2009R0810 — EN — 20.03.2012 — 002.001

---

This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents

►B	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) (OJ L 243, 15.9.2009, p.1)

Amended by:

		Official Journal
		No	page	date
►M1	COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 977/2011 of 3 October 2011	L 258	9	4.10.2011
►M2	REGULATION (EU) No 154/2012 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 February 2012	L 58	3	29.2.2012

---

▼B

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)

TITLE I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

Objective and scope

1.  This Regulation establishes the procedures and conditions for issuing visas for transit through or intended stays in the territory of the Member States not exceeding three months in any six-month period.

2.  The provisions of this Regulation shall apply to any third-country national who must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member States pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement ( 17 ), without prejudice to:

3.  This Regulation also lists the third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa by way of exception from the principle of free transit laid down in Annex 9 to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, and establishes the procedures and conditions for issuing visas for the purpose of transit through the international transit areas of Member States’ airports.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purpose of this Regulation the following definitions shall apply:

TITLE II

AIRPORT TRANSIT VISA

Article 3

Third-country nationals required to hold an airport transit visa

1.  Nationals of the third countries listed in Annex IV shall be required to hold an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit areas of airports situated on the territory of the Member States.

2.  In urgent cases of mass influx of illegal immigrants, individual Member States may require nationals of third countries other than those referred to in paragraph 1 to hold an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit areas of airports situated on their territory. Member States shall notify the Commission of such decisions before their entry into force and of withdrawals of such an airport transit visa requirement.

3.  Within the framework of the Committee referred to in Article 52(1), those notifications shall be reviewed on an annual basis for the purpose of transferring the third country concerned to the list set out in Annex IV.

4.  If the third country is not transferred to the list set out in Annex IV, the Member State concerned may maintain, provided that the conditions in paragraph 2 are met, or withdraw the airport transit visa requirement.

5.  The following categories of persons shall be exempt from the requirement to hold an airport transit visa provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2:

▼M2

▼B

TITLE III

PROCEDURES AND CONDITIONS FOR ISSUING VISAS

CHAPTER I

Authorities taking part in the procedures relating to applications

Article 4

Authorities competent for taking part in the procedures relating to applications

1.  Applications shall be examined and decided on by consulates.

2.  By way of derogation from paragraph 1, applications may be examined and decided on at the external borders of the Member States by the authorities responsible for checks on persons, in accordance with Articles 35 and 36.

3.  In the non-European overseas territories of Member States, applications may be examined and decided on by the authorities designated by the Member State concerned.

4.  A Member State may require the involvement of authorities other than the ones designated in paragraphs 1 and 2 in the examination of and decision on applications.

5.  A Member State may require to be consulted or informed by another Member State in accordance with Articles 22 and 31.

Article 5

Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application

1.  The Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application for a uniform visa shall be:

2.  The Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application for a uniform visa for the purpose of transit shall be:

3.  The Member State competent for examining and deciding on an application for an airport transit visa shall be:

4.  Member States shall cooperate to prevent a situation in which an application cannot be examined and decided on because the Member State that is competent in accordance with paragraphs 1 to 3 is neither present nor represented in the third country where the applicant lodges the application in accordance with Article 6.

Article 6

Consular territorial competence

1.  An application shall be examined and decided on by the consulate of the competent Member State in whose jurisdiction the applicant legally resides.

2.  A consulate of the competent Member State shall examine and decide on an application lodged by a third-country national legally present but not residing in its jurisdiction, if the applicant has provided justification for lodging the application at that consulate.

Article 7

Competence to issue visas to third-country nationals legally present within the territory of a Member State

Third-country nationals who are legally present in the territory of a Member State and who are required to hold a visa to enter the territory of one or more other Member States shall apply for a visa at the consulate of the Member State that is competent in accordance with Article 5(1) or (2).

Article 8

Representation arrangements

1.  A Member State may agree to represent another Member State that is competent in accordance with Article 5 for the purpose of examining applications and issuing visas on behalf of that Member State. A Member State may also represent another Member State in a limited manner solely for the collection of applications and the enrolment of biometric identifiers.

2.  The consulate of the representing Member State shall, when contemplating refusing a visa, submit the application to the relevant authorities of the represented Member State in order for them to take the final decision on the application within the time limits set out in Article 23(1), (2) or (3).

3.  The collection and transmission of files and data to the represented Member State shall be carried out in compliance with the relevant data protection and security rules.

4.  A bilateral arrangement shall be established between the representing Member State and the represented Member State containing the following elements:

5.  Member States lacking their own consulate in a third country shall endeavour to conclude representation arrangements with Member States that have consulates in that country.

6.  With a view to ensuring that a poor transport infrastructure or long distances in a specific region or geographical area does not require a disproportionate effort on the part of applicants to have access to a consulate, Member States lacking their own consulate in that region or area shall endeavour to conclude representation arrangements with Member States that have consulates in that region or area.

7.  The represented Member State shall notify the representation arrangements or the termination of such arrangements to the Commission before they enter into force or are terminated.

8.  Simultaneously, the consulate of the representing Member State shall inform both the consulates of other Member States and the delegation of the Commission in the jurisdiction concerned about representation arrangements or the termination of such arrangements before they enter into force or are terminated.

9.  If the consulate of the representing Member State decides to cooperate with an external service provider in accordance with Article 43, or with accredited commercial intermediaries as provided for in Article 45, such cooperation shall include applications covered by representation arrangements. The central authorities of the represented Member State shall be informed in advance of the terms of such cooperation.

CHAPTER II

Application

Article 9

Practical modalities for lodging an application

1.  Applications shall be lodged no more than three months before the start of the intended visit. Holders of a multiple-entry visa may lodge the application before the expiry of the visa valid for a period of at least six months.

2.  Applicants may be required to obtain an appointment for the lodging of an application. The appointment shall, as a rule, take place within a period of two weeks from the date when the appointment was requested.

3.  In justified cases of urgency, the consulate may allow applicants to lodge their applications either without appointment, or an appointment shall be given immediately.

4.  Applications may be lodged at the consulate by the applicant or by accredited commercial intermediaries, as provided for in Article 45(1), without prejudice to Article 13, or in accordance with Article 42 or 43.

Article 10

General rules for lodging an application

1.  Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 13, 42, 43 and 45, applicants shall appear in person when lodging an application.

2.  Consulates may waive the requirement referred to in paragraph 1 when the applicant is known to them for his integrity and reliability.

3.  When lodging the application, the applicant shall:

Article 11

Application form

1.  Each applicant shall submit a completed and signed application form, as set out in Annex I. Persons included in the applicant’s travel document shall submit a separate application form. Minors shall submit an application form signed by a person exercising permanent or temporary parental authority or legal guardianship.

2.  Consulates shall make the application form widely available and easily accessible to applicants free of charge.

3.  The form shall be available in the following languages:

In addition to the language(s) referred to in point (a), the form may be made available in another official language of the institutions of the European Union.

4.  If the application form is not available in the official language(s) of the host country, a translation of it into that/those language(s) shall be made available separately to applicants.

5.  A translation of the application form into the official language(s) of the host country shall be produced under local Schengen cooperation provided for in Article 48.

6.  The consulate shall inform applicants of the language(s) which may be used when filling in the application form.

Article 12

Travel document

The applicant shall present a valid travel document satisfying the following criteria:

Article 13

Biometric identifiers

1.  Member States shall collect biometric identifiers of the applicant comprising a photograph of him and his 10 fingerprints in accordance with the safeguards laid down in the Council of Europe’s Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

2.  At the time of submission of the first application, the applicant shall be required to appear in person. At that time, the following biometric identifiers of the applicant shall be collected:

3.  Where fingerprints collected from the applicant as part of an earlier application were entered in the VIS for the first time less than 59 months before the date of the new application, they shall be copied to the subsequent application.

