From June 23, Belarusians will have to get fingerprinted to obtain the Schengen visa. This information will be valid for about five years, but at each entry to the Schengen area border guards will check them again. External scans will look like fingerprinting for biometric visas. If someone refuses to do it – they will not cross the border.
See what countries are in Schengen area: Schengen Visa Countries List
According to the Andrzej Rytwinski, commander of the Podlaski border unit, who spoke at the news conference, the new procedure will ensure effective control of the border. Within 20 seconds, the scan data will get into a single database in Strasbourg. This will allow to check how often the person got Schengen visa or, for example, if the stated purpose of the visit matches the real one, Vecherniy Grodno reports.
“Scanning fingerprints is just a necessity. The extra procedure should not cause discomfort and take a long time,” says Andrzej Rytwinski.
The first citizens of Belarus with biometric visas have not yet reached the border – the new approach to the Schengen visas was launched only a few days ago – but at border crossings of the Podlaski region all the equipment is ready for the scans. Stationary machines have been put at the workplace of border guards. A person has to put the left and right palms on the machine, and the border guard will see whether his fingerprints match thos in the database system called VIS (Visa Information System). A border guard with a stationary or mobile scanner will check the biometric data of the visa. Earlier, drivers did not have to leave the car at the Polish border crossings to have their documents checked, now everyone will have to do it.
There are mobile scanners as well: they will be used in trains, when checking truck drivers, in some special cases also in the regular queue. In this case, only the right thumb will get scanned.
In special cases (mainly when there is a long queue) guards may be instructed to check the documents as before, without scanning.
Andrzej Rytwinski noted that those who have a Schengen visa issued the old way, will not be affected by the innovation.
According to the Border Guard Service of Podlaska region, the amount of money necessary for a person to have on them to travel to Poland has increased to 500 zlotys. Previously, it was enough to present 300 zlotys to border service for people to ensure their stay in Poland.
vgr.by, belsat.eu/en/
