The Visa Information System – VIS

VIS is a central IT system for the Schengen countries. It contains personal information, including fingerprints, about those who apply for a visitor’s visa and the name and address of the person or organisation who has invited them.

1. Who has access to the information in VIS?

The visa authorities have access to the information when they are processing applications.
Border control staff and the police have access to the information when they need to check someone’s identity, check if a visa is real or check whether someone meets the requirements for entering, staying in or living in one of the Schengen countries.
Asylum authorities have access to the information when they need to determine which EU/EEA country is responsible for processing an asylum application.
Other national authorities and Europol can request access to the information in special circumstances in order to prevent, detect and investigate terrorist offences and serious criminal offences.

2. How long is the information stored in VIS?

The information is stored in VIS for five years, counted from the date a visa expires, an application is rejected or an issued visa is changed.

3. You have the right to know what information is registered about you

If you are registered in VIS you have the right to know what information is registered about you. You also have the right to know which Schengen country has provided or registered the information.

If you wish to find out what information is registered about you, you must fill in the form Request for access to information in the Visa Information System (VIS) (pdf, 591 kB) and send it to the UDI by mail or email:

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration
Postboks 2098 Vika
NO-0125 Oslo
Norway

Email:

If any of the information about you is incorrect or missing, you can ask for it to be corrected. You must write a letter where you explain why the information is incorrect, and send it to the above address.

(the information above is from the UDI’s website: https://www.udi.no/en/word-definitions/visa-information-system-vis/)

The Data Protection Authority’s supervisory responsibility

The Norwegian Data Protection Authority is the supervisory authority for the processing of personal data in the national part of VIS. We shall supervise that the processing of data is done legally.

Complaints to the Data Protection Authority

If you are dissatisfied with the decision reached by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) concerning your request to access, rectify or erase data about you in the VIS, you can submit a complaint to us ( this information is only available in Norwegian).