However, where there is reasonable doubt regarding the identity of the applicant, the consulate shall collect fingerprints within the period specified in the first subparagraph.

Furthermore, if at the time when the application is lodged, it cannot be immediately confirmed that the fingerprints were collected within the period specified in the first subparagraph, the applicant may request that they be collected.

4.  In accordance with Article 9(5) of the VIS Regulation, the photograph attached to each application shall be entered in the VIS. The applicant shall not be required to appear in person for this purpose.

The technical requirements for the photograph shall be in accordance with the international standards as set out in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) document 9303 Part 1, 6th edition.

5.  Fingerprints shall be taken in accordance with ICAO standards and Commission Decision 2006/648/EC of 22 September 2006 laying down the technical specifications on the standards for biometric features related to the development of the Visa Information System ( 20 ).

6.  The biometric identifiers shall be collected by qualified and duly authorised staff of the authorities competent in accordance with Article 4(1), (2) and (3). Under the supervision of the consulates, the biometric identifiers may also be collected by qualified and duly authorised staff of an honorary consul as referred to in Article 42 or of an external service provider as referred to in Article 43. The Member State(s) concerned shall, where there is any doubt, provide for the possibility of verifying at the consulate fingerprints which have been taken by the external service provider.

7.  The following applicants shall be exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints:

8.  In the cases referred to in paragraph 7, the entry ‘not applicable’ shall be introduced in the VIS in accordance with Article 8(5) of the VIS Regulation.

Article 14

Supporting documents

1.  When applying for a uniform visa, the applicant shall present:

2.  When applying for an airport transit visa, the applicant shall present:

3.  A non-exhaustive list of supporting documents which the consulate may request from the applicant in order to verify the fulfilment of the conditions listed in paragraphs 1 and 2 is set out in Annex II.

4.  Member States may require applicants to present a proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation by completing a form drawn up by each Member State. That form shall indicate in particular:

In addition to the Member State’s official language(s), the form shall be drawn up in at least one other official language of the institutions of the European Union. The form shall provide the person signing it with the information required pursuant to Article 37(1) of the VIS Regulation. A specimen of the form shall be notified to the Commission.

5.  Within local Schengen cooperation the need to complete and harmonise the lists of supporting documents shall be assessed in each jurisdiction in order to take account of local circumstances.

6.  Consulates may waive one or more of the requirements of paragraph 1 in the case of an applicant known to them for his integrity and reliability, in particular the lawful use of previous visas, if there is no doubt that he will fulfil the requirements of Article 5(1) of the Schengen Borders Code at the time of the crossing of the external borders of the Member States.

Article 15

Travel medical insurance

1.  Applicants for a uniform visa for one or two entries shall prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance to cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death, during their stay(s) on the territory of the Member States.

2.  Applicants for a uniform visa for more than two entries (multiple entries) shall prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance covering the period of their first intended visit.

In addition, such applicants shall sign the statement, set out in the application form, declaring that they are aware of the need to be in possession of travel medical insurance for subsequent stays.

3.  The insurance shall be valid throughout the territory of the Member States and cover the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit. The minimum coverage shall be EUR 30 000.

When a visa with limited territorial validity covering the territory of more than one Member State is issued, the insurance cover shall be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

4.  Applicants shall, in principle, take out insurance in their country of residence. Where this is not possible, they shall seek to obtain insurance in any other country.

When another person takes out insurance in the name of the applicant, the conditions set out in paragraph 3 shall apply.

5.  When assessing whether the insurance cover is adequate, consulates shall ascertain whether claims against the insurance company would be recoverable in a Member State.

6.  The insurance requirement may be considered to have been met where it is established that an adequate level of insurance may be presumed in the light of the applicant’s professional situation. The exemption from presenting proof of travel medical insurance may concern particular professional groups, such as seafarers, who are already covered by travel medical insurance as a result of their professional activities.

7.  Holders of diplomatic passports shall be exempt from the requirement to hold travel medical insurance.

Article 16

Visa fee

1.  Applicants shall pay a visa fee of EUR 60.

2.  Children from the age of six years and below the age of 12 years shall pay a visa fee of EUR 35.

3.  The visa fee shall be revised regularly in order to reflect the administrative costs.

4.  The visa fee shall be waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:

5.  The visa fee may be waived for:

Within local Schengen cooperation, Members States shall aim to harmonise the application of these exemptions.

6.  In individual cases, the amount of the visa fee to be charged may be waived or reduced when to do so serves to promote cultural or sporting interests as well as interests in the field of foreign policy, development policy and other areas of vital public interest or for humanitarian reasons.

7.  The visa fee shall be charged in euro, in the national currency of the third country or in the currency usually used in the third country where the application is lodged, and shall not be refundable except in the cases referred to in Articles 18(2) and 19(3).

When charged in a currency other than euro, the amount of the visa fee charged in that currency shall be determined and regularly reviewed in application of the euro foreign exchange reference rate set by the European Central Bank. The amount charged may be rounded up and consulates shall ensure under local Schengen cooperation that they charge similar fees.

8.  The applicant shall be given a receipt for the visa fee paid.

Article 17

Service fee

1.  An additional service fee may be charged by an external service provider referred to in Article 43. The service fee shall be proportionate to the costs incurred by the external service provider while performing one or more of the tasks referred to in Article 43(6).

2.  The service fee shall be specified in the legal instrument referred to in Article 43(2).

3.  Within the framework of local Schengen cooperation, Member States shall ensure that the service fee charged to an applicant duly reflects the services offered by the external service provider and is adapted to local circumstances. Furthermore, they shall aim to harmonise the service fee applied.

4.  The service fee shall not exceed half of the amount of the visa fee set out in Article 16(1), irrespective of the possible reductions in or exemptions from the visa fee as provided for in Article 16(2), (4), (5) and (6).

5.  The Member State(s) concerned shall maintain the possibility for all applicants to lodge their applications directly at its/their consulates.

CHAPTER III

Examination of and decision on an application

Article 18

Verification of consular competence

1.  When an application has been lodged, the consulate shall verify whether it is competent to examine and decide on it in accordance with the provisions of Articles 5 and 6.

2.  If the consulate is not competent, it shall, without delay, return the application form and any documents submitted by the applicant, reimburse the visa fee, and indicate which consulate is competent.

Article 19

Admissibility

1.  The competent consulate shall verify whether:

2.  Where the competent consulate finds that the conditions referred to in paragraph 1 have been fulfilled, the application shall be admissible and the consulate shall:

Data shall be entered in the VIS only by duly authorised consular staff in accordance with Articles 6(1), 7, 9(5) and 9(6) of the VIS Regulation.

3.  Where the competent consulate finds that the conditions referred to in paragraph 1 have not been fulfilled, the application shall be inadmissible and the consulate shall without delay:

4.  By way of derogation, an application that does not meet the requirements set out in paragraph 1 may be considered admissible on humanitarian grounds or for reasons of national interest.

Article 20

Stamp indicating that an application is admissible

1.  When an application is admissible, the competent consulate shall stamp the applicant’s travel document. The stamp shall be as set out in the model in Annex III and shall be affixed in accordance with the provisions of that Annex.

