1.The travel document of a third-country national who is a holder of a Facilitated Rail Transit Document issued in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 693/2003 shall be stamped on entry and exit. The travel document of a third-country national who is a holder of a valid Facilitated Transit Document issued in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 693/2003 and who performs his or her transit by train and does not disembark within the territory of a Member State shall also be stamped on entry and exit. Moreover, where provided expressly by its national law, a Member State may stamp on entry and exit the travel document of a third-country national holding a residence permit or a long-stay visa issued by that same Member State in accordance with Article 11 of this Regulation.

The travel documents of a third-country national entering or exiting, on the basis of a national short-stay visa issued for one or two entries, the territory of a Member State not yet fully applying the Schengen acquis but operating the EES shall be stamped on entry and on exit.

1a.The specifications of those stamps are laid down in the Schengen Executive Committee Decision SCH/COM-EX (94) 16 rev and SCH/Gem-Handb (93) 15 (CONFIDENTIAL).

2.The security codes on the stamps shall be changed at regular intervals not exceeding one month.

2a.On the entry and exit of third-country nationals subject to the visa obligation and to the stamping obligation, the stamp shall be affixed on the page facing the one on which the visa is affixed. However, if that page cannot be used, the stamp shall be entered on the following page. The machine readable zone shall not be stamped.

4.Member States shall designate national contact points responsible for exchanging information on the security codes of the entry and exit stamps used at border crossing points and shall inform the other Member States, the General Secretariat of the Council and the Commission thereof. Those contact points shall have access without delay to information regarding common entry and exit stamps used at the external border of the Member State concerned, and in particular to information on the following:

(a) the border crossing point to which a given stamp is assigned;

(b) the identity of the border guard to whom a given stamp is assigned at any given time;

Any inquiries regarding common entry and exit stamps shall be made through the abovementioned national contact points.

The national contact points shall also forward immediately to the other contact points, the General Secretariat of the Council and the Commission information regarding a change in the contact points as well as lost and stolen stamps.

ANNEX V

PART A

Procedures for refusing entry at the border

1.When refusing entry, the competent border guard shall:

(a) fill in the standard form for refusing entry, as shown in Part B. The third-country national concerned shall sign the form and shall be given a copy of the signed form. Where the third-country national refuses to sign, the border guard shall indicate this refusal in the form under the section ‘comments’;

(b) for third-country nationals whose entry for a short stay has been refused, register in the EES the data on refusal of entry in accordance with Article 6a(2) of this Regulation and Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226;

(c) annul or revoke the visas, as appropriate, in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 34 of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009;

(d) for third-country nationals whose refusals of entry are not to be registered into the EES, affix an entry stamp on the passport, cancelled by a cross in indelible black ink, and write opposite it on the right-hand side, also in indelible ink, the letter(s) corresponding to the reason(s) for refusing entry, the list of which is given on the standard form for refusing entry as shown in Part B of this Annex. In addition, for these categories of persons, the border guard shall record every refusal of entry in a register or on a list stating the identity and nationality of the third-country national concerned, the references of the document authorising the third-country national to cross the border and the reason for, and date of, refusal of entry.

The practical arrangements for stamping are set out in Annex IV.

2.If a third-country national who has been refused entry is brought to the border by a carrier, the authority responsible locally shall:

(a) order the carrier to take charge of the third-country national and transport him or her without delay to the third country from which he or she was brought, to the third country which issued the document authorising him or her to cross the border, or to any other third country where he or she is guaranteed admittance, or to find means of onward transportation in accordance with Article 26 of the Schengen Convention and Council Directive 2001/51/EC ([^E0028]);

(b) pending onward transportation, take appropriate measures, in compliance with national law and having regard to local circumstances, to prevent third-country nationals who have been refused entry from entering illegally.

3.If there are grounds both for refusing entry to a third-country national and arresting him or her, the border guard shall contact the authorities responsible to decide on the action to be taken in accordance with national law.

PART B

Standard form for refusal of entry at the border

Image omitted; see official source

Text of image

Name of State

Logo of State (Name of Office)

(¹)

REFUSAL OF ENTRY AT THE BORDER

On at (time) at the border crossing point

We, the undersigned, have before us:

Surname First name

Date of birth Place of birth Sex

Nationality Resident in

Type of identity document number

Issued in on

Visa number typeissued by

valid from until

For a period of days on the following grounds:

Coming from by means of (indicate means of transport used, e.g. flight number), he/she is hereby informed that he/she is refused entry into the country pursuant to (indicate references to the national law in force), for the following reasons:

(A) has no valid travel document(s)

(B) has a false/counterfeit/forged travel document

(D) has a false/counterfeit/forged visa or residence permit

(E) has no appropriate documentaion justifying the purpose and conditions of stay.

The following document(s) colud not be provided:

(F) has already stayed for 90 days in the preceding 180-day period on the territory of the Member States of the European Union

(G) does not have sufficient means of subsistence in relation to the period and form of stay, or the means to return to the country of origin or transit

(H) is a person for whom an alert has been issued for the purposes of refusing entry

in the SIS

in the national register

(I) is considered to be a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of one or more of the Member States of the European Union (each State must indicate the references to national law relating to such cases of refusal of entry).

Comments

The person concerned may appeal against the decision to refuse entry as provided for in national law. The person concerned receives a copy of this document (each State must indicate the references to the national law and procedure relating to the right of appeal).

Person concerned

Officer responsible for checks

(¹) No logo is required for Norway and Iceland.

ANNEX VI

Specific rules for the various types of border and the various means of transport used for crossing the Member States’ external borders

1. Land borders

1.1. Checks on road traffic

1.1.1. To ensure effective checks on persons, while ensuring the safety and smooth flow of road traffic, movements at border crossing points shall be regulated in an appropriate manner. Where necessary, Member States may conclude bilateral agreements to channel and block traffic. They shall inform the Commission thereof pursuant to Article 42.

