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Collecting biometric data from applicants for long stay visa (pdf, 265 kB)

Summary

France is considering exempting some nationalities from providing biometric data when applying for a long-stay-visa at the French consulate abroad. They would then be required to submit such data upon arrival in France, at the prefecture.

The question asked was whether the (Member) State requires applicants for long-stay visa to provide biometric data when applying for such visa at a consulate abroad.

Replies were received from 18 EMN NCPs, cf.  (lenke til NO EMNs nettside for ad hoc sammenstillinger).  The replies from Austria and Belgium could not be given a wider circulation.

The reply to this question was ‘yes’ from 8 countries, and ‘yes’ with some reservations from one country.  Of the 9 countries that replied ‘no’ (including UK who is not subject to the long term visa regulations), 4 indicated that in certain cases biometric data might nevertheless be collected from an applicant for a long term visa. All the countries replying ‘no’ signaled that biometric data are collected for those who arrive and are granted a residence permit. In all cases where the biometric data collected were specified, they consist of a photograph and fingerprints.

The replies indicate that ‘long stay visa’ was interpreted as a Schengen D-visa, but a few countries signaled that they issue D-visa only with a short validity because they are issued only to recipients of a residence permit, and then to facilitate travel to the country.