LIMITE
APPENDIX 1
TRANSLITERATION AND TRANSCRIPTION RULES
1. Transliteration and Transcription
SIS II character transformation uses two different operations to convert certain fields, e.g.
proper names to a subset of ASCII 7-bit characters:

Transliteration is used to transform Latin diacritics and Cyrillic characters.
Transliteration rules are base on current ICAO rules.

Transcription is used to transform Greek characters. Transcription rules are based on
the ISO 843 standard.
Without prejudice to Article 54 of the SIS II Regulation and Article 70 of the SIS II Decision,
SIS II either performs the transformation centrally, if the data are entered in the original form,
or accepts the entry of already-transformed data. As a result, any data subject to
transformation, entered into SIS II either as part of alert creation or for querying, shall be
either in the original form or in a transformed version compliant with the transliteration or
transcription rules specified for SIS II. The same rules shall be used for communication
between the SIRENE Bureaux as are used for SIS II.
As far as possible the data for an alert on a person shall match the data in the source identity
document.
2. Transliteration of Cyrillic characters
Transliteration from Cyrillic to Latin script can produce different results depending on the
original language in which the name was written. For this reason, users entering a proper
name originating in the Cyrillic script shall always specify in the "precision" attribute the
original language used. Two possibilities are allowed:
a) The name is entered in its original form. The user entering the name specifies the
language and CS-SIS automatically creates five transliterated versions. The
transliterated version, compliant with the rules for the original language, is stored in
the first transliterated slot.
b) The name is entered in transliterated form. The user entering the data shall comply
with the SIS II transliteration rules corresponding to the original language.
Note: For communication between SIRENE Bureau (entering proper names) please refer to
the SIRENE Manual.
1
3. Allowed characters in SIS II
(A) NUMBERS
Sequence
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Original
characters
Description
Recommended
Transliteration
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
(B) LATIN CHARACTERS
Sequence
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Original
characters
A, a
B, b
C, c
D, d
E, e
F, f
G, g
H, h
I, i
J, j
K, k
L, l
M, m
N, n
O, o
P, p
Q, q
R, r
S, s
T, t
U, u
V, v
W, w
X, x
Y, y
Z, z
Description
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Recommended
Transliteration
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
2
(C) SPECIAL CHARACTERS
Sequence
Number
1
2
3
4
Original
character
s
‘.’
‘-‘
‘/’
‘’’
‘(‘
5
‘)’
6
7
8
9
10
11
‘?’
‘:’
‘,’
‘+’
‘blank’
Description
Recommended
Transliteration
Full Stop
Hyphen
Solidus
Apostroph
Left
parenthese
Right
parenthese
Question mark
