The European Union on Tuesday launched a Visa Information System (VIS) for Indians and other non-EU citizens applying for a Schengen visa that will help prevent fraud, official sources said.

In a statement, the EU said that the new system will help process visa applications faster due to the use of biometrics (fingerprints and a digital facial image).

It will allow for a quick and effective exchange of data on short-stay visas among Schengen countries.

Indian citizens seeking to visit the 25 countries in the Schengen area in European Union need the 'Schengen visa'.

Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrm, responsible for Home Affairs, said: "From now on, foreigners wishing to visit the EU will benefit from clearer, more precise, transparent and fairer visa application rules.

The new system will also allow visas to be issued and verified in a more efficient and secure way.

This is a big step towards improving and modernising the common EU visa policy."

Currently, around 13 million Schengen visas are issued every year by the 25 countries of the Schengen area, and numbers are likely to increase in the future.

The current visa delivering, monitoring and verifying system is struggling to cope with such big numbers.

The EU said that it was not always easy to prevent frauds and abuses and the application process can be cumbersome for those who are legitimately seeking a short stay visa for travel within the EU.

"The new technologically advanced Visa information system (VIS) helps to tackle these challenges by introducing digital facial image and fingerprints. The VIS will not only speed up the processing of visa applications but will also make checks at external borders more efficient and?enhance overall border security," the EU said.

Visa authorities in all Schengen states will be able to consult the VIS data, for example when a previous applicant applies for a new visa.

The VIS will contain all Schengen visa applications and all subsequent decisions taken by the visa authorities. This will allow applicants to obtain new visas quicker and more easily, as authorities will be able to verify the applicant's good track-record and reliability.

The VIS will not become operational in all Schengen countries consulates worldwide at once.

All Schengen states' consular posts worldwide should be connected to the VIS within two years.