Visa expiration and re entry
Apr 16th, 2014, 04:07 AM
#1
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Visa expiration and re entry
Hello,
I am currently an American student studying in France on a student visa. My visa expires June 15th and I would like to go to the UK June 13th then head to Spain to travel for a bit on June 15th. Is this possible or do I need to wait to enter Spain until June 16th? #travel #visa #help
I am currently an American student studying in France on a student visa. My visa expires June 15th and I would like to go to the UK June 13th then head to Spain to travel for a bit on June 15th. Is this possible or do I need to wait to enter Spain until June 16th? #travel #visa #help
Apr 16th, 2014, 04:15 AM
#2
Welcome to Fodors. You will get more replies if you post this on the Europe board. Note that this is not Twitter and hashtags don't work here.
My expectation is that you would re-enter the Schengen zone on a visitors visa - make sure you are actually stamped out of France - but like all (or just possibly almost all) the posters here I am not an immigration expert.
My expectation is that you would re-enter the Schengen zone on a visitors visa - make sure you are actually stamped out of France - but like all (or just possibly almost all) the posters here I am not an immigration expert.
Apr 16th, 2014, 01:15 PM
#3
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Leave France at any time up to the 15th, it makes no difference which day. Now that you have done that, FORGET your student visa. It applies to nothing except France.
Enter the UK like any other US tourist. They don't care where you came from, only what passport you are travelling on.
When you have done with your time in the UK, enter Spain as a tourist and you have 90 days in the next 180 calendar days under the Schengen agreement to visit any and all Schengen countries including Spain.
Why are you going to the UK on the 13th and Spain on the 15th? Do you actually want to go to the UK for ONE day, the 14th? Or are you under the impression that you have to leave France as a Schengen country and go to a none Schengen country like the UK before re-entering the Schengen?
If that is the case you are incorrect. You can leave France on the 14th and enter Spain on the 14th if you want to. Your student visa applies only to France. Once you leave France where you are there on that visa, then the normal Schengen 90 in 180 comes into play.
You don't need to go to other forums to get an answer. In fact, I'd suggest you don't since half of them at least will get it wrong anyway and that will just leave you confused.
You don't have a problem with what you say you want to do, as long as you leave Schengen 90 days or less after you leave France.
Enter the UK like any other US tourist. They don't care where you came from, only what passport you are travelling on.
When you have done with your time in the UK, enter Spain as a tourist and you have 90 days in the next 180 calendar days under the Schengen agreement to visit any and all Schengen countries including Spain.
Why are you going to the UK on the 13th and Spain on the 15th? Do you actually want to go to the UK for ONE day, the 14th? Or are you under the impression that you have to leave France as a Schengen country and go to a none Schengen country like the UK before re-entering the Schengen?
If that is the case you are incorrect. You can leave France on the 14th and enter Spain on the 14th if you want to. Your student visa applies only to France. Once you leave France where you are there on that visa, then the normal Schengen 90 in 180 comes into play.
You don't need to go to other forums to get an answer. In fact, I'd suggest you don't since half of them at least will get it wrong anyway and that will just leave you confused.
You don't have a problem with what you say you want to do, as long as you leave Schengen 90 days or less after you leave France.
Apr 17th, 2014, 08:36 AM
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I was under the impression that I had to go to the UK as a non Schengen country to get the exit and entry stamp so that my visa gets cancelled and allows me in Spain for up to 30 days. I was not sure if I could enter into Spain from the UK on the day my French visa expires or if it had to be a day after. From what your saying, it would not matter. Is that correct? I believe that going to the UK will give me the stamp for the reassurance and I have a friend there that I would love to visit anyways. I would prefer to be in Spain the day my French visa expires but I can wait till the day after if it is going to cause a problem.
Apr 17th, 2014, 02:23 PM
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If you want to go to the UK to visit a friend that's fine. You will get the reassurance of having your passport stamped as you say. Probably not a bad idea. Technically, I don't think it is necessary but all you need is one over-zealous official somewhere and it could become a hassle. You'd come out OK in the end but that could be hours later during which you were worried about the outcome.
So, do what you plan. Go to the UK and visit your friend and then head for Spain. I'd spend more than 1 day though, that seems like a real waste of time and money.