2.  Diplomatic, service/official and special passports shall not be stamped.

3.  The provisions of this Article shall apply to the consulates of the Member States until the date when the VIS becomes fully operational in all regions, in accordance with Article 48 of the VIS Regulation.

Article 21

Verification of entry conditions and risk assessment

1.  In the examination of an application for a uniform visa, it shall be ascertained whether the applicant fulfils the entry conditions set out in Article 5(1)(a), (c), (d) and (e) of the Schengen Borders Code, and particular consideration shall be given to assessing whether the applicant presents a risk of illegal immigration or a risk to the security of the Member States and whether the applicant intends to leave the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the visa applied for.

2.  In respect of each application, the VIS shall be consulted in accordance with Articles 8(2) and 15 of the VIS Regulation. Member States shall ensure that full use is made of all search criteria pursuant to Article 15 of the VIS Regulation in order to avoid false rejections and identifications.

3.  While checking whether the applicant fulfils the entry conditions, the consulate shall verify:

4.  The consulate shall, where applicable, verify the length of previous and intended stays in order to verify that the applicant has not exceeded the maximum duration of authorised stay in the territory of the Member States, irrespective of possible stays authorised under a national long-stay visa or a residence permit issued by another Member State.

5.  The means of subsistence for the intended stay shall be assessed in accordance with the duration and the purpose of the stay and by reference to average prices in the Member State(s) concerned for board and lodging in budget accommodation, multiplied by the number of days stayed, on the basis of the reference amounts set by the Member States in accordance with Article 34(1)(c) of the Schengen Borders Code. Proof of sponsorship and/or private accommodation may also constitute evidence of sufficient means of subsistence.

6.  In the examination of an application for an airport transit visa, the consulate shall in particular verify:

7.  The examination of an application shall be based notably on the authenticity and reliability of the documents submitted and on the veracity and reliability of the statements made by the applicant.

8.  During the examination of an application, consulates may in justified cases call the applicant for an interview and request additional documents.

9.  A previous visa refusal shall not lead to an automatic refusal of a new application. A new application shall be assessed on the basis of all available information.

Article 22

Prior consultation of central authorities of other Member States

1.  A Member State may require the central authorities of other Member States to consult its central authorities during the examination of applications lodged by nationals of specific third countries or specific categories of such nationals. Such consultation shall not apply to applications for airport transit visas.

2.  The central authorities consulted shall reply definitively within seven calendar days after being consulted. The absence of a reply within this deadline shall mean that they have no grounds for objecting to the issuing of the visa.

3.  Member States shall notify the Commission of the introduction or withdrawal of the requirement of prior consultation before it becomes applicable. This information shall also be given within local Schengen cooperation in the jurisdiction concerned.

4.  The Commission shall inform Member States of such notifications.

5.  From the date of the replacement of the Schengen Consultation Network, as referred to in Article 46 of the VIS Regulation, prior consultation shall be carried out in accordance with Article 16(2) of that Regulation.

Article 23

Decision on the application

1.  Applications shall be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible in accordance with Article 19.

2.  That period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed or in cases of representation where the authorities of the represented Member State are consulted.

3.  Exceptionally, when additional documentation is needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 60 calendar days.

4.  Unless the application has been withdrawn, a decision shall be taken to:

The fact that fingerprinting is physically impossible, in accordance with Article 13(7)(b), shall not influence the issuing or refusal of a visa.

CHAPTER IV

Issuing of the visa

Article 24

Issuing of a uniform visa

1.  The period of validity of a visa and the length of the authorised stay shall be based on the examination conducted in accordance with Article 21.

A visa may be issued for one, two or multiple entries. The period of validity shall not exceed five years.

In the case of transit, the length of the authorised stay shall correspond to the time necessary for the purpose of the transit.

Without prejudice to Article 12(a), the period of validity of the visa shall include an additional ‘period of grace’ of 15 days.

Member States may decide not to grant such a period of grace for reasons of public policy or because of the international relations of any of the Member States.

2.  Without prejudice to Article 12(a), multiple-entry visas shall be issued with a period of validity between six months and five years, where the following conditions are met:

3.  The data set out in Article 10(1) of the VIS Regulation shall be entered into the VIS when a decision on issuing such a visa has been taken.

Article 25

Issuing of a visa with limited territorial validity

1.  A visa with limited territorial validity shall be issued exceptionally, in the following cases:

2.  A visa with limited territorial validity shall be valid for the territory of the issuing Member State. It may exceptionally be valid for the territory of more than one Member State, subject to the consent of each such Member State.

3.  If the applicant holds a travel document that is not recognised by one or more, but not all Member States, a visa valid for the territory of the Member States recognising the travel document shall be issued. If the issuing Member State does not recognise the applicant’s travel document, the visa issued shall only be valid for that Member State.

4.  When a visa with limited territorial validity has been issued in the cases described in paragraph 1(a), the central authorities of the issuing Member State shall circulate the relevant information to the central authorities of the other Member States without delay, by means of the procedure referred to in Article 16(3) of the VIS Regulation.

5.  The data set out in Article 10(1) of the VIS Regulation shall be entered into the VIS when a decision on issuing such a visa has been taken.

Article 26

Issuing of an airport transit visa

1.  An airport transit visa shall be valid for transiting through the international transit areas of the airports situated on the territory of Member States.

2.  Without prejudice to Article 12(a), the period of validity of the visa shall include an additional ‘period of grace’ of 15 days.

Member States may decide not to grant such a period of grace for reasons of public policy or because of the international relations of any of the Member States.

3.  Without prejudice to Article 12(a), multiple airport transit visas may be issued with a period of validity of a maximum six months.

4.  The following criteria in particular are relevant for taking the decision to issue multiple airport transit visas:

5.  If the applicant is required to hold an airport transit visa in accordance with the provisions of Article 3(2), the airport transit visa shall be valid only for transiting through the international transit areas of the airports situated on the territory of the Member State(s) concerned.

6.  The data set out in Article 10(1) of the VIS Regulation shall be entered into the VIS when a decision on issuing such a visa has been taken.

Article 27

Filling in the visa sticker

1.  When the visa sticker is filled in, the mandatory entries set out in Annex VII shall be inserted and the machine-readable zone filled in, as provided for in ICAO document 9303, Part 2.

2.  Member States may add national entries in the ‘comments’ section of the visa sticker, which shall not duplicate the mandatory entries in Annex VII.

3.  All entries on the visa sticker shall be printed, and no manual changes shall be made to a printed visa sticker.

4.  Visa stickers may be filled in manually only in case of technical force majeure. No changes shall be made to a manually filled in visa sticker.

5.  When a visa sticker is filled in manually in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Article, this information shall be entered into the VIS in accordance with Article 10(1)(k) of the VIS Regulation.

Article 28

Invalidation of a completed visa sticker

1.  If an error is detected on a visa sticker which has not yet been affixed to the travel document, the visa sticker shall be invalidated.

2.  If an error is detected after the visa sticker has been affixed to the travel document, the visa sticker shall be invalidated by drawing a cross with indelible ink on the visa sticker and a new visa sticker shall be affixed to a different page.

3.  If an error is detected after the relevant data have been introduced into the VIS in accordance with Article 10(1) of the VIS Regulation, the error shall be corrected in accordance with Article 24(1) of that Regulation.

Article 29

Affixing a visa sticker

1.  The printed visa sticker containing the data provided for in Article 27 and Annex VII shall be affixed to the travel document in accordance with the provisions set out in Annex VIII.

