wenday

Wondering if there is anyone out there from Canada or USA who has gone to Europe and bought a bike from a dealer or individual, driven it for an extended holiday time, then sold it back to the person you bought it from or put it on the local market and had luck with that?
We are in the process of deciding whether to try this instead of paying the high cost of renting.
Another question, any information of a company that you have dealt with on an extended rental contract, e.g. 3-5 months in any country in Europe?

janisj

there is a huge discussion on your other thread

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...month-trip.cfm

No need to start a new one -- you can respond to the original thread to get more input.

(to find all your posts--click on your screen name)

wenday

Thanks, Janis!! Just new at this!!

janisj

Meant to add-- the first few posts on that other thread are pretty important. Staying more than 90 days will be difficult/impossible unless you have a connection to one of the Schengen countries

wenday

Hi Janis,
We are only starting the trip in Frankfurt then travelling to 4 other countries

ellenem

If the 4 other countries besides Germany are also in the Schengen zone, then you can stay for a total of 90 days out of 180 days.

http://www.axa-schengen.com/en/schengen-countries

janisj

"<i>We are only starting the trip in Frankfurt then travelling to 4 other countries</i>"

It has nothing to do w/ Germany -- it is Schengen. See the link ellenem posted. The vast majority of European countries are in the Schengen zone. You don't get 90 days in each country -- it is 90 days total.

janisj

oops that ahould have been >>It has nothing to do w/ Germany per se -- <<

wenday

Hi I just went to the Schengen website. It appears if you are Canadian or US citizen this visa rule doesn't apply. Is this correct? Also do you have another website for insurance for more than 90 days while travelling Europe?

ellenem

If you are from the U.S. or Canada you don't need to apply for an actual visa, but you must limit your visit to the Schengen zone to a total of 90 days out of 180 days.

janisj

"<i>It appears if you are Canadian or US citizen this visa rule doesn't apply. Is this correct?</i>"

Yes -- If you are Canadian or American you don't need a visa to travel for up to <u>90 days</u>. Citizens of some other countries need a visa to step foot in Schengen.

Your problem is -- while you don't need a visa to enter Schengen, you can't stay one day longer than 90 days . . .

jamikins

Agree with above - as a CDN you do not require a visa to enter the schengen zone, but you can only stay 90 days out of any 180 rolling day (ie you cant do a day trip out and reset the clock). If you want to stay longer you need a long-stay visa.
I know its not an official rules website, but should answer some of your questions
http://goeurope.about.com/od/europea...engen_stay.htm

jamikins

Also scroll down to exceptions here:
http://www.immihelp.com/visas/scheng...xemptions.html

Some other references:
http://www.embassylink.ca/visas/euro...gen-agreement/

wenday

Hi Thanks again for all the good info. I do not like what I am reading. Has anyone US or Canadian applied for and received a long term visa for tourist travel? We want to stay 120 days......but it appears from everything that I am reading 90 days is the max. I cannot seem to find out how to apply for a longer visa. Any info on this would surely help!!

Thanks!!

ellenem

You can stay in EUROPE 120 days as long as you stay in Schengen zone countries only 90 of those days. Study the map -- use that other 30 days to visit the United Kingdom, Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine . . .

ParisAmsterdam

To apply for a Schengen visa you apply to the country where you'll be arriving. Go to that country's embassy or consular site in Canada for details. Or phone.

Frankly, from everything I have ever read it is a long involved process that includes all kinds of paperwork. You would be better off following ellenem's advice above and work the non-Schengen countries into your itinerary to get your 120 day target in Europe but with no more than 90 days inside Schengen.

As has been mentioned buying a vehicle and registering/insuring in Europe is now very difficult. Try these people:
http://www.dutchcampervans.com/

They sell you a van but carry the insurance... worth talking to them as they may be able to help with a bike as well...

Rob

alanRow

There isn't a Schengen tourism visa that lasts longer than 90 days.

wenday

Well everyone, thanks for the help. We are learning that we will have to change our trip 90 days in the Schengen countries then off to either Croatia or Turkey for a month. So anyone out there who has been following this forum suggesting either country. I guess we would drop off our motorcycle in Greece then ferry out to Turkey or travel by bus or rail if there is to Croatia.

Any suggestions on this??

fmpden

Where did this 120 day requirement come from? It is my understanding is that on your first day in Germany two clocks start -- One counting 90 days in the Schengen zone and another 180 day clock that run continuous for the next 180 days. When you leave the Schengen zone the Schengen clock stops but the 180 day clock keeps running. When you reenter the zone the clock starts where it stopped. Some have suggested that you keep some documents (especially hotel receipts) for the time outside the zone.

You can get a long term tourist visa from any country in the Schengen zone and that visa will be recognized by the other countries. For the visa you need to document via bank statements etc. that you have sufficient resources for the time period, adequate health insurance, etc., so that there is no hint that you might be seeking employment or being dependent on the state.

ellenem

fmpden,

The 120 day "requirement" is the OP wenday's desired length of vacation in Europe. It was apparent for quite a bit of this thread that wenday did not understand the Schengen zone situation. That's why many posters kept mentioning the 120 days.

fmpden makes a good point: The 90 total days in Schengen countries do not have to be in sequence. The days in Schengen countries cannot total more than 90 days during wenday's 120-day visit to Europe.