So, do what you plan. Go to the UK and visit your friend and then head for Spain. I'd spend more than 1 day though, that seems like a real waste of time and money.
Apr 18th, 2014, 12:00 PM
#8
I'd definitely re-post on the Europe forum. There are a couple of European/UK immigration attorneys and a couple of immigration civil servants who regularly post on that forum and who have never (to my knowledge) visited this board.
That is why thursdaysd suggested you re-post over there.
That is why thursdaysd suggested you re-post over there.
Apr 19th, 2014, 07:09 AM
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What amazing logic.
The equivalent of:
Q: Do McDonald's sell hamburgers?
A: Yes, I've seen many people eating hamburgers there.
A: Go to another forum where more people who have been to McDonald's hang out.
If you are going to use that ridiculous logic janisj then give the most relevant answer. That would be to say, 'go ask on the Lonely Planet Thorntree Forum where travellers who have been in situations such as yours regarding the Schengen Agreement are to be found in the HIGHEST numbers, rather than here where the majority of posters are your average middle age tourist.
The OP doesn't need MORE answers, the right answer has been given. What would MORE change? Answer, nothing. The OP's plan will work just fine.
The equivalent of:
Q: Do McDonald's sell hamburgers?
A: Yes, I've seen many people eating hamburgers there.
A: Go to another forum where more people who have been to McDonald's hang out.
If you are going to use that ridiculous logic janisj then give the most relevant answer. That would be to say, 'go ask on the Lonely Planet Thorntree Forum where travellers who have been in situations such as yours regarding the Schengen Agreement are to be found in the HIGHEST numbers, rather than here where the majority of posters are your average middle age tourist.
The OP doesn't need MORE answers, the right answer has been given. What would MORE change? Answer, nothing. The OP's plan will work just fine.
Apr 19th, 2014, 07:58 AM
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To the OP. You have to leave the Schengen zone when/before your visa expires. You can then re- enter on a tourist visa, giving you 90 days. Going to the UK is leaving Schengen. Going to say, Spain, is not. If you go from France to Spain, your passport will not be stamped, so you would still be on yiur student visa.
Apr 20th, 2014, 04:51 AM
#11
Yes, repost on the Europe board. As janis pointed out, there are several people there with actual experience with this, not just their own "I'm right, you are wrong" opinion.
I think Peter-_S_Aus is most likely right from other posts I've read on the Europe forum in the past. You need to get that exit stamp to show you've left before your student visa expired so you can begin your 90 day tourist visa. Here's a thread talking about it (France student visa in particular, but for a student from Australia). It even describes what the exit stamp looks like.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...sitor-visa.cfm
I think Peter-_S_Aus is most likely right from other posts I've read on the Europe forum in the past. You need to get that exit stamp to show you've left before your student visa expired so you can begin your 90 day tourist visa. Here's a thread talking about it (France student visa in particular, but for a student from Australia). It even describes what the exit stamp looks like.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...sitor-visa.cfm
Apr 20th, 2014, 08:19 AM
#12
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A student visa is for ONE country. It requires you to leave that ONE country before it expires. Leaving France to go to ANY other country including Spain meets that requirement.
A student visa does NOT require you to leave the Schengen Zone.
It is entirely possible to have your passport stamped when you leave France if you want it stamped. I would not bother unless I intended to re-enter France as a tourist somewhere down the line in the next 90 days. That is the ONLY time when there might be a question raised.
There is a clear explanation to be found here. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...one-travelling
So kybourbon, there is no need to repost on the Europe branch and get the usual confusing answers by people who have opinions but do NOT know what is right or wrong.
The correct answer has been given. More answers will not change that but they may well lead to confusion.
A student visa does NOT require you to leave the Schengen Zone.
It is entirely possible to have your passport stamped when you leave France if you want it stamped. I would not bother unless I intended to re-enter France as a tourist somewhere down the line in the next 90 days. That is the ONLY time when there might be a question raised.
There is a clear explanation to be found here. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...one-travelling
So kybourbon, there is no need to repost on the Europe branch and get the usual confusing answers by people who have opinions but do NOT know what is right or wrong.
The correct answer has been given. More answers will not change that but they may well lead to confusion.