1.1.2. At land borders, Member States may, where they deem appropriate and if circumstances allow, install or operate separate lanes at certain border crossing points, in accordance with Article 10.

Separate lanes may be dispensed with at any time by the Member States’ competent authorities, in exceptional circumstances and where traffic and infrastructure conditions so require.

Member States may cooperate with neighbouring countries with a view to the installation of separate lanes at external border crossing points.

1.1.3. As a general rule, persons travelling in vehicles may remain inside them during checks. However, if circumstances so require, persons may be requested to alight from their vehicles. Thorough checks will be carried out, if local circumstances allow, in areas designated for that purpose. In the interests of staff safety, checks will be carried out, where possible, by two border guards.

1.1.4. Shared border crossing points

1.1.4.1.Member States may conclude or maintain bilateral agreements with neighbouring third countries concerning the establishment of shared border crossing points, at which Member State border guards and third-country border guards carry out exit and entry checks one after another in accordance with their national law on the territory of the other party. Shared border crossing points may be located either on the territory of a Member State territory or on the territory of a third country.

1.1.4.2.Shared border crossing points located on Member State territory: bilateral agreements establishing shared border crossing points located on Member State territory shall contain an authorisation for third-country border guards to exercise their tasks in the Member State, respecting the following principles:

(a) International protection: a third-country national asking for international protection on Member State territory shall be given access to relevant Member State procedures in accordance with the Union asylum acquis.

(b) Arrest of a person or seizure of property: if third-country border guards become aware of facts justifying the arrest or placing under protection of a person or seizure of property, they shall inform Member State authorities of those facts and Member State authorities shall ensure an appropriate follow-up in accordance with national, Union and international law, independently of the nationality of the concerned person.

(c) Persons enjoying the right of free movement under Union law entering Union territory: third-country border guards shall not prevent persons enjoying the right of free movement under Union law from entering Union territory. If there are reasons justifying refusal of exit from the third country concerned, third-country border guards shall inform Member State authorities of those reasons and Member State authorities shall ensure an appropriate follow-up in accordance with national, Union and international law.

1.1.4.3.Shared border crossing points located on third-country territory: bilateral agreements establishing shared border crossing points located on third-country territory shall contain an authorisation for Member State border guards to perform their tasks in the third country. For the purpose of this Regulation, any check carried out by Member State border guards in a shared border crossing point located on the territory of a third country shall be deemed to be carried out on the territory of the Member State concerned. Member State border guards shall exercise their tasks in accordance with this Regulation and respecting the following principles:

(a) International protection: a third-country national who has passed exit control by third-country border guards and subsequently asks Member State border guards present in the third country for international protection, shall be given access to relevant Member State procedures in accordance with Union asylum acquis. Third-country authorities shall accept the transfer of the person concerned into Member State territory.

(b) Arrest of a person or seizure of property: if Member State border guards become aware of facts justifying the arrest or placing under protection of a person or seizure of property, they shall act in accordance with national, Union and international law. Third-country authorities shall accept a transfer of the person or object concerned into Member State territory.

(c) Access to IT systems: Member State border guards shall be able to use information systems processing personal data in accordance with Article 8. Member States shall be allowed to establish the technical and organisational security measures required by Union law to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction or accidental loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access, including access by third-country authorities.

1.1.4.4.Before concluding or amending any bilateral agreement on shared border crossing points with a neighbouring third country, the Member State concerned shall consult the Commission as to the compatibility of the agreement with Union law. Pre-existing bilateral agreements shall be notified to the Commission by 20 January 2014.

If the Commission considers the agreement to be incompatible with Union law, it shall notify the Member State concerned. The Member State shall take all appropriate steps to amend the agreement within a reasonable period in such a way as to eliminate the incompatibilities established.

1.2. Checks on rail traffic

1.2.1. Checks shall be carried out both on train passengers and on railway staff on trains crossing external borders, including those on goods trains or empty trains. Member States may conclude bilateral or multilateral agreements on how to conduct those checks respecting the principles set out in point 1.1.4. Those checks shall be carried out in one of the following ways:

— in the first station of arrival or last station of departure on the territory of a Member State;

— on board the train, during transit between the last station of departure in a third country and the first station of arrival on the territory of a Member State or vice versa;

— in the last station of departure or the first station of arrival on the territory of a third country.

1.2.2. In addition, in order to facilitate rail traffic flows of high-speed passenger trains, the Member States on the itinerary of these trains from third countries may also decide, by common agreement with third countries concerned respecting the principles set out in point 1.1.4., to carry out entry checks on persons on trains from third countries in either one of the following ways:

— in the stations in a third country where persons board the train;

— in the stations where persons disembark within the territory of the Member States;

— on board the train during transit between stations on the territory of a third country and stations on the territory of the Member States, provided that the persons stay on board the train.

1.2.3. With respect to high-speed trains from third countries making several stops in the territory of the Member States, if the rail transport carrier is in a position to board passengers exclusively for the remaining part of the journey within the territory of the Member States, such passengers shall be subject to entry checks either on the train or at the station of destination except where checks have been carried out pursuant to points 1.2.1 or 1.2.2 first indent.

Persons who wish to take the train exclusively for the remaining part of the journey within the territory of the Member States shall receive clear notification prior to the train’s departure that they will be subject to entry checks during the journey or at the station of destination.

1.2.4. When travelling in the opposite direction, the persons on board the train shall be subject to exit checks under similar arrangements.

