered in the VIS. Under the new regulations, data will also be registered for people with a long-term visa or a residence permit.

Ultimately, the VIS will also be linked to other European information systems. Furthermore, Europol and law enforcement authorities of EU Member States will, under certain conditions, have access to the VIS.

Data in the VIS

Among other things, the VIS stores the following data of persons applying for a visa:

• identity data;
• travel data;
• facial images;
• fingerprints;
• a copy of the travel document.

Access to the VIS

Access to the VIS is reserved for authorities responsible for issuing visas, for border control and for the supervision of foreign nationals. In the Netherlands, these are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND in Dutch), the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, the Seaport Police and the Aliens Police.

Only these authorities are permitted to enter, modify and delete data in the VIS. They are also permitted to consult the data to the extent necessary to perform their duties.

Access to the system for purposes other than visa issuance is only permitted under strict conditions. National authorities and Europol may request access to data in the VIS to prevent, detect or investigate terrorist offences or other serious criminal offences.

In the Netherlands, data from the VIS is also disclosed to the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD in Dutch) on the basis of:

• the AIVD's statutory duties;
• the Schengen obligation that national security must be verified when granting visas.

Supervision of the VIS

The VIS is supervised via a coordinated monitoring platform. This is the Coordinated Supervision Committee (CSC). The CSC is part of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and meets in Brussels several times a year.

The CSC consists of:

• the national European data protection authorities;
• the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS).

The Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (the Dutch data protection authority or AP) represents the Netherlands in the CSC and is responsible for supervising Dutch systems connected to the VIS, such as the visa system of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The AP carries out inspections of the Dutch systems, amongst other things.

Summary of investigation into Visa Information System (in Dutch)

The EDPS supervises the central part of the VIS. 

Access to your VIS data

To access your VIS data, you must submit a written request to the responsible authority. In the Netherlands, this is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Please send your request to:

Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken
Directie Consulaire Zaken en Visumbeleid (HDCV)
PO Box 20061
2500 EB The Hague

Note: You must include a copy of your ID. You are permitted to black out your passport photo and your personal number (in the Netherlands, this is the BSN or Citizen Service Number).

You will receive a reply to your access request within one month. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may extend this period by two months if the request is very complicated. You will be notified of this in writing.

Your request may only be refused if this is necessary, for example, for reasons of national security, in order not to jeopardise an ongoing investigation or to protect the rights and freedoms of others. See also article 41 of the GDPR Implementation Act.

Rectification or deletion of VIS data

After having viewed your VIS data, you can request for your data to be rectified or deleted. The procedure for this is the same as requesting access.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will inform you how your request will be handled.

For more information on the processing of your VIS data, also see the privacy statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If you do not agree with the decision on your request

Have you requested access, correction or deletion of your personal data in the VIS? But are you not satisfied with the decision (response) to your request? Or have you not received a response? Then you can go to court in the country that refused your request. In court, you can again request access, correction or deletion of your data.

In the Netherlands, you must do this within 6 weeks of the decision being sent to you. You can seek advice about this procedure from a lawyer or the Legal Aid and Advice Centre (in Dutch: Juridisch Loket).

Contact with the AP on VIS

If you believe that your personal data have been processed in violation of the regulations, you can file a complaint with us. 

If you file a complaint with us about the processing of your personal data in VIS without first contacting the data controller, we will normally send the complaint to the relevant authority for consideration.

You can also ask the AP to advise or assist you. To do so, please send a letter to:

Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
PO Box 93374
2509 AJ The Hague

Please note: the AP cannot represent you in court or give advice on the court procedure.