Verification in SIS in the Czech Republic: how to submit a request
In the Schengen Information System (SIS), you may verify only your own data or the data of a person you officially represent, and there is no open database for searching by a third person’s surname. In the Czech Republic, the request is submitted to the Police of the Czech Republic, it is free of charge, and a reply is received no later than within 60 days.
International Law Firm "Zahist" regularly helps Ukrainians find out why they were refused entry at the border or a residence permit. According to our practice in the Czech Republic, the main problem is not the alert itself, but the fact that a person does not know where to turn and loses weeks corresponding with the wrong authority. That is why it is advisable first to understand what the system contains and who is responsible for it.
In this article, we examine what alerts appear in the SIS, whether another person can be checked, how to submit a request to the Czech police, what to do about an incorrect alert, and how to avoid fraudsters who offer “quick verification.”
What the SIS is and what alerts it stores
The SIS is a shared database maintained by the Schengen Area countries for border, police, and migration control. Alerts are entered by national authorities, and border guards, the police, consulates, and migration services of other states have access to the result.
| Alert category | What it means for the person |
| Refusal of entry and stay | A third-country national is prohibited from entering or staying in the Schengen Area |
| Return decision | A decision to remove a person who is staying unlawfully is recorded |
| Wanted persons and arrest | A person is sought for the purpose of arrest, surrender, or questioning |
| Missing persons | The alert serves to protect and search for a person |
| Discreet checks | Monitoring without notification where security so requires |
For Ukrainians travelling to Europe, the first type is of the greatest importance — an entry ban, because it is most often the reason for refusal at the border or in connection with a residence permit.
Can another person be checked in the system
There is no free search of the SIS for private individuals: the system is closed, and only authorised authorities have access. This is a deliberate protection of personal data, because open access would make it possible to use the database for pressure and fraud.
You may check only yourself or a minor child for whom you are responsible, as well as a client on the basis of a duly issued power of attorney. An employer, landlord, or partner cannot obtain such data about you on their own.
- Own alert — the request is submitted by the person themselves with a copy of an identity document
- Child — a request by parents or guardians with proof of the family relationship
- Lawyer’s client — a request on the basis of a power of attorney in notarised or consular form
All websites that, for a fee, offer “a look at someone else’s SIS alert” are fraudulent, because such a service does not technically exist.
How to submit a request for access to your own data in the Czech Republic
A request for access to data in the Czech Republic must be submitted to the Police of the Czech Republic, which is the controller of the national part of the system, and the request is assessed by the Czech SIRENE Bureau. Information is provided only to the person concerned or their representative. If the alert was entered by another government, the Czech police contact that government for an opinion, and only that state may delete the alert.
- Prepare a written request in Czech: first name, surname, date and place of birth, address, sex, and nationality
- Enclose a copy of your passport or other identity document and, in the case of a representative, a power of attorney
- Send the request to the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic at the address: Strojnická 27, 170 89 Prague 7, or to the official electronic address or data box
- If it is more convenient, submit the documents in person at any police station
- Keep proof of dispatch and wait for a reply
The websites of the Police of the Czech Republic and the Office for Personal Data Protection (ÚOOÚ) contain request templates, which we recommend using. Before sending, verify the current contact details on the official websites.
Language of communication and translation of documents
The only official language of communication with Czech authorities is Czech, so it is safer to submit a request to the police in Czech. The Office for Personal Data Protection also replies in English, but the main proceedings are conducted in Czech.
If you do not speak the language, order a translation of the request and enclose a copy of the original in Ukrainian.
Processing time limits and costs
A request to the Police of the Czech Republic is free of charge, and a reply is provided no later than within 60 days of submission. In practice, replies also arrive earlier, but allow for a time reserve.
| Stage | Indicative information |
| Submission of a request to the Police of the Czech Republic | Free of charge; a copy of an identity document is required |
| Consultation with the country that entered the alert | Included in the overall processing time limit |
| Reply to the applicant | No later than within 60 days of the date of submission |
| Unsatisfactory reply or silence by the police | Complaint to the Office for Personal Data Protection |
What the reply may contain and why it may be limited
The reply usually states whether an alert exists, which authority entered it, and on what basis. If an alert exists, you may receive the decision that gave rise to it and the period for which the data were entered.
Under the Police Act, however, a request may be refused if disclosure would obstruct criminal proceedings or state security, or would infringe the legitimate interests of a third person. In that case, you receive only a reply that the check was carried out.
