joh03352

Hi I need some advice from someone who either works in the travel industry or maybe had a similar situation. I am in the Netherlands for the summer playing on a sports team (not getting paid), and we've run into the problem of only being allowed to stay in the EU for 90days. My flight to Holland had a layover in Iceland where I was stopped by border patrol and questioned about how long I would be here and other things. Since I was staying in Holland for 4 months, (May 25-Sept 19) I needed a visa. Well I was not aware of this and neither was the team I was playing with. Iceland called the Dutch authorities and found out it is okay to be in Holland for up to 6 months without a visa. So, I was okay to continue onto Holland but I was told I could not pass back through Iceland on the way home, I would need to have a direct flight home. Since then we have tried figuring out if there is a way to get a visa to stay here longer. Apparently I am not eligible for a visa and therefore have 2 choices: fly back home by Tuesday (8/23) or stay here and risk facing trouble when I pass through Iceland again. The only reason I am flying through Icelandair is because my ticket was already bought for me before I came and it is quite a bit more expensive to switch the flight to a direct flight home. My questions are these: If I stay, what are the possible consequences I could face when going through Iceland customs? If there was a way to get a flight through London instead of Iceland could I avoid the customs problems? Is there any other way of avoiding getting in trouble? HELP PLEASE!

qwovadis

Lots try to do visa border runs nothing works

If you overstay u will be an illegal immigrant and persona

non grata deportation jail big fines if caught never to return

fly home or go to a non schengen coountry that has easy entry

usually visitmorocco.com on ryanair.com cheap easy fun in

fall winter spring...

qwovadis

seat61.com/Africa/Maroc u can also train/ferry down not cheaper

mztery

despite what may be quovadis good intentions I have no idea what he is talking about.

I have never heard of Netherlands allowing a 6 month stay. No schengen country, incl Britain, Netherlands and Iceland have a 90- day limit. What they DO have is, if you have a MULTIPLE ENTRY visa, you can stay for 6 months instead of 3 months and go back and forth between countries.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

I really think you should have someone connected with your team contact someone official about this problem. It's all well and good to ask on a travel discussion board, but no one here can give you the official answer.

I think either someone has given you incorrect information or you misunderstood what you've been told.

The issue is what are called "the Schengen countries," 25 countries in Europe that have eliminated border controls among themselves. Iceland and Netherlands belong. That's why you went through passport control in Iceland. It wasn't your final destination, but it was your first European point of entry. That's why the folks in Iceland asked you about your stay in the Netherlands.

The rule, as I understand it, is U.S. citizens can stay a maximum of 90 days during a six-month period in the Schengen region. Anything longer requires a visa. I really don't think you can stay for six months in the Netherlands. You'll run into problems, not when you pass through Iceland, but when you try to check in in Amsterdam for your flight out in September. They'll see that you've overstayed your 90 days. I don't know what happens then.

This is why I say you need to have someone in an official capacity from your team check into this and get official answers.

Good luck.

travelgourmet

Exit via CPH. Non-existent passport control.

sf7307

What is CPH?

Jeff_Costa_Rica

CPH = airport code for Copenhagen

I go back to what I said: Have someone in a position of authority connected with your team look into this and get an official answer about what the options are. You said "we" in your original post. Are there other Americans on your team in the same situation?

joh03352

yes there is one other girl who is in the same situation as me on our team. My coaches contacted every possible authority figure to see what to do. I think we have decided to go home, despite everyone believing we would probably be okay on our way back. We just don't feel comfortable with that small percentage of everything not being okay. Especially since we went through so much trouble in Iceland on the way to Holland.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

I'm sorry to hear it turned out this way.

surfmom

joh, I know that is the tough decision, but I think it is the wisest. The 'what ifs' aren't worth it!