2.  Where the issuing Member State does not recognise the applicant’s travel document, the separate sheet for affixing a visa shall be used.

3.  When a visa sticker has been affixed to the separate sheet for affixing a visa, this information shall be entered into the VIS in accordance with Article 10(1)(j) of the VIS Regulation.

4.  Individual visas issued to persons who are included in the travel document of the applicant shall be affixed to that travel document.

5.  Where the travel document in which such persons are included is not recognised by the issuing Member State, the individual stickers shall be affixed to the separate sheets for affixing a visa.

Article 30

Rights derived from an issued visa

Mere possession of a uniform visa or a visa with limited territorial validity shall not confer an automatic right of entry.

Article 31

Information of central authorities of other Member States

1.  A Member State may require that its central authorities be informed of visas issued by consulates of other Member States to nationals of specific third countries or to specific categories of such nationals, except in the case of airport transit visas.

2.  Member States shall notify the Commission of the introduction or withdrawal of the requirement for such information before it becomes applicable. This information shall also be given within local Schengen cooperation in the jurisdiction concerned.

3.  The Commission shall inform Member States of such notifications.

4.  From the date referred to in Article 46 of the VIS Regulation, information shall be transmitted in accordance with Article 16(3) of that Regulation.

Article 32

Refusal of a visa

1.  Without prejudice to Article 25(1), a visa shall be refused:

2.  A decision on refusal and the reasons on which it is based shall be notified to the applicant by means of the standard form set out in Annex VI.

3.  Applicants who have been refused a visa shall have the right to appeal. Appeals shall be conducted against the Member State that has taken the final decision on the application and in accordance with the national law of that Member State. Member States shall provide applicants with information regarding the procedure to be followed in the event of an appeal, as specified in Annex VI.

4.  In the cases referred to in Article 8(2), the consulate of the representing Member State shall inform the applicant of the decision taken by the represented Member State.

5.  Information on a refused visa shall be entered into the VIS in accordance with Article 12 of the VIS Regulation.

CHAPTER V

Modification of an issued visa

Article 33

Extension

1.  The period of validity and/or the duration of stay of an issued visa shall be extended where the competent authority of a Member State considers that a visa holder has provided proof of force majeure or humanitarian reasons preventing him from leaving the territory of the Member States before the expiry of the period of validity of or the duration of stay authorised by the visa. Such an extension shall be granted free of charge.

2.  The period of validity and/or the duration of stay of an issued visa may be extended if the visa holder provides proof of serious personal reasons justifying the extension of the period of validity or the duration of stay. A fee of EUR 30 shall be charged for such an extension.

3.  Unless otherwise decided by the authority extending the visa, the territorial validity of the extended visa shall remain the same as that of the original visa.

4.  The authority competent to extend the visa shall be that of the Member State on whose territory the third-country national is present at the moment of applying for an extension.

5.  Member States shall notify to the Commission the authorities competent for extending visas.

6.  Extension of visas shall take the form of a visa sticker.

7.  Information on an extended visa shall be entered into the VIS in accordance with Article 14 of the VIS Regulation.

Article 34

Annulment and revocation

1.  A visa shall be annulled where it becomes evident that the conditions for issuing it were not met at the time when it was issued, in particular if there are serious grounds for believing that the visa was fraudulently obtained. A visa shall in principle be annulled by the competent authorities of the Member State which issued it. A visa may be annulled by the competent authorities of another Member State, in which case the authorities of the Member State that issued the visa shall be informed of such annulment.

2.  A visa shall be revoked where it becomes evident that the conditions for issuing it are no longer met. A visa shall in principle be revoked by the competent authorities of the Member State which issued it. A visa may be revoked by the competent authorities of another Member State, in which case the authorities of the Member State that issued the visa shall be informed of such revocation.

3.  A visa may be revoked at the request of the visa holder. The competent authorities of the Member States that issued the visa shall be informed of such revocation.

4.  Failure of the visa holder to produce, at the border, one or more of the supporting documents referred to in Article 14(3), shall not automatically lead to a decision to annul or revoke the visa.

5.  If a visa is annulled or revoked, a stamp stating ‘ANNULLED’ or ‘REVOKED’ shall be affixed to it and the optically variable feature of the visa sticker, the security feature ‘latent image effect’ as well as the term ‘visa’ shall be invalidated by being crossed out.

6.  A decision on annulment or revocation of a visa and the reasons on which it is based shall be notified to the applicant by means of the standard form set out in Annex VI.

7.  A visa holder whose visa has been annulled or revoked shall have the right to appeal, unless the visa was revoked at his request in accordance with paragraph 3. Appeals shall be conducted against the Member State that has taken the decision on the annulment or revocation and in accordance with the national law of that Member State. Member States shall provide applicants with information regarding the procedure to be followed in the event of an appeal, as specified in Annex VI.

8.  Information on an annulled or a revoked visa shall be entered into the VIS in accordance with Article 13 of the VIS Regulation.

CHAPTER VI

Visas issued at the external borders

Article 35

Visas applied for at the external border

1.  In exceptional cases, visas may be issued at border crossing points if the following conditions are satisfied:

2.  Where a visa is applied for at the external border, the requirement that the applicant be in possession of travel medical insurance may be waived when such travel medical insurance is not available at that border crossing point or for humanitarian reasons.

3.  A visa issued at the external border shall be a uniform visa, entitling the holder to stay for a maximum duration of 15 days, depending on the purpose and conditions of the intended stay. In the case of transit, the length of the authorised stay shall correspond to the time necessary for the purpose of the transit.

4.  Where the conditions laid down in Article 5(1)(a), (c), (d) and (e) of the Schengen Borders Code are not fulfilled, the authorities responsible for issuing the visa at the border may issue a visa with limited territorial validity, in accordance with Article 25(1)(a) of this Regulation, for the territory of the issuing Member State only.

5.  A third-country national falling within a category of persons for whom prior consultation is required in accordance with Article 22 shall, in principle, not be issued a visa at the external border.

However, a visa with limited territorial validity for the territory of the issuing Member State may be issued at the external border for such persons in exceptional cases, in accordance with Article 25(1)(a).

6.  In addition to the reasons for refusing a visa as provided for in Article 32(1) a visa shall be refused at the border crossing point if the conditions referred to in paragraph 1(b) of this Article are not met.

7.  The provisions on justification and notification of refusals and the right of appeal set out in Article 32(3) and Annex VI shall apply.

Article 36

Visas issued to seafarers in transit at the external border

1.  A seafarer who is required to be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member States may be issued with a visa for the purpose of transit at the border where:

2.  Before issuing a visa at the border to a seafarer in transit, the competent national authorities shall comply with the rules set out in Annex IX, Part 1, and make sure that the necessary information concerning the seafarer in question has been exchanged by means of a duly completed form for seafarers in transit, as set out in Annex IX, Part 2.

3.  This Article shall apply without prejudice to Article 35(3), (4) and (5).

TITLE IV

ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION

Article 37

Organisation of visa sections

1.  Member States shall be responsible for organising the visa sections of their consulates.

In order to prevent any decline in the level of vigilance and to protect staff from being exposed to pressure at local level, rotation schemes for staff dealing directly with applicants shall be set up, where appropriate. Particular attention shall be paid to clear work structures and a distinct allocation/division of responsibilities in relation to the taking of final decisions on applications. Access to consultation of the VIS and the SIS and other confidential information shall be restricted to a limited number of duly authorised staff. Appropriate measures shall be taken to prevent unauthorised access to such databases.