1.2.5. The border guard may order the cavities of carriages to be inspected if necessary with the assistance of the train inspector, to ensure that persons or objects subject to border checks are not concealed in them.

1.2.6. Where there are reasons to believe that persons who have been reported or are suspected of having committed an offence, or third-country nationals intending to enter illegally, are hiding on a train, the border guard, if he or she cannot act in accordance with his national provisions, shall notify the Member States towards or within whose territory the train is moving.

2. Air borders

2.1. Procedures for checks at international airports

2.1.1.The competent authorities of the Member States shall ensure that the airport operator takes the requisite measures to physically separate the flows of passengers on internal flights from the flows of passengers on other flights. Appropriate infrastructures shall be set in place at all international airports to that end.

2.1.2.The place where border checks are carried out shall be determined in accordance with the following procedure:

(a) passengers on a flight from a third country who board an internal flight shall be subject to an entry check at the airport of arrival of the flight from a third country. Passengers on an internal flight who board a flight for a third country (transfer passengers) shall be subject to an exit check at the airport of departure of the latter flight;

(b) for flights from or to third countries with no transfer passengers and flights making more than one stop-over at the airports of the Member States where there is no change of aircraft:
(i) passengers on flights from or to third countries where there is no prior or subsequent transfer within the territory of the Member States shall be subject to an entry check at the airport of entry and an exit check at the airport of exit;
(ii) passengers on flights from or to third countries with more than one stop-over on the territory of the Member States where there is no change of aircraft (transit passengers), and provided that passengers cannot board the aircraft for the leg situated within the territory of the Member States, shall be subject to an entry check at the airport of arrival and an exit check at the airport of departure;
(iii) where an airline may, for flights from third countries with more than one stop-over within the territory of the Member States, board passengers only for the remaining leg within that territory, passengers shall be subject to an exit check at the airport of departure and an entry check at the airport of arrival. Checks on passengers who, during those stop-overs, are already on board the aircraft and have not boarded in the territory of the Member States shall be carried out in accordance with point (ii). The reverse procedure shall apply to that category of flights where the country of destination is a third country.

2.1.3.Border checks will normally not be carried out on the aircraft or at the gate, unless it is justified on the basis of an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration. In order to ensure that, at the airports designated as border crossing points, persons are checked in accordance with the rules set out in Articles 7 to 14, Member States shall ensure that the airport authorities take the requisite measures to channel passenger traffic to facilities reserved for checks.

Member States shall ensure that the airport operator takes the necessary measures to prevent unauthorised persons entering and leaving the reserved areas, for example the transit area. Checks will normally not be carried out in the transit area, unless it is justified on the basis of an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration; in particular checks in this area may be carried out on persons subject to an airport transit visa in order to check that they are in possession of such a visa.

2.1.4.Where, in cases of force majeure or imminent danger or on the instructions of the authorities, an aircraft on a flight from a third country has to land on a landing ground which is not a border crossing point, that aircraft may continue its flight only after authorisation from the border guards and from customs. The same shall apply where an aircraft on a flight from a third country lands without permission. In any event, Articles 7 to 14 shall apply to checks on persons on those aircraft.

2.2. Procedures for checks in aerodromes

2.2.1.It shall be ensured that persons are also checked, in accordance with Articles 7 to 14, in airports which do not hold the status of international airport under the relevant national law (aerodromes) but through which the routing of flights from or to third countries is authorised.

2.2.2.By way of derogation from point 2.1.1 it shall not be necessary to make appropriate arrangements in aerodromes to ensure that inflows of passengers from internal and other flights are physically separated, without prejudice to Regulation (EC) No 300/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council ([^E0029]). In addition, when the volume of traffic is low, the border guards need not be present at all times, provided that there is a guarantee that the necessary personnel can be deployed in good time.

2.2.3.When the presence of the border guards is not assured at all times in the aerodrome, the manager of the aerodrome shall give adequate notice to the border guards about the arrival and the departure of aircrafts on flights from or to third countries.

2.3. Checks on persons on private flights

2.3.1.In the case of private flights from or to third countries the captain shall transmit to the border guards of the Member State of destination and, where appropriate, of the Member State of first entry, prior to take-off, a general declaration comprising inter alia a flight plan in accordance with Annex 2 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and information concerning the passengers’ identity.

2.3.2.Where private flights coming from a third country and bound for a Member State make stop-overs in the territory of other Member States, the competent authorities of the Member State of entry shall carry out border checks and affix an entry stamp to the general declaration referred to in point 2.3.1.

2.3.3.Where uncertainty exists whether a flight is exclusively coming from, or solely bound for, the territories of the Member States without stop-over on the territory of a third country, the competent authorities shall carry out checks on persons in airports and aerodromes in accordance with points 2.1 to 2.2.

2.3.4.The arrangements for the entry and exit of gliders, micro-light aircraft, helicopters, small-scale aircraft capable of flying short distances only and airships shall be laid down by national law and, where applicable, by bilateral agreements.

3. Sea borders

3.1. General checking procedures on maritime traffic

3.1.1.Checks on ships shall be carried out at the port of arrival or departure, or in an area set aside for that purpose, located in the immediate vicinity of the vessel or on board ship in the territorial waters as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Member States may conclude agreements according to which checks may also be carried out during crossings or, upon the ship’s arrival or departure, on the territory of a third country, respecting the principles set out in point 1.1.4.

3.1.2.The master, the ship’s agent or some other person duly authorised by the master or authenticated in a manner acceptable to the public authority concerned (in both cases ‘the master’), shall draw up a list of the crew and any passengers containing the information required in the forms 5 (crew list) and 6 (passenger list) of the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention) as well as, where applicable, the visa or residence permit numbers:

— at the latest twenty-four hours before arriving in the port, or

— at the latest at the time the ship leaves the previous port, if the voyage time is less than twenty-four hours, or

— if the port of call is not known or it is changed during the voyage, as soon as this information is available.

