Schengen Information System II (SIS II)

What is the Schengen Area?

The Schengen Area is a large part of the European continent in which checks at common internal borders have been lifted. The participating countries apply common rules for checks at the external borders of the Schengen Area, as well as on the issue of visas and cooperation between police and judicial services in criminal matters.

What is the Schengen Information System?

The Schengen Information System (and the second generation of the system — SIS II) is at the heart of Schengen cooperation. It is an information system that allows national border control, customs and police authorities responsible for checks at the external Schengen border as well as within the Schengen Area to circulate alerts about wanted or missing people and objects such as stolen vehicles and documents. SIS II continues the important role of compensating for the abolition of internal border checks and facilitates the free movement of people within the Schengen Area.

SIS II provides information on individuals who do not have the right to enter or stay in the Schengen Area, or on those who are sought in relation to criminal activities. SIS II also contains information on missing persons, in particular children or other vulnerable individuals who are in need of protection. Details of certain objects are also recorded in SIS II, for example cars, ­ rearms, boats, and identity documents that may have been lost or stolen or used to carry out a crime.

In essence, a customs, police authority, judicial or relevant administrative authority in one country may issue an ‘alert’ which describes the person or object being sought. Reasons for issuing an alert are:

1. to refuse entry to persons who do not have the right to enter or stay in Schengen territory;
2. to ­ find and detain a person for whom a European Arrest Warrant has been issued;
3. to assist in locating individuals as requested by judicial or law enforcement authorities;
4. to ­ find and protect a missing person;
5. to ­ find stolen or lost property.

Data stored in SIS II are the data necessary to identify a person (including picture and ­ fingerprints) as well as relevant information about the alert (including the action to be taken).

Which authorities have access to SIS II data?

Access to SIS II is limited to the national law enforcement, judicial and administrative authorities. These authorities may only access the SIS II data that they need for the speci­fic performance of their tasks. The European Agencies EUROPOL and EUROJUST have limited access rights to carry out certain types of query.

How is the protection of personal data ensured?

The authorities in every country using SIS II are obliged to check the quality of the information they enter in the system. In the Schengen Area there are strict requirements on data protection. If personal data about an individual are stored, that person has the right to request access to them and make sure they are accurate and lawfully entered. If this is not the case, the individual has the right to ask for them to be corrected or deleted.

Access may only be refused when this is indispensable for the performance of a lawful task related to an alert and to protect the rights and freedoms of other people.

What happens if my name is misused by someone involved in a crime or illegal entry in the Schengen Area?

Sometimes a false identity is used when carrying out crimes or attempting to enter or stay in the Schengen Area. This misuse often involves lost or stolen identity documents. If such a situation results in an alert being entered in SIS II, it can cause difficulties for the innocent person whose identity has been stolen. However, detailed procedures have been put in place to protect the interests of these innocent persons (see below).

How to apply for access, correction, deletion and in cases of misuse of your personal data

If you believe your personal information has been misused, or needs to be corrected or deleted, you can request access in any Schengen country, by contacting the authorities responsible for the quality of the information registered in SIS II.

In Norway, the SIRENE office with the Norwegian police is the responsible authority.

Address:

NCIS
The SIRENE office 
P.O. box 8163 Dep. 
0034 OSLO
NORWAY

Phone: + 47 23 20 80 00

If you are outside the Schengen Area you may contact the consulate of a Schengen country in the country in which you currently live. You will be informed about the follow-up of your request within three months at the latest.

More about how the police handles petitions to access SIS data (politi.no)

Download:

Request form for access to information in the SIS (pdf)

The Data Protection Authority’s supervisory responsibility

The Data Protection Authority is the supervisory authority for the national processing of personal data in SIS. We shall verify compliance with the SIS-legislation and ensure that errors or shortcomings are rectified.

You can submit a request to us that we shall check whether the data registered in the SIS about you are correct, whether the access provisions have been complied with, and whether the data have been registered and used in accordance with the Schengen Information System Act.