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Migration and Home Affairs

What is SIS and how does it work?

Functionalities of SIS, as of 2023

Sharing information

New categories of alerts and more data are shared through SIS, ensuring that more complete and more reliable information is available to the authorities in countries that use SIS.

Biometrics

From March 2023, SIS contains the following types of biometrics to confirm and verify the identity of people registered in the system:

  • photographs
  • palm prints
  • fingerprints
  • fingermarks
  • palmmarks
  • DNA records (only in relation to missing persons)

Fingerprints, palm prints, fingermarks and palmmarks are used for biometric searches through the automated fingerprint identification system in SIS.

SIS does not yet use photograph and facial image recognition technology. The Commission must provide a report on the availability, readiness and reliability of such technology before this can be put in place. The European Parliament will be consulted on the report. Once this technology is put in place in SIS, countries will be able to use these tools at regular border crossing points. After that, the Commission may adopt delegated acts determining other circumstances in which photographs and facial images may be used to identify persons.

Counter-terrorism

More information is being shared on people and objects involved in terrorism-related activities, allowing national authorities to better pursue and prevent serious crimes and terrorism.

Since March 2021, countries have shared search “matches” on SIS alerts related to terrorist offences with Europol. Europol exchanges supplementary information with countries on SIS alerts related to terrorist offences through the SIRENE Bureaux.

Vulnerable persons

Competent authorities can issue alerts on missing persons that include additional data. They can also enter preventive alerts in the system to protect certain categories of vulnerable persons (children at risk of abduction or potential victims of terrorism, trafficking in human beings, gender-based violence, or armed conflict/hostilities).

Irregular migration

Return decisions are part of the information shared in the system to improve the effective enforcement of these decisions. Countries must enter alerts for refusal of entry or stay on people found to be staying in the EU illegally who are subject to entry bans issued in line with the Returns Directive.

Cooperation between registration authorities extended to boat, aircraft and firearms registration

National services responsible for the registration of boats, aircraft and firearms may consult SIS in order to check the legal status of objects presented to them for registration.

  • Boat registration services only have access to SIS alerts on boats and boat engines.
  • Aircraft registration services only have access to alerts on aircraft and aircraft engines.
  • Firearms registration services only have access to alerts for arrest for surrender or extradition, alerts for discreet, inquiry and specific checks and alerts on firearms for seizure or use as evidence.

Enhanced access for EU Agencies

Europol has access to all alert categories in SIS and exchanges supplementary information with countries on alerts related to crimes within its remit. The implementation of the access of European Border and Coast Guard Agency operational teams to SIS is ongoing.

Other updates in the pipeline

On 6 July 2022, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a new regulation enabling Europol to propose that EU countries enter alerts on suspected terrorists and criminals in SIS on the basis of information from non-EU countries. The regulation entered in force on 1 August 2022. The implementation of this new feature is ongoing.

Timeline for changes to SIS

  1. March 2023

    Renewed SIS was launched and became fully operational.

  2. December 2018

    The regulations entered into force on 28 December 2018.

  3. December 2016

    The Commission presented three proposals for regulations to improve and extend the use of SIS, covering the establishment, operation and use of the system for:

    • border management 
    • police cooperation and judicial cooperation in criminal matters
    • the return of illegally staying third country nationals

SIS alerts and rights of the individual

A SIS alert contains information about a particular person or object together with instructions for the authorities on what to do when the person or object has been found.

The specialised national SIRENE Bureaux located in each country serve as single points of contact for exchanging additional information and coordinating activities related to SIS alerts.

All data subjects have a right to:

  • access data relating to them
  • correct inaccurate data or erase data unlawfully stored in the system

Anyone who is the subject of alerts for returns or alerts for refusal of entry and stay has the right to be informed about the alert.

All data subjects have a right to bring proceedings before the courts or competent authorities to access, correct or delete data or to obtain compensation for damages suffered from breaches of data protection law in any of the countries that use SIS.

Related documents

General guidelines26 September 2022
Renewed SIS - presentation
Renewed SIS - presentation
English
(2.77 MB - PDF)
Download
  • Обновена ШИС — представяне
    български
    (2.07 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS renovado — presentación
    español
    (2.12 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Obnovený SIS – prezentace
    čeština
    (2.08 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Fornyet SIS — præsentation
    dansk
    (2.05 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Erneuertes SIS – Präsentation
    Deutsch
    (2.08 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Uuendatud SIS – tutvustus
    eesti
    (2.13 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Ανανεωμένο SIS - παρουσίαση
    ελληνικά
    (2.18 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Nouveau SIS — présentation
    français
    (2.13 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS athnuaite — cur i láthair
    Gaeilge
    (2.15 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Obnovljeni SIS – prezentacija
    hrvatski
    (2.18 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Nuovo SIS — presentazione
    italiano
    (2.13 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Atjaunināta SIS — iepazīstināšana ar
    latviešu
    (2.18 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Atnaujinta SIS - pristatymas
    lietuvių
    (2.16 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Megújított SIS – prezentáció
    magyar
    (1.73 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS imġedda — preżentazzjoni
    Malti
    (2.24 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Vernieuwd SIS — presentatie
    Nederlands
    (2.18 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Odnowiony SIS – prezentacja
    polski
    (2.17 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS renovado — apresentação
    português
    (2.14 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS reînnoit – prezentare
    română
    (2.17 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Obnovený SIS – prezentácia
    slovenčina
    (2.19 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Prenovljen SIS – predstavitev
    slovenščina
    (2.16 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Uudistettu SIS-järjestelmä – esittely
    suomi
    (2.16 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Förnyat SIS – presentation
    svenska
    (2.14 MB - PDF)
    Download
General guidelines20 April 2023
Renewed SIS - digital leaflet
Renewed SIS - digital leaflet
English
(1.04 MB - PDF)
Download
  • Обновена ШИС — цифрова брошура
    български
    (985.3 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS renovado — folleto digital
    español
    (1002.49 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Obnovený SIS – digitální leták
    čeština
    (987.25 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Fornyet SIS — digital folder
    dansk
    (1.01 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Erneuertes SIS – Digitales Faltblatt
    Deutsch
    (157.13 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Uuendatud SIS – digitaalne teabeleht
    eesti
    (1002.43 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Ανανεωμένο SIS - φυλλάδιο σε ψηφιακή μορφή
    ελληνικά
    (970.78 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Nouveau SIS — dépliant numérique
    français
    (989.64 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS Athnuaite — bileog dhigiteach
    Gaeilge
    (989.86 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Obnovljeni SIS – digitalna brošura
    hrvatski
    (1 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Nuovo SIS — opuscolo digitale
    italiano
    (1.02 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Atjaunināta SIS — digitāls buklets
    latviešu
    (999.01 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Atnaujinta SIS - skaitmeninė lankstinukas
    lietuvių
    (992.1 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Megújított SIS – digitális brosúra
    magyar
    (960.38 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS imġedda — fuljett diġitali
    Malti
    (1.01 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Vernieuwd SIS — digitale brochure
    Nederlands
    (1011 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Odnowiony SIS – ulotka cyfrowa
    polski
    (1.03 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS renovado — folheto digital
    português
    (1002.09 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • SIS reînnoit – broșură digitală
    română
    (1002.24 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Obnovený SIS – digitálny leták
    slovenčina
    (1.03 MB - PDF)
    Download
  • Prenovljen SIS – digitalna letaka
    slovenščina
    (1020.86 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Uudistettu SIS – digitaalinen esite
    suomi
    (969.11 KB - PDF)
    Download
  • Förnyat SIS – digital broschyr
    svenska
    (1.03 MB - PDF)
    Download