The master shall communicate the list(s) to the border guards or, if national law so provides, to other relevant authorities which shall forward the list(s) without delay to the border guards.

3.1.3.A confirmation of receipt (signed copy of the list(s) or an electronic receipt confirmation) shall be returned to the master by the border guards or by the authorities referred to in point 3.1.2., who shall produce it on request when the ship is in port.

3.1.4.The master shall promptly report to the competent authority any changes to the composition of the crew or the number of passengers.

In addition, the master shall notify the competent authorities promptly, and within the time-limit set out in point 3.1.2., of the presence on board of stowaways. Stowaways, however, remain under the responsibility of the master.

By way of derogation from Articles 5 and 8, no systematic border checks shall be carried out on persons staying aboard. Nevertheless a search of the ship and checks on the persons staying aboard shall be carried out by border guards only when this is justified on the basis of an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration.

3.1.5.The master shall notify the competent authority of the ship’s departure in due time and in accordance with the rules in force in the port concerned.

3.2. Specific check procedures for certain types of shipping

Cruise ships

3.2.1.The cruise ship’s master shall transmit to the competent authority the itinerary and the programme of the cruise, as soon as they have been established and no later than within the time-limit set out in point 3.1.2.

3.2.2.If the itinerary of a cruise ship comprises exclusively ports situated in the territory of the Member States, by way of derogation from Articles 5 and 8, no border checks shall be carried out and the cruise ship may dock at ports which are not border crossing points.

Nevertheless, checks shall be carried out on the crew and passengers of those ships only when this is justified on the basis of an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration.

3.2.3.If the itinerary of a cruise ship comprises both ports situated in the territory of the Member States and ports situated in third countries, by way of derogation from Article 8, border checks shall be carried out as follows:

(a) where the cruise ship comes from a port situated in a third country and calls for the first time at a port situated in the territory of a Member State, crew and passengers shall be subject to entry checks on the basis of the nominal lists of crew and passengers, as referred to in point 3.1.2. Passengers going ashore shall be subject to entry checks in accordance with Article 8 unless an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration shows that there is no need to carry out such checks;

(b) where the cruise ship comes from a port situated in a third country and calls again at a port situated in the territory of a Member State, crew and passengers shall be subject to entry checks on the basis of the nominal lists of crew and passengers as referred to in point 3.1.2. to the extent that those lists have been modified since the cruise ship called at the previous port situated in the territory of a Member State. Passengers going ashore shall be subject to entry checks in accordance with Article 8 unless an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration shows that there is no need to carry out such checks;

(c) where the cruise ship comes from a port situated in a Member State and calls at such a port, passengers going ashore shall be subject to entry checks in accordance with Article 8 if an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration so requires;

(d) where a cruise ship departs from a port situated in a Member State to a port in a third country, crew and passengers shall be subject to exit checks on the basis of the nominal lists of crew and passengers. If an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration so requires, passengers going on board shall be subject to exit checks in accordance with Article 8;

(e) where a cruise ship departs from a port situated in a Member State to such a port, no exit checks shall be carried out. Nevertheless, checks shall be carried out on the crew and passengers of those ships only when this is justified on the basis of an assessment of the risks related to internal security and illegal immigration.

Pleasure boating

3.2.4.By way of derogation from Articles 5 and 8, persons on board a pleasure boat coming from or departing to a port situated in a Member State shall not be subject to border checks and may enter a port which is not a border crossing point.

However, according to the assessment of the risks of illegal immigration, and in particular where the coastline of a third country is located in the immediate vicinity of the territory of the Member State concerned, checks on those persons and/or a physical search of the pleasure boat shall be carried out.

3.2.5.By way of derogation from Article 5, a pleasure boat coming from a third country may, exceptionally, enter a port which is not a border crossing point. In that case, the persons on board shall notify the port authorities in order to be authorised to enter that port. The port authorities shall contact the authorities in the nearest port designated as a border crossing point in order to report the vessel’s arrival. The declaration regarding passengers shall be made by lodging the list of persons on board with the port authorities. That list shall be made available to the border guards, at the latest upon arrival.

Likewise, if for reasons of force majeure the pleasure boat coming from a third country has to dock in a port other than a border crossing point, the port authorities shall contact the authorities in the nearest port designated as a border crossing point in order to report the vessel’s presence.

3.2.6.During those checks, a document containing all the technical characteristics of the vessel and the names of the persons on board shall be handed in. A copy of that document shall be given to the authorities in the ports of entry and departure. As long as the vessel remains in the territorial waters of one of the Member States, a copy of that document shall be included amongst the ship’s papers.

Coastal fishing

3.2.7.By way of derogation from Articles 5 and 8, the crews of coastal fisheries vessels which return every day or within 36 hours to the port of registration or to any other port situated in the territory of the Member States without docking in a port situated in the territory of a third country shall not be systematically checked. Nevertheless, the assessment of the risks of illegal immigration, in particular where the coastline of a third country is located in the immediate vicinity of the territory of the Member State concerned, shall be taken into account in order to determine the frequency of the checks to be carried out. According to those risks, checks on persons and/or a physical search of the vessel shall be carried out.

3.2.8.The crews of coastal fisheries vessels not registered in a port situated in the territory of a Member State shall be checked in accordance with the provisions relating to seamen.

