The Schengen Information System, or SIS, is a database of information from all the Schengen countries.  It is meant to share Schengen-Visa-related information among all the Schengen Area countries.

One of the pieces of information the SIS contains are the names of people for whom an alert has been issued.  The alert is meant to tell all the Schengen Area countries to deny applications for Schengen Visas that these people make, and to deny them entry into the Schengen Area.

Any Schengen country can put an alert out on your name in the SIS, even if you didn’t ever file an application for a Schengen Visa with them. 

The SIS can have alerts on the names of people who are not even required to have a Schengen Visa.  If there is an alert on a person’s name, he/she won’t be allowed into the Schengen Area.

Information about people can be stored in the SIS for up to 10 years.  However, if the information is kept that long, the country that issued the alert must make a formal decision for that.  One of the reasons a decision like that might be made is if a person breaks laws entering or residing in the Schengen Area, or if a person has committed a crime in the country that issued the alert.



Spouses of EU Nationals Cannot Automatically Be Denied a Schengen Visa Due to an Alert in the SIS

In 2006, the Court of Justice of the European Communities decided that Schengen Visas cannot be automatically denied to you if you are married to an EU national and you have an alert out on your name in the SIS.  The country reviewing your application has to consider whether your presence would pose a serious threat that would be against the interests of society as a whole.



Your Right to See Your Own Information in the Schengen Information System

If the SIS contains information about you, you have the right to have access to your own information.  To get access to this information, you can contact any Schengen country.  Keep in mind that your access to this information will be subject to the laws/rules of the country you choose to contact with your request.

The European Data Protection Supervisor

The European Data Protection Supervisor is an independent authority created by the European Parliament and the Council.  The EDPS oversees how personal information is processed in the SIS.

Correcting or Deleting SIS Information

The only country that can change, correct or delete information related to an alert in the SIS about you is the country that issued an alert on you.
However, if the SIS contains incorrect information about you or information is being stored in the SIS illegally, you can have that information deleted.  To do so, you must contact the National Control Authority.



If you are unable to have incorrect information about you removed from the SIS, you can take the matter to court in the country that issued the alert on you.
If there is an alert on you in the SIS, you are still able to appeal a denial of your Schengen Visa application. 

Monitoring the Information in the SIS

To monitor the information in the SIS, every country in the Schengen Area has a National Control Authority.