Personal data of visa-exempt third-country nationals
Article 17
1. The border authority shall create the individual file of visa-exempt third-country nationals by entering the following: (a) the data provided for in points (a), (b) and (c) of Article 16(1); (b) the facial image as referred to in Article 15; (c) fingerprint data from the right hand, where present, and otherwise the corresponding fingerprint data from the left hand; fingerprint data shall have sufficient resolution and quality to be used in automated biometric matching; (d) where relevant, the data provided for in Article 16(6). 2. For visa-exempt third-country nationals, points (a), (b) and (c) of Article 16(2), points (a) and (b) of Article 16(3) and Article 16(4) shall apply mutatis mutandis . 3. Children under the age of 12 shall be exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints. 4. Persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible shall be exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints. However, where the physical impossibility is of a temporary nature, that fact shall be recorded in the EES and the person shall be required to give the fingerprints on exit or at the subsequent entry. This information shall be deleted from the EES once the fingerprints have been given. The border authorities shall be entitled to request further clarification on the grounds for the temporary impossibility to give fingerprints. Member States shall ensure that appropriate procedures guaranteeing the dignity of the person are in place in the event of difficulties encountered in the capturing of fingerprints. 5. Where the person concerned is exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints pursuant to paragraphs 3 or 4, the specific data field shall be marked as ‘not applicable’.