Ferry connections

3.2.9.Checks shall be carried out on persons on board ferry connections with ports situated in third countries. The following rules shall apply:

(a) where possible, Member States shall provide separate lanes, in accordance with Article 10;

(b) checks on foot passengers shall be carried out individually;

(d) ferry passengers travelling by coach shall be considered as foot passengers. Those passengers shall alight from the coach for the checks;

(e) checks on drivers of heavy goods vehicles and any accompanying persons shall be conducted while the occupants are at the vehicle. Those checks will in principle be organised separately from checks on the other passengers;

(f) to ensure that checks are carried out quickly, there shall be an adequate number of gates;

(g) so as to detect illegal immigrants in particular, random searches shall be made on the means of transport used by the passengers, and where applicable on the loads and other goods stowed in the means of transport;

(h) ferry crew members shall be dealt with in the same way as commercial ship crew members;

(i) point 3.1.2. (obligation to submit passenger and crew lists) does not apply. If a list of the persons on board has to be drawn up in accordance with Council Directive 98/41/EC ([^E0030]), a copy of that list shall be transmitted not later than thirty minutes after departure from a third-country port by the master to the competent authority of the port of arrival on the territory of the Member States.

3.2.10.Where a ferry coming from a third country with more than one stop within the territory of the Member States takes passengers on board only for the remaining leg within that territory, those passengers shall be subject to an exit check at the port of departure and an entry check at the port of arrival.

Checks on persons who, during those stop-overs, are already on board the ferry and have not boarded in the territory of the Member States shall be carried out at the port of arrival. The reverse procedure shall apply where the country of destination is a third country.

Cargo connections between Member States

3.2.11.By way of derogation from Article 8, no border checks shall be carried out on cargo connections between the same two or more ports situated on the territory of the Member States, not calling at any ports outside the territory of the Member States and consisting of the transport of goods.

Nevertheless, checks shall be carried out on the crew and passengers of those ships only when they are justified on the basis of an assessment of the risks relating to internal security and illegal immigration.

4. Inland waterways shipping

4.1.‘Inland waterways shipping involving the crossing of an external border’ covers the use, for business or pleasure purposes, of all types of boat and floating vessels on rivers, canals and lakes.

4.2.As regards boats used for business purposes, the captain and the persons employed on board who appear on the crew list and members of the families of those persons who live on board shall be regarded as crew members or equivalent.

4.3.The relevant provisions of points 3.1 to 3.2 shall apply mutatis mutandis to checks on inland waterways shipping.

ANNEX VII

Special rules for certain categories of persons

1. Heads of State

Heads of Government and members of national government with accompanying spouses, and members of their official delegation, and sovereigns and other senior members of a royal family.

By way of derogation from Article 6 and Articles 8 to 14, Heads of State, Heads of Government and members of national government with accompanying spouses, and members of their official delegation, and sovereigns and other senior members of a royal family, invited by Member States’ governments or by international organisations for an official purpose and whose arrival and departure have been officially announced through diplomatic channels, shall not be subject to border checks.

2. Pilots of aircraft and other crew members

2.1.By way of derogation from Article 6 the holders of a pilot’s licence or a crew member certificate as provided for in Annex 9 to the Civil Aviation Convention of 7 December 1944 may, in the course of their duties and on the basis of those documents:

(a) embark and disembark in the stop-over airport or the airport of arrival situated in the territory of a Member State;

(b) enter the territory of the municipality of the stop-over airport or the airport of arrival situated in the territory of a Member State;

(c) go, by any means of transport, to an airport situated in the territory of a Member State in order to embark on an aircraft departing from that same airport.

In all other cases, the requirements provided for by Article 6(1) shall be fulfilled.

2.2.Articles 7 to 14 shall apply to checks on aircraft crew members. Wherever possible, priority will be given to checks on aircraft crews. Specifically, they will be checked either before passengers or at special locations set aside for the purpose. By way of derogation from Article 8, crews known to staff responsible for border controls in the performance of their duties may be subject to random checks only.

3. Seamen

By way of derogation from Articles 5 and 8, Member States may authorise seamen holding a seafarer’s identity document issued in accordance with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention No 108 (1958) or No 185 (2003), the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention) and the relevant national law, to enter the territory of the Member States by going ashore to stay in the area of the port where their ships call or in the adjacent municipalities, or exit the territory of the Member States by returning to their ships, without presenting themselves at a border crossing point, on condition that they appear on the crew list, which has previously been submitted for checking by the competent authorities, of the ship to which they belong.

However, on the basis of an assessment of the risks of internal security and illegal immigration, seamen shall be subject to a check in accordance with Article 8 by the border guards before they go ashore.

4. Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports and members of international organisations

4.1.In view of the special privileges or immunities they enjoy, the holders of diplomatic, official or service passports issued by third countries or their Governments recognised by the Member States, as well as the holders of documents issued by the international organisations listed in point 4.4 who are travelling in the course of their duties, may be given priority over other travellers at border crossing points even though they remain, where applicable, subject to the requirement for a visa.

By way of derogation from Article 6(1)(c), persons holding those documents shall not be required to prove that they have sufficient means of subsistence.

4.2.If a person presenting himself or herself at the external border invokes privileges, immunities and exemptions, the border guard may require him or her to provide evidence of his or her status by producing the appropriate documents, in particular certificates issued by the accrediting State or a diplomatic passport or other means. If he or she has doubts, the border guard may, in case of urgent need, apply direct to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

4.3.Accredited members of diplomatic missions and of consular representations and their families may enter the territory of the Member States on presentation of the card referred to in Article 20(2) and of the document authorising them to cross the border. Moreover, by way of derogation from Article 14 border guards may not refuse the holders of diplomatic, official or service passports entry to the territory of the Member States without first consulting the appropriate national authorities. This shall also apply where an alert has been entered in the SIS for such persons.

