Why do heads of states not need fingerprinting for Schengen visa?
I was reading about Schengen visa requirements and have stumbled upon the following text in the Biometric Requirement Schengen Visa:
As of November 2, 2015 it is required that applicants for a Schengen visa type C ( Duration less than 90 days) will need to provide biometric data (fingerprints) when submitting an application. The biometric data of persons applying for a Schengen visa will be stored in a new Visa Information System (VIS).
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Exemptions from the obligation of fingerprinting are provided for the following categories of applicants only:
- Children under 12,
- Persons for whom the collection of fingerprints is physically impossible;
- Sovereigns and other senior members of a royal family, Heads of State and members of the national Governments (with their official delegations and spouses) if they travel for official purposes.
I can think of some reasons for the first category and can surely understand the reason for the second one. But why do royal family and members of national governments are not required to take fingerprints? Is it some sort of national security issue or just simplified process?
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Is fingerprinting required for Schengen Visa?
When arriving at the external border of the Schengen area, visa holders will have to provide their fingerprints for comparison with those registered in the VIS, if requested by Schengen States' border control authorities.Are you exempt from the requirement to provide biometrics?
Children who are under 5 years of age are exempt from the requirement to provide their biometric information. Therefore they do not need to attend at the visa application centre.Why do Schengen visas get rejected?
Your Schengen visa will be denied if the authorities believe you cannot afford your travel and living expenses in the Schengen area. In order for you visa application to be successful, you must successfully demonstrate that you can afford food, housing, travel, and all other costs associated with their trip.Is biometric required for France visa?
Biometrics. All visas issued by France are biometric visas. Any visa applicant aged 12 or older must submit his or her visa application in person. The following biometric data will be required: a photo (scanned or taken during your appointment), and ten individually-taken fingerprints.Schengen Area: How does it Work? (Visa, Residence Permit)
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