Annexes to COM(2015)303 - Amendment of Regulation 1683/1995 laying down a uniform format for visas

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dossier COM(2015)303 - Amendment of Regulation 1683/1995 laying down a uniform format for visas.
document COM(2015)303 EN
date July  4, 2017
Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the association of those two States with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31).

(7) OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 52.

(8) Council Decision 2008/146/EC of 28 January 2008 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation's association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 1).

(9) OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 21.

(10) Council Decision 2011/350/EU of 7 March 2011 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation's association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, relating to the abolition of checks at internal borders and movement of persons (OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 19).


ANNEX

The Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 is replaced by the following:

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ANNEX


Security features

1.An integrated colour portrait of the holder shall be produced to high security standards.

2.A diffractive optically variable device (“Kinegram” or equivalent) shall appear in this space. Depending on the angle of view, the letters “EU”, “EUE” and kinematic guilloche lines shall become visible in various sizes and colours.

3.This box shall contain the three-letter country code as set out in ICAO Document 9303 on machine-readable travel documents of the issuing Member State, or the acronym “BNL” if issued by Belgium, Luxembourg or the Netherlands, in optically variable colouring. Depending on the angle of view, it shall appear in different colours.

4.The following shall appear, in capital letters, in this space:

(a)the word “VISA”. The issuing Member State may include the equivalent term in another official language of the institutions of the Union;

(b)the name of the issuing Member State, in English, French and another official language of the institutions of the Union;

(c)the three-letter country code of the issuing Member State, as set out in ICAO Document 9303.

5.This box shall contain the nine-digit national number of the visa sticker in horizontal orientation, which shall be pre-printed in black. A special font type shall be used.

6.This box shall contain the nine-digit national number of the visa sticker in vertical orientation, which shall be pre-printed in red. A special font type shall be used, different from that used in box 5. The “number of the visa sticker” is the three-letter country code as set out in ICAO Document 9303 and the national number as referred to in boxes 5 and 6.

7.This box shall contain the letters “EU” with a latent image effect. Those letters shall appear dark when tilted away from the viewer and light when then turned by 90°.

8.This box shall contain the code as referred to in box 3 with a latent image effect. That code shall appear dark when tilted away from the viewer and light when then turned by 90°.

Sections to be completed

The captions for the boxes shall appear in English and French. The issuing Member State may add a translation in another official language of the institutions of the Union.

9.This box shall begin with the words “valid for”. The issuing authority shall indicate the territory in which the visa holder is entitled to travel.

10.This box shall begin with the word “from” and the word “until” shall appear further along the line. The issuing authority shall indicate the period of the visa holder's stay as authorised by the visa. Further along the line the words “duration of stay” (i.e. the duration of the applicant's intended stay) and again “days” shall appear.

11.This box shall begin with the words “type of visa”. The issuing authority shall indicate the category of visa. Further along the line the words “Passport No” and “number of entries” shall appear.

12.This box shall begin with the words “issued in” and shall be used to indicate the location of the issuing authority. Further along the line the word “on” (after which the date of issue shall be filled in by the issuing authority) shall appear.

13.This box shall begin with the words “Surname, Name”.

14.This box shall begin with the word “remarks”. The area below the word “remarks” shall be used by the issuing authority to indicate any further information.

15.This box shall contain the relevant machine-readable information to facilitate external border controls. The machine-readable zone shall contain a printed text in the visible background printing with the words “European Union” in all the official languages of the institutions of the Union. This text shall not affect the technical features of the machine-readable zone or its ability to be read.

16.This box shall be reserved for the possible addition of a common 2D barcode.

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