2.  The storage and handling of visa stickers shall be subject to adequate security measures to avoid fraud or loss. Each consulate shall keep an account of its stock of visa stickers and register how each visa sticker has been used.

3.  Member States’ consulates shall keep archives of applications. Each individual file shall contain the application form, copies of relevant supporting documents, a record of checks made and the reference number of the visa issued, in order for staff to be able to reconstruct, if need be, the background for the decision taken on the application.

Individual application files shall be kept for a minimum of two years from the date of the decision on the application as referred to in Article 23(1).

Article 38

Resources for examining applications and monitoring of consulates

1.  Member States shall deploy appropriate staff in sufficient numbers to carry out the tasks relating to the examining of applications, in such a way as to ensure reasonable and harmonised quality of service to the public.

2.  Premises shall meet appropriate functional requirements of adequacy and allow for appropriate security measures.

3.  Member States’ central authorities shall provide adequate training to both expatriate staff and locally employed staff and shall be responsible for providing them with complete, precise and up-to-date information on the relevant Community and national law.

4.  Member States’ central authorities shall ensure frequent and adequate monitoring of the conduct of examination of applications and take corrective measures when deviations from the provisions of this Regulation are detected.

Article 39

Conduct of staff

1.  Member States’ consulates shall ensure that applicants are received courteously.

2.  Consular staff shall, in the performance of their duties, fully respect human dignity. Any measures taken shall be proportionate to the objectives pursued by such measures.

3.  While performing their tasks, consular staff shall not discriminate against persons on grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Article 40

Forms of cooperation

1.  Each Member State shall be responsible for organising the procedures relating to applications. In principle, applications shall be lodged at a consulate of a Member State.

2.  Member States shall:

3.  In particular circumstances or for reasons relating to the local situation, such as where:

and where the forms of cooperation referred to in paragraph 2(b) prove not to be appropriate for the Member State concerned, a Member State may, as a last resort, cooperate with an external service provider in accordance with Article 43.

4.  Without prejudice to the right to call the applicant for a personal interview, as provided for in Article 21(8), the selection of a form of organisation shall not lead to the applicant being required to appear in person at more than one location in order to lodge an application.

5.  Member States shall notify to the Commission how they intend to organise the procedures relating to applications in each consular location.

Article 41

Cooperation between Member States

1.  Where ‘co-location’ is chosen, staff of the consulates of one or more Member States shall carry out the procedures relating to applications (including the collection of biometric identifiers) addressed to them at the consulate of another Member State and share the equipment of that Member State. The Member States concerned shall agree on the duration of and conditions for the termination of the co-location as well as the proportion of the visa fee to be received by the Member State whose consulate is being used.

2.  Where ‘Common Application Centres’ are established, staff of the consulates of two or more Member States shall be pooled in one building in order for applicants to lodge applications (including biometric identifiers). Applicants shall be directed to the Member State competent for examining and deciding on the application. Member States shall agree on the duration of and conditions for the termination of such cooperation as well as the cost-sharing among the participating Member States. One Member State shall be responsible for contracts in relation to logistics and diplomatic relations with the host country.

3.  In the event of termination of cooperation with other Member States, Member States shall assure the continuity of full service.

Article 42

Recourse to honorary consuls

1.  Honorary consuls may also be authorised to perform some or all of the tasks referred to in Article 43(6). Adequate measures shall be taken to ensure security and data protection.

2.  Where the honorary consul is not a civil servant of a Member State, the performance of those tasks shall comply with the requirements set out in Annex X, except for the provisions in point D(c) of that Annex.

3.  Where the honorary consul is a civil servant of a Member State, the Member State concerned shall ensure that requirements comparable to those which would apply if the tasks were performed by its consulate are applied.

Article 43

Cooperation with external service providers

1.  Member States shall endeavour to cooperate with an external service provider together with one or more Member States, without prejudice to public procurement and competition rules.

2.  Cooperation with an external service provider shall be based on a legal instrument that shall comply with the requirements set out in Annex X.

3.  Member States shall, within the framework of local Schengen cooperation, exchange information about the selection of external service providers and the establishment of the terms and conditions of their respective legal instruments.

4.  The examination of applications, interviews (where appropriate), the decision on applications and the printing and affixing of visa stickers shall be carried out only by the consulate.

5.  External service providers shall not have access to the VIS under any circumstances. Access to the VIS shall be reserved exclusively to duly authorised staff of consulates.

6.  An external service provider may be entrusted with the performance of one or more of the following tasks:

7.  When selecting an external service provider, the Member State(s) concerned shall scrutinise the solvency and reliability of the company, including the necessary licences, commercial registration, company statutes, bank contracts, and ensure that there is no conflict of interests.

8.  The Member State(s) concerned shall ensure that the external service provider selected complies with the terms and conditions assigned to it in the legal instrument referred to in paragraph 2.

9.  The Member State(s) concerned shall remain responsible for compliance with data protection rules for the processing of data and shall be supervised in accordance with Article 28 of Directive 95/46/EC.

Cooperation with an external service provider shall not limit or exclude any liability arising under the national law of the Member State(s) concerned for breaches of obligations with regard to the personal data of applicants or the performance of one or more of the tasks referred to in paragraph 6. This provision is without prejudice to any action which may be taken directly against the external service provider under the national law of the third country concerned.

10.  The Member State(s) concerned shall provide training to the external service provider, corresponding to the knowledge needed to offer an appropriate service and sufficient information to applicants.

11.  The Member State(s) concerned shall closely monitor the implementation of the legal instrument referred to in paragraph 2, including:

To this end, the consulate(s) of the Member State(s) concerned shall, on a regular basis, carry out spot checks on the premises of the external service provider.

12.  In the event of termination of cooperation with an external service provider, Member States shall ensure the continuity of full service.

13.  Member States shall provide the Commission with a copy of the legal instrument referred to in paragraph 2.

Article 44

Encryption and secure transfer of data

1.  In the case of representation arrangements between Member States and cooperation of Member States with an external service provider and recourse to honorary consuls, the represented Member State(s) or the Member State(s) concerned shall ensure that the data are fully encrypted, whether electronically transferred or physically transferred on an electronic storage medium from the authorities of the representing Member State to the authorities of the represented Member State(s) or from the external service provider or from the honorary consul to the authorities of the Member State(s) concerned.

2.  In third countries which prohibit encryption of data to be electronically transferred from the authorities of the representing Member State to the authorities of the represented Member State(s) or from the external service provider or from the honorary consul to the authorities of the Member State(s) concerned, the represented Members State(s) or the Member State(s) concerned shall not allow the representing Member State or the external service provider or the honorary consul to transfer data electronically.

In such a case, the represented Member State(s) or the Member State(s) concerned shall ensure that the electronic data are transferred physically in fully encrypted form on an electronic storage medium from the authorities of the representing Member State to the authorities of the represented Member State(s) or from the external service provider or from the honorary consul to the authorities of the Member State(s) concerned by a consular officer of a Member State or, where such a transfer would require disproportionate or unreasonable measures to be taken, in another safe and secure way, for example by using established operators experienced in transporting sensitive documents and data in the third country concerned.

3.  In all cases the level of security for the transfer shall be adapted to the sensitive nature of the data.

4.  The Member States or the Community shall endeavour to reach agreement with the third countries concerned with the aim of lifting the prohibition against encryption of data to be electronically transferred from the authorities of the representing Member State to the authorities of the represented Member State(s) or from the external service provider or from the honorary consul to the authorities of the Member State(s) concerned.