- Confirmation that there is no alert concerning you in the system
- Information about the alert, its grounds, and the authority that entered it
- A partial reply explaining why part of the data was withheld
Even a partial reply shows whom to contact next.
What to do if the alert is incorrect or outdated
If the police have not replied or have replied unsatisfactorily, the Office for Personal Data Protection becomes involved: it verifies the lawfulness of data processing in the national part of the system.
Only the country that entered an SIS alert may amend or delete it, so a request for rectification is submitted through the authority that assessed your request, and that authority forwards it to the “owner” of the alert. That is why a reply on the existence of an alert is only the first step.
Our experience shows that success depends on how fully you substantiate the request. It is necessary to prove that the ground for the alert has ceased to exist, was incorrect, or has expired. Cancelled decisions, court rulings, or certificates of timely departure are used for this purpose.
- Obtain the authority’s reply and collect the documents of the decision on the basis of which the alert was entered
- Prepare evidence that the ground has ceased to exist: cancellation of the decision, timely departure, a court ruling
- Submit a request for rectification or deletion to the same authority
- If no reply is received or the reply is negative, challenge the decision in court
It should also be borne in mind that cancellation of the entry-ban decision itself and deletion of the alert from the system are related but distinct proceedings.
SIS, Interpol, and the Entry/Exit System: what is the difference
People often confuse the Schengen SIS with other databases and therefore receive a reply from the wrong place. Each system has its own access regime and review procedure.
| System | Purpose | Who maintains it |
| SIS | Alerts for border, police and migration control | Schengen countries |
| Interpol | International searches and exchange of police data | International organisation |
| Entry/Exit System (EES) | Recording of border crossings by third-country nationals | Schengen countries |
| National registers | Data on decisions of the authorities of a particular country | Individual states |
An alert in one system does not automatically mean an alert in another; in practice, however, they may complement one another.
Specifics for Ukrainians travelling visa-free and under temporary protection
Ukrainian citizens holding a biometric passport may stay in the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; however, an entry-ban alert cancels this right. A border officer sees the alert immediately and is entitled to refuse entry.
This check also applies to holders of temporary protection: an expulsion or entry-ban alert entered by the Czech Republic or another state may affect extension of status or travel. If you have previously breached migration rules, it is therefore better to check your status before a new departure.
Pay particular attention to the date of the alert: alerts are entered for a fixed period and are subject to review once that period expires. If the ban ended long ago but the alert is still in force, that is a strong argument for a request for deletion.
What documents to prepare for submitting a request
A complete set of documents speeds up processing, because the authority does not lose time seeking clarification. The minimum set is almost the same in all countries, although some authorities require additional certificates.
- A copy of the travel passport or other identity document
- A written request explaining that you are seeking information about an alert in the SIS
- A copy of the decision refusing a visa or entry, if one was issued
- A power of attorney and the representative’s identification, if the request is submitted by a lawyer
- A service address to which the reply will be sent
Copies should be of good quality and legible, and the request should be written in the language of the country concerned or in English, if that option is provided for.
How to recognise fraudsters offering a check
Fraudsters exploit fear of being refused entry at the border and promise “closed access” to the database. A genuine check in the SIS is carried out only through a state authority, not via a private website or messenger.
- They demand payment for a “database search” or for a “screenshot of the alert”
- They ask you to send a photograph of your passport via messenger without a contract
- They promise to delete the alert within a few days and guarantee the result
- They do not name the state authority through which they claim to work
If you have already provided your data to such services, change your email passwords, notify your bank and, if necessary, replace your passport.
Typical mistakes when checking the SIS
Below are the mistakes we most often see among clients when they try to establish their status in the system.
- Turning to paid websites that promise a “check within minutes” and demand payment in advance
- Sending a request without a copy of the identity document, as a result of which the authority will not consider it
- Submitting a request in Ukrainian or English without a Czech version and expecting it to be considered
- Confusing correction of an alert with cancellation of an entry ban
- Travelling to the border without waiting for a reply if you have doubts about your own status
Most of these mistakes can be avoided if you first establish which country entered the alert and deal with that country.
Legal assistance with an SIS check
Checking an alert in the SIS requires the correct address, form and time limits, and an error in any of these particulars costs weeks of waiting.
Lawyers at International Law Firm "Zahist" help draft a request for access to data, gather evidence for correction of an alert and prepare a remedy if the reply is negative.
If you are not sure that you are clear in the SIS, contact International Law Firm "Zahist"— we will review your situation in a consultation.
