Privacy notice on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data for the purposes of issuing a visa to enter Italy and the Schengen Area
(The General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, Article 13)
The processing of personal data for the purposes of issuing a visa to enter Italy and the Schengen Area is based on the principles of lawfulness, fairness and transparency, to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons.
To this end, the following information is provided:
1. The joint controller of data processing is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) of the Republic of Italy, which acts in this case through the Consulate General of Italy in London – Harp House, 83-86 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4BL, Telephone: 020 79365900; email: consolato.londra@esteri.it; visti.londra@esteri.it; PEC: con.londra@cert.esteri.it.
The Consulate General of Italy in London avails itself of an External Service Provider which is currently VFS Global (66 Wilson Street, London, EC2A 2BT). The VFS Global Group Data Protection Officer is Mr Barry Cook, Group Data Protection Officer, VF Services UK Limited, 3rd Floor, 66 Wilson Street, London, EC2A 2BT, email: DPO@vfsglobal.com.
2. For further information or to lodge a complaint with reference to data protection, you may contact the Personal Data Protection Officer (postal address: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Piazzale della Farnesina 1, 00135 ROME, telephone: 0039 06 36911 (switchboard), email: rpd@esteri.it, pec: rpd@cert.esteri.it).
3. The processing of personal data is limited to the sole purpose of assessing applications lodged by non EU nationals who are required to obtain a visa to enter Italy and the Schengen Area.
4. The provision of personal data is a legal requirement for an application to be considered admissible. Refusal to provide personal data will result in the application being dismissed as inadmissible.
5. All data shall be processed by authorised staff and shall be handled both manually and by automated means. In this specific case, data will be stored in the Visa Information System (VIS), a database established under EC Regulation no. 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 9th 2008.
6. In accordance with European rules and regulations on the Schengen Area (particularly EC Regulation no. 810/2009 of July 13th 2009, “Schengen Visa Code”) personal data shall be communicated to the competent Italian Security Authorities, as well as to other European and EU Members States’ relevant Authorities.
7. In accordance with the Regulation establishing a Visa Information System (VIS), data will be stored for a period not exceeding five years.
8. All data subjects have the right to access and, under the conditions provided for in the current legislation, to rectify any personal data kept about them. Within the limits set by law and without prejudice to the consequences for their visa application, the data subjects can also request to restrict or oppose the processing of their data. In such cases, all requests must be addressed to the Consulate General of Italy in London, Harp House, 83-86 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4BL, Telephone: 020 79365900; email: consolato.londra@esteri.it; visti.londra@esteri.it; PEC: con.londra@cert.esteri.it; and for information to the Personal Data Protection Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
9. Every data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Officer of the MAECI if they believe that their rights have been violated. Alternatively, they may contact the “Garante per la Protezione dei Dati personali” (Italian Personal Data Protection Authority) – Piazza di Monte Citorio 121, 00186 ROME, telephone: 0039 06 696771 (switchboard), email:
garante@gpdp.it, pec: protocollo@pec.gpdp.it.