Article 45

Member States’ cooperation with commercial intermediaries

1.  Member States may cooperate with commercial intermediaries for the lodging of applications, except for the collection of biometric identifiers.

2.  Such cooperation shall be based on the granting of an accreditation by Member States’ relevant authorities. The accreditation shall, in particular, be based on the verification of the following aspects:

3.  Accredited commercial intermediaries shall be monitored regularly by spot checks involving personal or telephone interviews with applicants, verification of trips and accommodation, verification that the travel medical insurance provided is adequate and covers individual travellers, and wherever deemed necessary, verification of the documents relating to group return.

4.  Within local Schengen cooperation, information shall be exchanged on the performance of the accredited commercial intermediaries concerning irregularities detected and refusal of applications submitted by commercial intermediaries, and on detected forms of travel document fraud and failure to carry out scheduled trips.

5.  Within local Schengen cooperation, lists shall be exchanged of commercial intermediaries to which accreditation has been given by each consulate and from which accreditation has been withdrawn, together with the reasons for any such withdrawal.

Each consulate shall make sure that the public is informed about the list of accredited commercial intermediaries with which it cooperates.

Article 46

Compilation of statistics

Member States shall compile annual statistics on visas, in accordance with the table set out in Annex XII. These statistics shall be submitted by 1 March for the preceding calendar year.

Article 47

Information to the general public

1.  Member States’ central authorities and consulates shall provide the general public with all relevant information in relation to the application for a visa, in particular:

2.  The representing and represented Member State shall inform the general public about representation arrangements as referred to in Article 8 before such arrangements enter into force.

TITLE V

LOCAL SCHENGEN COOPERATION

Article 48

Local Schengen cooperation between Member States’ consulates

1.  In order to ensure a harmonised application of the common visa policy taking into account, where appropriate, local circumstances, Member States’ consulates and the Commission shall cooperate within each jurisdiction and assess the need to establish in particular:

If in relation to one or more of the points (a) to (c), the assessment within local Schengen cooperation confirms the need for a local harmonised approach, measures on such an approach shall be adopted pursuant to the procedure referred to in Article 52(2).

2.  Within local Schengen cooperation a common information sheet shall be established on uniform visas and visas with limited territorial validity and airport transit visas, namely, the rights that the visa implies and the conditions for applying for it, including, where applicable, the list of supporting documents as referred to in paragraph 1(a).

3.  The following information shall be exchanged within local Schengen cooperation:

4.  Local Schengen cooperation meetings to deal specifically with operational issues in relation to the application of the common visa policy shall be organised regularly among Member States and the Commission. These meetings shall be convened within the jurisdiction by the Commission, unless otherwise agreed at the request of the Commission.

Single-topic meetings may be organised and sub-groups set up to study specific issues within local Schengen cooperation.

5.  Summary reports of local Schengen cooperation meetings shall be drawn up systematically and circulated locally. The Commission may delegate the drawing up of the reports to a Member State. The consulates of each Member State shall forward the reports to their central authorities.

On the basis of these reports, the Commission shall draw up an annual report within each jurisdiction to be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council.

6.  Representatives of the consulates of Member States not applying the Community acquis in relation to visas, or of third countries, may on an ad hoc basis be invited to participate in meetings for the exchange of information on issues relating to visas.

TITLE VI

FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 49

Arrangements in relation to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games

Member States hosting the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games shall apply the specific procedures and conditions facilitating the issuing of visas set out in Annex XI.

Article 50

Amendments to the Annexes

Measures designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation and amending Annexes I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and XII shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 52(3).

Article 51

Instructions on the practical application of the Visa Code

Operational instructions on the practical application of the provisions of this Regulation shall be drawn up in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 52(2).

Article 52

Committee procedure

1.  The Commission shall be assisted by a committee (the Visa Committee).

2.  Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof and provided that the implementing measures adopted in accordance with this procedure do not modify the essential provisions of this Regulation.

The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be three months.

3.  Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5a(1) to (4) and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.

Article 53

Notification

1.  Member States shall notify the Commission of:

2.  The Commission shall make the information notified pursuant to paragraph 1 available to the Member States and the public via a constantly updated electronic publication.

Article 54

Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 767/2008

Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 is hereby amended as follows:

Article 55

Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 562/2006

Annex V, Part A of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 is hereby amended as follows:

Article 56

Repeals

1.  Articles 9 to 17 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985 shall be repealed.

2.  The following shall be repealed:

3.  References to repealed instruments shall be construed as references to this Regulation and read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex XIII.

Article 57

Monitoring and evaluation

1.  Two years after all the provisions of this Regulation have become applicable, the Commission shall produce an evaluation of its application. This overall evaluation shall include an examination of the results achieved against objectives and of the implementation of the provisions of this Regulation, without prejudice to the reports referred to in paragraph 3.

2.  The Commission shall transmit the evaluation referred to in paragraph 1 to the European Parliament and the Council. On the basis of the evaluation, the Commission shall submit, if necessary, appropriate proposals with a view to amending this Regulation.

3.  The Commission shall present, three years after the VIS is brought into operation and every four years thereafter, a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of Articles 13, 17, 40 to 44 of this Regulation, including the implementation of the collection and use of biometric identifiers, the suitability of the ICAO standard chosen, compliance with data protection rules, experience with external service providers with specific reference to the collection of biometric data, the implementation of the 59-month rule for the copying of fingerprints and the organisation of the procedures relating to applications. The report shall also include, on the basis of Article 17(12), (13) and (14) and of Article 50(4) of the VIS Regulation, the cases in which fingerprints could factually not be provided or were not required to be provided for legal reasons, compared with the number of cases in which fingerprints were taken. The report shall include information on cases in which a person who could factually not provide fingerprints was refused a visa. The report shall be accompanied, where necessary, by appropriate proposals to amend this Regulation.

4.  The first of the reports referred to in paragraph 3 shall also address the issue of the sufficient reliability for identification and verification purposes of fingerprints of children under the age of 12 and, in particular, how fingerprints evolve with age, on the basis of the results of a study carried out under the responsibility of the Commission.

Article 58

Entry into force

1.  This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

2.  It shall apply from 5 April 2010.

3.  Article 52 and Article 53(1)(a) to (h) and (2) shall apply from 5 October 2009.

4.  As far as the Schengen Consultation Network (Technical Specifications) is concerned, Article 56(2)(d) shall apply from the date referred to in Article 46 of the VIS Regulation.

5.  Article 32(2) and (3), Article 34(6) and (7) and Article 35(7) shall apply from 5 April 2011.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in the Member States in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community.

---

ANNEX I

---

ANNEX II

Non-exhaustive list of supporting documents

The supporting documents referred to in Article 14, to be submitted by visa applicants may include the following:

---

ANNEX III

UNIFORM FORMAT AND USE OF THE STAMP INDICATING THAT A VISA APPLICATION IS ADMISSIBLE

The stamp shall be placed on the first available page that contains no entries or stamps in the travel document.

---

ANNEX IV

Common list of third countries listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 539/2001, whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit area of airports situated on the territory of the Member States

---

ANNEX V

LIST OF RESIDENCE PERMITS ENTITLING THEIR HOLDERS TO TRANSIT THROUGH THE AIRPORTS OF MEMBER STATES WITHOUT BEING REQUIRED TO HOLD AN AIRPORT TRANSIT VISA

---

ANNEX VI

---

ANNEX VII

FILLING IN THE VISA STICKER

1.   Mandatory entries section

1.1.   ‘VALID FOR’ heading:

This heading indicates the territory in which the visa holder is entitled to travel.

