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The Indian travelers willing to head towards Schengen countries in Europe will have to enroll their biometric data while applying for a Schengen visa from November 2015. The process will become mandatory. This is for the first time that the biometric requirements are being implemented by the Schengen missions for Indians.
On the day of the submission of the application, the biometric data or digit finger scans will be taken at the visa application centre from the Schengen visa applicants. From the date of submission, the data will remain valid for 59 months. This means, there is no need to give new fingerprints by frequent travelers, each time they apply for a new visa.
South Asia and DVPC, VFS Global, COO, Vinay Malhotra told the Hindu that, “As per the requirement laid down by the European Union, all applicants for Schengen visas in India will have to enrol for biometrics during the visa application process. This process will become mandatory from November 2015.”
Operating six visa processing centres, VFS Global serves 30 diplomatic missions in Karnataka, along with 32 client governments in India. VFS Global has 314 visa application centres in a total of 19 cities across India.
Schengen visa
Schengen visa is the document issued to party interested to visit or travel to the Schengen Area, by the concerned authorities. A total of 26 countries are part of the Schengen area. All these countries agreed the allowance of free movement of their citizens within the area as a single country. Majority of European countries are covered in the Schengen area.
-Sumana