Colon
Comma
Plus sign
Space
‘.’
‘-‘
‘/’
‘’’
‘(‘
‘)’
‘?’
‘:’
‘,’
‘+’
‘blank’
(D) MULTINATIONAL CHARACTERS
Sequence
number
National
character
Description
Recommended
transliteration
1
Á, á
A acute
A
2
À, à
A grave
A
3
Â, â
A circumflex
A
4
Ä, ä
A diaeresis
AE
5
Ã, ã
A tilde
A
6
Ă,ă
A breve
A
7
Å, å
A ring
AA
8
Ā,ā
A macron
A
9
Ą,ą
A ogonek
A
10
Ć, ć
C acute
C
11
Ĉ, ĉ
C circumflex
C
12
Č, č
C caron
C
13
Ċ, ċ
C dot accent
C
14
Ç, ç
15
Ð, ð
C cedilla
Eth
C
D
16
Ð, đ
D with Stroke
D
17
Ď, ď
D caron
D
3
18
É, é
E acute
E
19
È, è
E grave
E
20
Ê, ê
E circumflex
E
21
Ë, ë
E diaeresis
E
22
Ě, ě
E caron
E
23
Ė, ė
E dot accent
E
24
Ē, ē
E macron
E
25
Ę, ę
E ogonek
E
26
Ĕ, ě
E breve
E
27
Ĝ, ĝ
G circumflex
G
28
Ğ, ğ
G breve
G
29
Ġ, ġ
G dot accent
G
30
Ģ, ģ
G cedilla
G
31
Ħ, ħ
H bar
H
32
Ĥ, ĥ
H circumflex
H
I, ı
I
34
Í, í
I without dot
(Turkey)
I acute
35
Ì, ì
I grave
I
36
Î, î
I circumflex
I
37
Ï, ï
I diaeresis
I
38
Ĩ, ĩ
I tilde
I
39
İ, i
I dot accent
I
40
Ī, ī
I macron
I
41
Į, į
I ogonek
I
42
Ĭ, ĭ
I breve
I
43
Ĵ, ĵ
J circumflex
J
44
Ķ, ķ
K cedilla
K
45
Ł, ł
L slash
L
46
Ĺ, ĺ
L acute
L
47
Ľ, ľ
L caron
L
48
Ļ, ļ
L cedilla
L
49
Ŀ, ŀ
L dot
L
50
Ń, ń
N acute
N
51
Ñ, ñ
N tilde
N
33
I
4
52
Ň, ň
N caron
N
53
Ņ, ņ
N cedilla
N
54
Ŋ, ŋ
Eng
N
55
Ø, ø
O slash
OE
56
Ó, ó
O acute
O
57
Ò, ò
O grave
O
58
Ô, ô
O circumflex
O
59
Ö, ö
O diaeresis
OE
60
Õ, õ
O tilde
O
61
Ő, ő
O double acute
O
62
Ō, ō
O macron
O
63
Ŏ, ŏ
O breve
O
64
Ŕ, ŕ
R acute
R
65
Ř, ř
R caron
R
66
Ŗ, ŗ
R cedilla
R
67
Ś, ś
S acute
S
68
Ŝ, ŝ
S circumflex
S
69
Š, š
S caron
S
70
Ş, ş
S cedilla
S
71
Ŧ, ŧ
T bar
T
72
Ť, ť
T caron
T
73
Ţ, ţ
T cedilla
T
74
Ú, ú
U acute
U
75
Ù, ù
U grave
U
76
Û, û
U circumflex
U
77
Ü, ü
U diaeresis
UE
78
Ũ, ũ
U tilde
U
79
Ŭ, ŭ
U breve
U
80
Ű, ű
U double acute
U
81
Ů, ů
U ring
U
82
Ū, ū
U macron
U
83
Ų, ų
U ogonek
U
84
Ŵ, ŵ
W circumflex
W
85
Ý, ý
Y acute
Y
86
Ŷ, ŷ
Y circumflex
Y
5
87
Ÿ, ÿ
Y diaeresis
Y
88
Ź, ź
Z acute
Z
89
Ž, ž
Z caron
Z
90
Ż, ż
Z dot
Z
91
Þ, þ
TH
92
Æ, æ
Thorn
(Iceland)
ligature AE
93
IJ,ij
ligature IJ
IJ
94
Œ,œ
ligature OE
OE
ß
double ss
Germany
SS
95
AE
(E) CYRILLIC CHARACTERS
Sequence
number
1
2
3
4
National
character
А, a
Б, б
В, в
Г, г
5
6
7
Д, д
Е, е
Ё, ё
8
Ж, ж
9
10
З, з
И, и
11
12
І, i
Й, й
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
К, к
Л, л
М, м
Н, н
О, о
П, п
Р, р
С, с
Recommended
transliteration
A
B
V
G (except Belorussian
and Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia
= H)
D
E
E (except Belorussian =
IO)
ZH (except Former
Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia = Z)
Z
I (except Ukrainian =
Y)
I
I (except Bulgarian =
Y)
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
6
21
22
23
24
Т, т
У, у
Ф, ф
Х, х
25
Ц, ц
26
Ч, ч
27
Ш, ш
28
Щ, щ
29
30
Ы ,ы
Ъ, ъ
31
32
33
Ь,ь
Э, э
Ю, ю
34
35
Я, я
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
Ѵ ,ѵ
Ґ, ґ
Ў,ў
Ѫ ,ѫ
Ѓ, ѓ
Ђ, ћ
Ѕ, ѕ
Ј, ј
Ќ, ќ
Љ, љ
Њ, њ
Ћ, ћ
Џ, џ
Є, є
Ї, ї
T
U
F
KH (except Former
Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia and
Bulgaria = H)
