• Home /
• Statewatch Database /
• EU: Commission visa proposal

EU: Commission visa proposal

01 September 1994

In August the European Commission published its proposal for a new uniform visa to be used by EU states - a format already agreed by the nine Schengen countries in the EU. From 1 January 1996 all EU states will be expected to adopt this common format for all forms of visas - visitors up to three months, transit through a port or airport, and re-entry within a specified period.

The "security features" include: a sign of nine ellipses, the logo of the issuing country and a unique number. The single line sections to be completed give: the period of validity (s.6); the period of validity (s.7); number of entries and duration of stay (s.8); place of issue (s.9); date of issue and passport number (s.10); type of visa - A for airport transit, B normal transit, C period of stay (s.11).

S.12 will contain "Remarks" in two and a half lines which will contain "any further information which is considered necessary". S.13, a large blank space, is reserved for "the relevant machine- readable information to facilitate external border controls".

Article 4 of the proposal sets out "personal data protection". A person can apply to the issuing authority for a copy of any information which is only machine-readable and will be able to request information is rectified or erased if it is "inaccurate, irrelevant or excessive". As these terms are not defined a difference of opinion could occur between the individual and the issuing authority and the individual could consider information the authorities consider necessary as prejudicial. Moreover, the takeup by individuals of their right of access to official information is notoriously low because of the effort needed and the cost.

Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) laying down a uniform format for visas COM(94) 287 final 4.8.94 in the Official Journal no C 238 page 8 26.8.94.