4.4.The documents issued by the international organisations for the purposes specified in point 4.1 are in particular the following:

— United Nations laissez-passer issued to staff of the United Nations and subordinate agencies under the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of Specialised Agencies adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 21 November 1947 in New York,

— European Union (EU) laissez-passer,

— European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) laissez-passer,

— legitimacy certificate issued by the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe,

— documents issued pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article III of the Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the Status of their Force (military ID cards accompanied by a travel order, travel warrant, or an individual or collective movement order) as well as documents issued in the framework of the Partnership for Peace.

5. Cross-border workers

5.1.The procedures for checking cross-border workers are governed by the general rules on border control, in particular Articles 8 and 14.

5.2.By way of derogation from Article 8, cross-border workers who are well known to the border guards owing to their frequent crossing of the border at the same border crossing point and who have not been revealed by an initial check to be the subject of an alert in the SIS or in a national data file shall be subject only to random checks to ensure that they hold a valid document authorising them to cross the border and fulfil the necessary entry conditions. Thorough checks shall be carried out on those persons from time to time, without warning and at irregular intervals.

5.3.The provisions of point 5.2 may be extended to other categories of regular cross-border commuters.

6. Minors

6.1.Border guards shall pay particular attention to minors, whether travelling accompanied or unaccompanied. Minors crossing an external border shall be subject to the same checks on entry and exit as adults, as provided for in this Regulation.

6.2.In the case of accompanied minors, the border guard shall check that the persons accompanying minors have parental care or legal guardianship over them, especially where minors are accompanied by only one adult and there are serious grounds for suspecting that they may have been unlawfully removed from the custody of the persons legally exercising parental care or legal guardianship over them. In the latter case, the border guard shall carry out a further investigation in order to detect any inconsistencies or contradictions in the information given.

6.3.In the case of minors travelling unaccompanied, border guards shall ensure, by means of thorough checks on travel documents and supporting documents, that the minors do not leave the territory against the wishes of the persons having parental care or legal guardianship over them.

6.4.Member States shall nominate national contact points for consultation on minors and inform the Commission thereof. A list of those national contact points shall be made available to the Member States by the Commission.

6.5.Where there is doubt as to any of the circumstances set out in points 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3, border guards shall make use of the list of national contact points for consultation on minors.

6.6.Member States shall ensure that border guards verifying biometrics of children or using them to identify a child are specifically trained to do so in a child-friendly and child-sensitive manner and in full respect of the best interests of the child and the safeguards laid down in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. When accompanied by a parent or a legal guardian that person shall accompany the child when the biometrics are verified or used for identification. No force shall be used. Member States shall ensure, where necessary, that the infrastructure at border crossing points is adapted for the use of biometrics of children.

7. Rescue services, police, fire brigades and border guards

The arrangements for the entry and exit of members of rescue services, police, fire brigades acting in emergency situations as well as border guards crossing the border in exercise of their professional tasks shall be laid down by national law. Member States may conclude bilateral agreements with third countries on the entry and exit of those categories of persons. These arrangements and bilateral agreements may provide for derogations from Articles 5, 6 and 8.

8. Offshore workers

By way of derogation from Articles 5 and 8, offshore workers who regularly return by sea or air to the territory of the Member States without having stayed on the territory of a third country shall not be systematically checked.

Nevertheless, an assessment of the risks of illegal immigration, in particular where the coastline of a third country is located in the immediate vicinity of an offshore site, shall be taken into account in order to determine the frequency of the checks to be carried out.

ANNEX VIII

Image omitted; see official source

Text of image

Name of State

Logo of State … (Name of Office)

(¹)

APPROVAL OF THE EVIDENCE REGARDING THE RESPECT OF THE CONDITION OF THE DURATION OF A SHORT STAY IN CASES WHERE THE TRAVEL DOCUMENT DOES NOT BEAR AN ENTRY OR EXIT STAMP

On at (time) at (place)

We, the undersigning authority, have before us:

Surname First name

Date of birth Place of birth Sex:

Nationality Resident in

Travel document number

Issued in on

Visa number (if applicable) issued by

for a period of days on the following grounds:

Having regard to the evidence relating to the duration of his/her stay on the territory of the Member States that he/she) has provided, he/she) is considered to have entered or left the territory of the Member State on at at the border crossing point

Contact details of the undersigning authority:

Tel

Fax:

e-mail:

The person concerned will receive a copy of this document.

Person concerned

Officer responsible + stamp

(¹) No logo is required for Norway and Iceland.

ANNEX IX

Repealed Regulation with list of its successive amendments


Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 105, 13.4.2006, p. 1)
Regulation (EC) No 296/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 97, 9.4.2008, p. 60)
Regulation (EC) No 81/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 35, 4.2.2009, p. 56)
Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 243, 15.9.2009, p. 1)	Only Article 55
Regulation (EU) No 265/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 85, 31.3.2010, p. 1)	Only Article 2
Point 9 of Annex V to the 2011 Act of Accession
Regulation (EU) No 610/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 182, 29.6.2013, p. 1)	Only Article 1
Regulation (EU) No 1051/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 295, 6.11.2013, p. 1)

