Division 2.3.1 Linking applications if a previous application has been registered

Only the Member State having ownership of an application file shall be allowed to link it with other application file(s) of the same applicant or, for the purposes of correction, remove the linkage, in accordance with Article 8(3) of the VIS Regulation.

The fingerprints of an applicant shall only be copied, within the 59 months time frame, from his/her linked files. In case the fingerprint data of an application are copied from a previous application file not older than 59 months, the linkage between the application files shall not be removed.