This heading may be completed in one of the following ways only:

1.2.	When the sticker is used to issue a uniform visa this heading is filled in using the words ‘Schengen States’, in the language of the issuing Member State.

1.3.	When the sticker is used to issue a visa with limited territorial validity pursuant to Article 25(1) of this Regulation this heading is filled in with the name(s) of the Member State(s) to which the visa holder’s stay is limited, in the language of the issuing Member State.

1.4.

When the sticker is used to issue a visa with limited territorial validity pursuant to Article 25(3) of this Regulation, the following options for the codes to be entered may be used: (a) entry of the codes for the Member States concerned; (b) entry of the words ‘Schengen States’, followed in brackets by the minus sign and the codes of the Member States for whose territory the visa is not valid; (c) in case the ‘valid for’ field is not sufficient for entering all codes for the Member States (not) recognising the travel document concerned the font size of the letters used is reduced.

2.   ‘FROM ... TO’ heading:

This heading indicates the period of the visa holder’s stay as authorised by the visa.

The date from which the visa holder may enter the territory for which the visa is valid is written as below, following the word ‘FROM’:

For example: 05-12-07 = 5 December 2007.

The date of the last day of the period of the visa holder’s authorised stay is entered after the word ‘TO’ and is written in the same way as the first date. The visa holder must have left the territory for which the visa is valid by midnight on that date.

3.   ‘NUMBER OF ENTRIES’ heading:

This heading shows the number of times the visa holder may enter the territory for which the visa is valid, i.e. it refers to the number of periods of stay which may be spread over the entire period of validity, see 4.

The number of entries may be one, two or more. This number is written to the right-hand side of the preprinted part, using ‘01’, ‘02’ or the abbreviation ‘MULT’, where the visa authorises more than two entries.

When a multiple airport transit visa is issued pursuant to Article 26(3) of this Regulation, the visa’s validity is calculated as follows: first date of departure plus six months.

The visa is no longer valid when the total number of exits made by the visa holder equals the number of authorised entries, even if the visa holder has not used up the number of days authorised by the visa.

4.   ‘DURATION OF VISIT ... DAYS’ heading:

This heading indicates the number of days during which the visa holder may stay in the territory for which the visa is valid. This stay may be continuous or, depending on the number of days authorised, spread over several periods between the dates mentioned under 2, bearing in mind the number of entries authorised under 3.

The number of days authorised is written in the blank space between ‘DURATION OF VISIT’ and ‘DAYS’, in the form of two digits, the first of which is a zero if the number of days is less than 10.

The maximum number of days that may be entered under this heading is 90.

When a visa is valid for more than six months, the duration of stays is 90 days in every six-month period.

5.   ‘ISSUED IN ... ON …’ heading:

This heading gives the name of the location where the issuing authority is situated. The date of issue is indicated after ‘ON’.

The date of issue is written in the same way as the date referred to in 2.

6.   ‘PASSPORT NUMBER’ heading:

This heading indicates the number of the travel document to which the visa sticker is affixed.

In case the person to whom the visa is issued is included in the passport of the spouse, parental authority or legal guardian, the number of the travel document of that person is indicated.

When the applicant’s travel document is not recognised by the issuing Member State, the uniform format for the separate sheet for affixing visas is used for affixing the visa.

The number to be entered under this heading, if the visa sticker is affixed to the separate sheet, is not the passport number but the same typographical number as appears on the form, made up of six digits.

7.   ‘TYPE OF VISA’ heading:

In order to facilitate matters for the control authorities, this heading specifies the type of visa using the letters A, C and D as follows:

A

:

airport transit visa (as defined in Article 2(5) of this Regulation)

C

:

visa (as defined in Article 2(2) of this Regulation)

D

:

long-stay visa

8.   ‘SURNAME AND FIRST NAME’ heading:

The first word in the ‘surname’ box followed by the first word in the ‘first name’ box of the visa holder’s travel document is written in that order. The issuing authority verifies that the name and first name which appear in the travel document and which are to be entered under this heading and in the section to be electronically scanned are the same as those appearing in the visa application. If the number of characters of the surname and first name exceeds the number of spaces available, the excess characters are replaced by a dot (.).

9.

(a) Mandatory entries to be added in the ‘COMMENTS’ section — in the case of a visa issued on behalf of another Member State pursuant to Article 8, the following mention is added: ‘R/[Code of represented Member State]’, — in the case of a visa issued for the purpose of transit, the following mention is added: ‘TRANSIT’, ▼M1 — where all data referred to in Article 5(1) of the VIS Regulation is registered in the Visa Information System, the following mention is added: ‘VIS’, — where only the data referred to in points (a) and (b) of Article 5(1) of the VIS Regulation is registered in the Visa Information System but the data referred to in point (c) of that paragraph was not collected because the collection of fingerprints was not mandatory in the region concerned, the following mention is added: ‘VIS 0'; ▼B (b) National entries in ‘COMMENTS’ section This section also contains the comments in the language of the issuing Member State relating to national provisions. However, such comments shall not duplicate the mandatory comments referred to in point 1; (c) Section for the photograph The visa holder’s photograph, in colour, shall be integrated in the space reserved for that purpose. The following rules shall be observed with respect to the photograph to be integrated into the visa sticker. The size of the head from chin to crown shall be between 70 % and 80 % of the vertical dimension of the surface of the photograph. The minimum resolution requirements shall be: — 300 pixels per inch (ppi), uncompressed, for scanning, — 720 dots per inch (dpi) for colour printing of photos.

10.

Machine-readable zone This section is made up of two lines of 36 characters (OCR B-10 cpi). First line: 36 characters (mandatory) Positions Number of characters Heading contents Specifications 1-2 2 Type of document First character: V Second character: code indicating type of visa (A, C or D) 3-5 3 Issuing State ICAO alphabetic code 3-character: BEL, CHE, CZE, DNK, D<<, EST, GRC, ESP, FRA, ITA, LVA, LTU, LUX, HUN, MLT, NLD, AUT, POL, PRT, SVN, SVK, FIN, SWE, ISL, NOR 6-36 31 Surname and first name The surname should be separated from the first names by 2 symbols (<<); individual components of the name should be separated by one symbol (<); spaces which are not needed should be filled in with one symbol (<) Second line: 36 characters (mandatory) Positions Number of characters Heading contents Specifications 1 9 Visa number This is the number printed in the top right-hand corner of the sticker 10 1 Control character This character is the result of a complex calculation, based on the previous area according to an algorithm defined by the ICAO 11 3 Applicant’s nationality Alphabetic coding according to ICAO 3-character codes 14 6 Date of birth The order followed is YYMMDD where: YY = year (mandatory) MM = month or << if unknown DD = day or << if unknown 20 1 Control character This character is the result of a complex calculation, based on the previous area according to an algorithm defined by the ICAO 21 1 Sex F = Female, M = Male, < = Not specified 22 6 Date on which the visa’s validity ends The order followed is YYMMDD without a filler 28 1 Control character This character is the result of a complex calculation, based on the previous area according to an algorithm defined by the ICAO 29 1 Territorial validity (a)  For LTV visas, insert the letter T (b)  For uniform visas insert the filler < 30 1 Number of entries 1, 2, or M 31 2 Duration of stay (a)  Short stay: number of days should be inserted in the visual reading area (b)  Long stay: << 33 4 Start of validity The structure is MMDD without any filler.

