A Chinese student inquiring about visa to study in Britain. (Photo : www.europe.chinadaily.com.cn)
Chinese visa applicants will be required to provide biometric data starting Oct. 12, as announced by the European Union’s delegation to China recently, the China Daily reported.
According to the announcement, first-time applicants will have to apply personally at consulates or other service providers and submit their fingerprints and digital photo.
The Schengen Area's Visa Information System (VIS) handles all Schengen-visa applications and contains the decisions of all member states regarding entry.
The Schengen Area refers to 26 European countries that have exempted visa and other border controls among shared borders.
Patricia van de Water, visa section deputy director of the German embassy in Beijing, said: "It's a simple procedure that only takes a few minutes. We have been taking fingerprints for our national visas since 2013, and it has been very smooth and familiar. For frequent travelers, it's very convenient."
The report said that VIS operations in all Schengen countries' consulates in China, Japan, South Korea and Mongolia will start simultaneously.
The system's central database will contain all the biometric data and information provided on the visa application forms and will be stored for 59 months.
Under the VIS, successful applicants do not have to appear personally for subsequent applications to Schengen nations until the data expires.
Those who are physically unable to personally appear to provide fingerprints and children younger than 12 are exempt from the procedure.
The announcement added that all visas issued before Oct. 12 will remain valid and will expire based on the dates printed on them. "VIS" status printed on visas indicate that biometrics have been collected, while a "VIS-0" means that data have not been submitted.
Qin Qing, CEO of Chinese tourism website Ilvxing.com, advised Chinese who plan to travel within the next three months to apply ahead of the new rules' implementation.
He added that Chinese can apply in some countries that have changed policies, such as France, the Netherlands and Germany, at their consulates, regardless of residence.
Authorities said that biometric data facilitate visa applications and checks, as well as boost security and provide protection against identity theft and false identifications.