ANNEX X

Correlation table

Regulation (EC) No 562/2006	This Regulation
Article 1	Article 1
Article 2, introductory wording	Article 2, introductory wording
Article 2, points (1) to (8)	Article 2, points (1) to (8)
Article 2, point (8a)	Article 2, point 9
Article 2, point 9	Article 2, point 10
Article 2, point 10	Article 2, point 11
Article 2, point 11	Article 2, point 12
Article 2, point 12	Article 2, point 13
Article 2, point 13	Article 2, point 14
Article 2, point 14	Article 2, point 15
Article 2, point 15	Article 2, point 16
Article 2, point 16	Article 2, point 17
Article 2, point 17	Article 2, point 18
Article 2, point 18	Article 2, point 19
Article 2, point 18a	Article 2, point 20
Article 2, point 19	Article 2, point 21
Article 3	Article 3
Article 3a	Article 4
Article 4	Article 5
Article 5(1)	Article 6(1)
Article 5(1a)	Article 6(2)
Article 5(2)	Article 6(3)
Article 5(3)	Article 6(4)
Article 5(4)	Article 6(5)
Article 6	Article 7
Article 7(1) and (2)	Article 8(1) and (2)
Article 7(3)(a)	Article 8(3)(a)
Article 7(3)(aa)	Article 8(3)(b)
Article 7(3)(ab)	Article 8(3)(c)
Article 7(3)(ac)	Article 8(3)(d)
Article 7(3)(ad)	Article 8(3)(e)
Article 7(3)(ae)	Article 8(3)(f)
Article 7(3)(b)	Article 8(3)(g)
Article 7(3)(c)	Article 8(3)(h)
Article 7(3)(d)	Article 8(3)(i)
Article 8	Article 9
Article 9(1)	Article 10(1)
Article 9(2), first subparagraph, point (a)	Article 10(2), first and second subparagraphs
Article 9(2), first subparagraph, point (b)	Article 10(2), third subparagraph
Article 9(2), second subparagraph	Article 10(2), fourth subparagraph
Article 9(2), third subparagraph	Article 10(2), fifth subparagraph
Article 9(3) and (4)	Article 10(3) and (4)
Article 10(1) to (5)	Article 11(1) to (5)
Article 10(6)	—
Article 11	Article 12
Article 12	Article 13
Article 13	Article 14
Article 14	Article 15
Article 15	Article 16
Article 16	Article 17
Article 17	Article 18
Article 18	Article 19
Article 19	Article 20
Article 19a (Chapter IV)	—
Article 19a (Chapter IVa)	Article 21
Article 20	Article 22
Article 21	Article 23
Article 22	Article 24
Article 23	Article 25
Article 23a	Article 26
Article 24	Article 27
Article 25	Article 28
Article 26	Article 29
Article 26a	Article 30
Article 27	Article 31
Article 28	Article 32
Article 29	Article 33
Article 30	Article 34
Article 31	Article 35
Article 32	Article 36
Article 33	Article 37
Article 33a	Article 38
Article 34	Article 39
Article 35	Article 40
Article 36	Article 41
Article 37	Article 42
Article 37a	Article 43
Article 38	—
Article 39	Article 44
Article 40	Article 45
Annexes I to VIII	Annexes I to VIII
—	Annex IX
—	Annex X

ANNEX XI

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

Part A

Categories of persons referred to in Article 21a(4):

1. healthcare professionals, health researchers and elderly care professionals;

1. frontier workers;

1. transport personnel;

1. diplomats, staff of international organisations and people invited by international organisations whose physical presence is required for the well-functioning of these organisations, military personnel and humanitarian aid workers and civil protection personnel in the exercise of their functions;

1. passengers in transit;

1. passengers travelling for imperative family reasons;

1. seafarers;

1. persons in need of international protection or needing to enter for other humanitarian reasons.

Part B

Categories of persons referred to in Article 21a(5):

1. children in early childhood education and care and pupils in education in a neighbouring country and their guardians who accompany them, who cross the border for the purpose of receiving such education, as well as students or persons travelling for educational purposes;

1. seasonal workers, including food-producing workers;

1. persons travelling for compelling reasons of animal care or for measures necessary for agriculture and forestry in individual cases;

1. highly qualified workers as well as key and scientific staff whose employment is necessary from an economic, societal and security perspective and whose work cannot be postponed or performed abroad;

1. personnel of the public authorities for defence, public policy, public health and national security, i.e. police staff, border police, immigration, public health, civil protection departments, etc. or representatives of law enforcement authorities, if the travel is related to the performance of official duties, including personnel responsible for operating and maintaining critical infrastructure;

1. fishermen and persons performing work or providing services on ships or offshore mining and drilling platforms, based on an employment relationship other than a maritime employment contract;

1. persons entering the Member State for the purpose of receiving essential medical services, including occupants of emergency vehicles;

1. spouses (married, civil partner, cohabiting partner) and children of an essential traveller, including third-country nationals travelling for family reunification;

1. third-country nationals travelling to respond to a summons by a judicial authority;

1. persons in possession of an International Press Card issued by the International Federation for Journalists;

1. care-dependent persons travelling to their care-takers.

ANNEX XII

Part A

Procedure for transferring persons apprehended in internal border areas

1.Transfer decisions pursuant to Article 23a(2) shall be issued by means of a standard form, as set out in Part B of this Annex, completed by the competent national authority. They shall take effect immediately.

2.The completed standard form shall be handed to the third-country national concerned, who shall acknowledge receipt of the transfer decision by signing the form and shall be given a copy of the signed form.

Where the third-country national refuses to sign the standard form, the competent authority shall indicate this refusal in the form under the section ‘comments’.

3.The national authorities issuing a transfer decision shall record the data on the standard form set out in Part B of this Annex.

4.The national authorities issuing a transfer decision shall inform the Commission yearly on the number of persons transferred to other Member States, indicating the Member State(s) to which the persons were transferred, grounds for finding that those persons had no right to stay in the Member State and, where available, the nationality of the third-country nationals apprehended.

5.Third-country nationals apprehended in border areas and transferred under this procedure shall have the right to appeal. Appeals against the transfer decision shall be conducted in accordance with national law. The third-country nationals shall be provided with an effective remedy in accordance with Article 47 of the Charter. A written indication of contact points able to provide information on representatives competent to act on behalf of the third-country national in accordance with national law shall also be given to the third-country national in a language that they understand or are reasonably supposed to understand. Lodging such an appeal shall not have suspensive effect.