---

ANNEX VIII

AFFIXING THE VISA STICKER

---

ANNEX IX

PART 1

Rules for issuing visas at the border to seafarers in transit subject to visa requirements

These rules relate to the exchange of information between the competent authorities of the Member States with respect to seafarers in transit subject to visa requirements. Insofar as a visa is issued at the border on the basis of the information that has been exchanged, the responsibility lies with the Member State issuing the visa.

For the purposes of these rules:

I.   Signing on a vessel berthed or expected at a Member State port (entry into the territory of the Member States)

II.   Leaving service from a vessel that has entered a Member State port (exit from the territory of the Member States)

III.   Transferring from a vessel that entered a Member State port to another vessel

PART 2

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FORM

Points 1-4: the identity of the seafarer

As to points 3 and 4: depending on the nationality of the seafarer and the Member State being entered, a travel document or a seaman’s book may be used for identification purposes.

Points 5-8: the shipping agent and the vessel concerned

As to points 7A and 8A: indications regarding the length of time for which the seafarer may travel in order to sign on.

It should be remembered that the route followed is very much subject to unexpected interferences and external factors such as storms, breakdowns, etc.

Points 9-12: purpose of the seafarer’s journey and his destination

---

ANNEX X

LIST OF MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE LEGAL INSTRUMENT IN THE CASE OF COOPERATION WITH EXTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS

---

ANNEX XI

SPECIFIC PROCEDURES AND CONDITIONS FACILITATING THE ISSUING OF VISAS TO MEMBERS OF THE OLYMPIC FAMILY PARTICIPATING IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES AND PARALYMPIC GAMES

CHAPTER I

Purpose and definitions

Article 1

Purpose

The following specific procedures and conditions facilitate the application for and issuing of visas to members of the Olympic family for the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games organised by a Member State.

In addition, the relevant provisions of the Community acquis concerning procedures for applying for and issuing visas shall apply.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation:

CHAPTER II

Issuing of visas

Article 3

Conditions

A visa may be issued pursuant to this Regulation only where the person concerned:

Article 4

Filing of the application

1.  Where a responsible organisation draws up a list of the persons selected to take part in the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games, it may, together with the application for the issue of an Olympic accreditation card for the persons selected, file a collective application for visas for those persons selected who are required to be in possession of a visa in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 539/2001, except where those persons hold a residence permit issued by a Member State or a residence permit issued by the United Kingdom or Ireland, in accordance with Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States ( 29 ).

2.  A collective application for visas for the persons concerned shall be forwarded at the same time as applications for the issue of an Olympic accreditation card to the Organising Committee of the Member State hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in accordance with the procedure established by it.

3.  Individual visa applications shall be submitted for each person taking part in the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games.

4.  The Organising Committee of the Member State hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games shall forward to the services responsible for issuing visas, a collective application for visas as quickly as possible, together with copies of applications for the issue of an Olympic accreditation card for the persons concerned, bearing their full name, nationality, sex and date and place of birth and the number, type and expiry date of their travel document.

Article 5

Examination of the collective application for visas and type of the visa issued

1.  The visa shall be issued by the services responsible for issuing visas following an examination designed to ensure that the conditions set out in Article 3 are met.

2.  The visa issued shall be a uniform, multiple-entry visa authorising a stay of not more than three months for the duration of the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games.

3.  Where the member of the Olympic family concerned does not meet the conditions set out in point (c) or (d) of Article 3, the services responsible for issuing visas may issue a visa with limited territorial validity in accordance with Article 25 of this Regulation.

Article 6

Form of the visa

1.  The visa shall take the form of two numbers entered on the Olympic accreditation card. The first number shall be the visa number. In the case of a uniform visa, that number shall be made up of seven (7) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letter ‘C’. In the case of a visa with limited territorial validity, that number shall be made up of eight (8) characters comprising six (6) digits preceded by the letters ‘XX’ ( 30 ). The second number shall be the number of the travel document of the person concerned.

2.  The services responsible for issuing visas shall forward the visa numbers to the Organising Committee of the Member State hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the purpose of issuing Olympic accreditation cards.

Article 7

Waiver of fees

The examination of visa applications and the issue of visas shall not give rise to any fees being charged by the services responsible for issuing visas.

CHAPTER III

General and final provisions

Article 8

Cancellation of a visa

Where the list of persons put forward as participants in the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games is amended before the Games begin, the responsible organisations shall inform without any delay the Organising Committee of the Member State hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games thereof so that the Olympic accreditation cards of the persons removed from the list may be revoked. The Organising Committee shall notify the services responsible for issuing visas thereof and shall inform them of the numbers of the visas in question.

The services responsible for issuing visas shall cancel the visas of the persons concerned. They shall immediately inform the authorities responsible for border checks thereof, and the latter shall without delay forward that information to the competent authorities of the other Member States.

Article 9

External border checks

1.  The entry checks carried out on members of the Olympic family who have been issued visas in accordance with this Regulation shall, when such members cross the external borders of the Member States, be limited to checking compliance with the conditions set out in Article 3.

2.  For the duration of the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games:

3.  Paragraph 2 shall apply to members of the Olympic family who are third-country nationals, whether or not they are subject to the visa requirement under Regulation (EC) No 539/2001.

---

ANNEX XII

ANNUAL STATISTICS ON UNIFORM VISAS, VISAS WITH LIMITED TERRITORIAL VALIDITY AND AIRPORT TRANSIT VISAS

Data to be submitted to the Commission within the deadline set out in Article 46 for each location where individual Member States issue visas:

General rules for the submission of data:

In the event of data being neither available nor relevant for one particular category and a third country, Member States shall leave the cell empty (and not enter ‘0’ (zero), ‘N.A.’ (non-applicable) or any other value).

---

ANNEX XIII

---

ANNEXES

---

( 1 ) Opinion of the European Parliament of 2 April 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 25 June 2009.

( 2 ) OJ L 239, 22.9.2000, p. 19.

( 3 ) OJ C 326, 22.12.2005, p. 1.

( 4 ) OJ C 53, 3.3.2005, p. 1.

( 5 ) OJ L 218, 13.8.2008, p. 60.

( 6 ) OJ L 281, 23.11.1995, p. 31.

( 7 ) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

( 8 ) OJ L 105, 13.4.2006, p. 1.

( 9 ) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 36.

( 10 ) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31.

( 11 ) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 53.

( 12 ) OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 52.

( 13 ) OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 1.

( 14 ) OJ L 83, 26.3.2008, p. 3.

( 15 ) OJ L 131, 1.6.2000, p. 43.

( 16 ) OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20.

( 17 ) OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1.

( 18 ) OJ L 164, 14.7.1995, p. 1.

( 19 ) OJ L 53, 23.2.2002, p. 4.

( 20 ) OJ L 267, 27.9.2006, p. 41.

( 21 ) OJ L 289, 3.11.2005, p. 23.

( 22 ) OJ L 243, 15.9.2009, p. 1.’;

( 23 ) OJ L 243, 15.9.2009, p. 1.’;

( 24 ) OJ L 63, 13.3.1996, p. 8.

( 25 ) OJ L 116, 26.4.2001, p. 2.

( 26 ) OJ L 150, 6.6.2001, p. 4.

( 27 ) OJ L 64, 7.3.2003, p. 1.

( 28 ) OJ L 131, 28.5.2009, p. 1.

( 29 ) OJ L 158, 30.4.2004, p. 77.

( 30 ) Reference to the ISO code of the organising Member State.