Polish Airports' fingerprint Process

Polish Airports' fingerprint Process - Concentrated male master in protective glasses smoothing wooden plank with sander while creating wooden detail in workroom

Are there fingerprints taking processes at Polish airports for Schengen visa holders upon arrival and entry in the country?

Earlier, I got a visa from the French Embassy and my fingerprints had been taken in the embassy but not upon entering France. Now I am travelling to Poland and the Embassy didn't take fingerprints for the Schengen visa so I am wondering whether they would be taking them at the airport.



Best Answer

Fingerprints are stored in the Visa Information System (VIS) database for five years and can be reused for new visa applications. So the Polish consulate already has your fingerprints on file from the time you applied for a French visa and did not need to collect them again for your new visa.

Beyond that, some consulates are not equipped to collect biometrics (yet) as this is relatively new and still being rolled out, region by region (well, it started in 2011 but these things take time). In principle, all Schengen consulates should eventually do it everywhere, by the end of 2015.

Whatever the case may be, I am not aware of any systematic fingerprinting at airports when the fingerprints are not already on file. It would take a long time and serve little purpose, at least as far as visas are concerned because the main point of the biometrics is to make sure the person presenting herself at the border is indeed the same person who applied for the visa. But if you didn't collect any data during the application for comparison, that's moot.

Of course, border guards at the airport can always take fingerprints on a case-by-case basis to compare them with those in the VIS or possibly other databases like the SIS and EURODAC. In principle, a (mis)match should not automatically result in a removal but it would certainly lead to more extensive questioning.




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Do airports check fingerprints?

U.S. Department of Homeland Security officers use digital fingerprint scanners to collect up to 10 fingerprints from international travelers in order to identify them efficiently during the entry process.

Why do they take fingerprints at the airport?

Facial screening decreases the amount of airport staff that is need during the boarding process and in return travelers can board faster without having to show a boarding pass or ID.

Can you travel without fingerprints?

A visa applicant who refuses to be fingerprinted would have his or her visa application denied on the basis that it is incomplete. However, an applicant who then later decided to provide fingerprints would have his or her visa application re-considered without prejudice.

Do I need fingerprints for Schengen visa?

Applicants who submit their first application for a Schengen Visa will have their biometric data recorded in person, including fingerprints and a required passport-style photo. This is in addition to the information you submit about yourself, such as: your name. place of residence.



Poland walk - Warsaw Chopin Airport - 4K




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