TS (except Former
Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia = C)
CH (except Former
Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia = C)
SH (except Former
Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia = S)
SHCH (except
Bulgarian = SHT)
Y
IE (Except Bulgarian =
A)
Y
E
IU (except Bulgarian =
YU)
IA
Y
G
U
U
G
D
DZ
J
K
LJ
NJ
C
DZ
IE
I
7
(F) GREEK CHARACTERS
Sequence
Number
1
Greek
character
s
Α,Ά,α,ά
(vowel)
6
7
Β, β
Γ, γ
ΓΓ,Γγ,γγ
(ΓΚ, γκ) (8)
ΓΞ,Γξ,γξ
ΓΧ,Γχ,γχ
Δ, δ
Ε,Έ,ε,έ
(vowel)
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
Θ, θ
Ι,Ί,Ϊ,ι,ί,ϊ,ΐ
(vowel)
Κ, κ
Λ, λ
Μ, μ
AI,AI
AI,AI
AI,AI
AV,AV,AV,AV,
AV
AF,AF,AF,AF,A
F
AY, AY, AY,
AY, AY, AY,
AY,AY
V, V
G, G
NG,NG,NG
GK,GK
NX,NX,NX
NCH,NCH,NCH
D,D
E,E,E,E
(ΕΙ, ει) (8)
(ΕΙ, έι) (8)
(ΕΪ, εϊ) (8)
ΕΥ,Ευ,Εύ,ευ,ε
ύ (3), (10)
ΕΥ,Ευ,Εύ,ευ,ε
ύ (4), (10)
ΕΫ,Έυ,Έϋ,Εΰ,
έυ,εϋ,έϋ,εΰ (9)
EI,EI
EI,EI
EI,EI
EV,EV,EV,EV,E
V
EF,EF,EF,EF,E
F
EY,EY,EY,EY,E
Y,EY,EY,EY
Y,Y,Y
Z,Z
I,I,I,I
ΗΥ,Ηυ,Ηύ,ηυ,
ηύ (3), (10)
ΗΥ,Ηυ,Ηύ,ηυ,
ηύ (4), (10)
ΗΫ,Ήυ,Ήϋ,Ηΰ
,ήυ,ηϋ,ήϋ,ηΰ
(9)
IV,IV,IV,IV,IV
Ϋ, ϋ, ΰ
Ζ, ζ
Η,Ή,η,ή
(vowel)
25
Transcription
A,A,A,A
(ΑΙ, αι) (8)
(ΑΙ, άι) (8)
(ΑΪ, αϊ) (8)
ΑΥ,Αυ,Αύ,αυ,
αύ (3), (10)
ΑΥ,Αυ,Αύ,αυ,
αύ (4), (10)
ΑΫ,Άυ,Άϋ,Aΰ,
άυ,αϋ,άϋ,αΰ
(9)
2
3
4
5
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Combination
of Greek
characters
IF,IF,IF,IF,IF
IY,IY,IY,IY,IY,I
Y,IY,IY
TH,TH
I,I,I,I,I,I,I
K,K
L,L
M,M
8
ΜΠ,Μπ,μπ
(5), (7)
ΜΠ, μπ (6)
33
34
35
36
37
38
Ν, ν
(ΝΤ, ντ)
Ξ, ξ
Ο,Ό,ο,ό
(vowel)
(ΟΙ, οι) (8)
(ΟΙ, όι) (8)
(ΟΪ, οϊ) (8)
ΟΥ,Ου,Ού,ου,
ού
ΟΫ,Όυ,Όϋ,Οΰ,
όυ,οϋ,όϋ,οΰ
(9)
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
Π, π
Ρ, ρ
Σ, σ, ς
47
48
Τ, τ
Υ,Ύ,υ,ύ
(vowel)
49
50
51
52
53
(8)
B,B,B
MP,MP
N,N
NT,NT
X,X
O,O,O,O
OI,OI
OI,OI
OI,OI
OU,OU,OU,OU,
OU
OY,OY,OY,OY,
OY,OY,OY,OY
P,P
R,R
S,S,S
(2)
T,T
Υ,Y,Y,Y
(ΥΙ, υι)
(8)
Φ, φ
Χ, χ
Ψ, ψ
Ω,Ώ,ω,ώ
(vowel)
YI,YI
F,F
CH,CH
PS,PS
O,O,O,O
Notes on the “Transcription table” above:
(2) – The Greek character ς (sigma final) is transcript into Latin s, the same as for the
Greek character σ (sigma). The character σ is used at the beginning or the middle of a
word, while the character ς is used at the end of the word.
(3) – Used before the characters β, γ, δ, ζ, λ, μ, ν, ρ, Β, Γ, Δ, Ζ, Λ, Μ, Ν, Ρ and all the
vowels.
(4) – Used before the characters θ, κ, ξ, π, σ, ς, τ, φ, χ, ψ, Θ, Κ, Ξ, Π, Σ, Τ, Φ, Χ, Ψ and at
the end of the word.
(5) – At the beginning of the word.
(6) – In the middle of the word. A character or group of characters, which is not at the
beginning or the end of a word, is in the middle of a word.
(7) – At the end of the word.
(8) – The combinations of Greek characters, which are in parentheses, are presented in
table 10 only for clarification. They are converted according to the provisions laid down
for each independent character.
9
(9) – They are converted according to the provisions laid down for each independent
character when the vowel υ has an accent (e.g. ύ) or when the υ has dialytika (e.g. ϋ).
10