6.The competent national authorities shall ensure that the third-country national subject to a transfer decision is transferred, in the framework of bilateral cooperation as referred to in Article 23a, paragraph 1(a), to the competent authorities of the receiving Member State. The transfer shall take place immediately and within 24 hours at the latest. After that, the transfer procedure cannot take place and the relevant provisions of the Directive 2008/115/EC shall apply where appropriate. The competent national authorities of the receiving Member State shall cooperate with the competent national authorities of the transferring Member State to that end.

Part B

Standard form for transferring persons apprehended in internal border areas

Image omitted; see official source

[^E0001]: Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States amending Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 and repealing Directives 64/221/EEC, 68/360/EEC, 72/194/EEC, 73/148/EEC, 75/34/EEC, 75/35/EEC, 90/364/EEC, 90/365/EEC and 93/96/EEC (OJ L 158, 30.4.2004, p. 77).

[^E0002]: Regulation (EC) No 1987/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the establishment, operation and use of the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) (OJ L 381, 28.12.2006, p. 4).

[^E0003]: Council Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002 of 13 June 2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals (OJ L 157, 15.6.2002, p. 1).

[^E0004]: Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 of 29 May 1995 laying down a uniform format for visas (OJ L 164, 14.7.1995, p. 1).

[^E0005]: Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2017 establishing an Entry/Exit System (EES) to register entry and exit data and refusal of entry data of third-country nationals crossing the external borders of the Member States and determining the conditions for access to the EES for law enforcement purposes, and amending the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement and Regulations (EC) No 767/2008 and (EU) No 1077/2011 (OJ L 327, 9.12.2017, p. 20).

[^E0006]: Regulation (EU) 2024/1359 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 addressing situations of crisis and force majeure in the field of migration and asylum and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 (OJ L, 2024/1359, 22.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1359/oj).

[^E0007]: Council Directive 2003/109/EC of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents (OJ L 16, 23.1.2004, p. 44).

[^E0008]: Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1).

[^E0009]: Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 concerning the Visa Information System (VIS) and the exchange of data between Member States on short-stay visas (VIS Regulation) (OJ L 218, 13.8.2008, p. 60).

[^E0010]: Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code) (OJ L 243, 15.9.2009, p. 1).

[^E0011]: Council Regulation (EC) No 333/2002 of 18 February 2002 on a uniform format for forms for affixing the visa issued by Member States to persons holding travel documents not recognised by the Member State drawing up the form (OJ L 53, 23.2.2002, p. 4).

[^E0012]: Directive 2014/66/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer (OJ L 157, 27.5.2014, p. 1).

[^E0013]: Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing (OJ L 132, 21.5.2016, p. 21).

[^E0014]: Regulation (EC) No 1931/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 laying down rules on local border traffic at the external land borders of the Member States and amending the provisions of the Schengen Convention (OJ L 405, 30.12.2006, p. 1).

[^E0015]: Council Regulation (EC) No 693/2003 of 14 April 2003 establishing a specific Facilitated Transit Document (FTD), a Facilitated Rail Transit Document (FRTD) and amending the Common Consular Instructions and the Common Manual (OJ L 99, 17.4.2003, p. 8).

[^E0016]: Regulation (EU) 2016/1624 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2016 on the European Border and Coast Guard and amending Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EC) No 863/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 and Council Decision 2005/267/EC (OJ L 251, 16.9.2016, p. 1).

[^E0017]: Council Directive 2004/82/EC of 29 April 2004 on the obligation of carriers to communicate passenger data (OJ L 261, 6.8.2004, p. 24).

[^E0018]: Regulation (EU) 2019/817 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2019 on establishing a framework for interoperability between EU information systems in the field of borders and visa and amending Regulations (EC) No 767/2008, (EU) 2016/399, (EU) 2017/2226, (EU) 2018/1240, (EU) 2018/1726 and (EU) 2018/1861 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Decisions 2004/512/EC and 2008/633/JHA (OJ L 135, 22.5.2019, p. 27).

[^E0019]: Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals (OJ L 348, 24.12.2008, p. 98).

[^E0020]: Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 November 2019 on the European Border and Coast Guard and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1052/2013 and (EU) 2016/1624 (OJ L 295, 14.11.2019, p. 1).

[^E0021]: Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 311/76 on the compilation of statistics on foreign workers (OJ L 199, 31.7.2007, p. 23).

[^E0022]: Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 establishing a common procedure for international protection in the Union and repealing Directive 2013/32/EU (OJ L, 2024/1348, 22.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1348/oj).

[^E0024]: Regulation (EU) 2016/1624 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2016 on the European Border and Coast Guard and amending Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EC) No 863/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 and Council Decision 2005/267/EC (OJ L 251, 16.9.2016, p. 1).

[^E0025]: Regulation (EU) No 439/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 establishing a European Asylum Support Office (OJ L 132, 29.5.2010, p. 11).

[^E0026]: OJ L 239, 22.9.2000, p. 73.

[^E0027]: No logo is required for Norway and Iceland.

[^E0028]: Council Directive 2001/51/EC of 28 June 2001 supplementing the provisions of Article 26 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985 (OJ L 187, 10.7.2001, p. 45).

[^E0029]: Regulation (EC) No 300/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2008 on common rules in the field of civil aviation security and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002 (OJ L 97, 9.4.2008, p. 72).

[^E0030]: Council Directive 98/41/EC of 18 June 1998 on the registration of persons sailing on board passenger ships operating to or from ports of the Member States of the Community (OJ L 188, 2.7.1998, p. 35).

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