Author: Bigdog
Date: 12/16/2005, 10:29 am
I'm planning a stay in France next summer for 4 - 5 months and don't want to go through the paperwork of applying for a long term visa, unless absolutley necessary. I was thinking of circumventing the 3 month issue by taking a train from France to England or Spain and getting my passport stamped showing I was actually our of France for a period of time, so I wouldn't have any problems with French Immigration. I'm arriving and leaving from a French airport, so I can just imagine a sharp Immigration officer checking entry/exit stamps and seeing that I've extended my stay.
Is it typical to get your passport checked and stamped when one takes a train between countries, or will I have to search out a customs agent to get my stamp?
As I will be returning to France for another 2 month stay after my 5 month stay, am I just being paranoid that if French Immigration checks and sees that I had spent more than 3 months the first time, that I would be creating a problem on my second entry.

They haven't even been stamping my passport at the airports for the past few years. I renewed my passport two years ago and have been to Europe twice since that time. First time I flew in and out of CDG and the second time Schiphol. So far, my new passports has no stamps.

They did scan my passports, however, so there probably is some type of record of my presence in the individual countries. For train border crossings, no one has even glanced at my passport in years.

I Have had my passport stamped. But if need be, you could also keep your train or flight ticket/boarding pass to show that you've been out of the country.

The rule is 90 days in 6 months among all the Schengen countries. So, you'll have a major problem.

You won't get your passport stamped going to Spain. And if you go to the UK after staying in France for 3 months, you won't be able to return to France (or any Schengen countries).

Hi B,

Rather thn trying to outwit the Immigration Agents, I suggest, that if you don't want to apply for a valid visa, that you just go to France and stay there.

It is highly unlikely that you will be asked to produce your passport by any official, unless you get into trouble.

Last time we landed at CDG I even ASKED to have my passport stamped and I got a smile and a polite "no"

I was in Paris last month and got my passport stamped. DH went to the other line and did not get his stamped. We were both in Amsterdam in May and did not get our passports stamped. I honestly think it depends on who is checking your passport and if they feel like stamping it or not.

I believe the above information is correct; you can't just simply travel to another country and renew your thirty day stay if that country is a Schengen country. I'm sure there are better sites, but try this link for more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_treaty.

That being said, I have never had my passport stamped while traveling from one country to another in the EU so that idea would probably be useless anyhow.

If you are overstaying and you plan on returning to France in the future, I would just go ahead and get the Visa.

Tracy

My passport is always stamped coming and going from UK-Brussels/Paris via Eurostar. However, it's never stamped when we take the autotrain under the Channel. It's also occasionally stamped when I enter Switzerland (in Basel) by train.
In our experience, the UK examines passports more closely than other European countries. On the wrong day, your plan could get you in a lot of trouble.
Either shorten your trip or bite the bullet and fill out the paperwork. Unless you like taking risks.

Yes, the stamping of passports is the problem. It's rare at best, I would say, transiting between Schengen accord countries, and Spain is one of them. Searching out an agent is all well and good, but you may not get your passport stamped - if you succeed in finding one.

Within the European Union, Britain and Ireland are not Schengen countries, as far as I know. That might work, as suggested above, as an exit-re-entry strategy.

On the other hand, you may not have your passport stamped when you enter France from your homeland. As Ira suggested, the likelihood of being stopped while you're in France and asked to produce your passport, provided you look respectable and don't misbehave, is minuscule, so if you have no entry stamp you might decide to skip the brief-exit strategy.

Unless I'm missing something, if your passport isn't stamped on entering, there will be no problem on exiting. If you were found out at the airport, you could be fined but I doubt you'd be imprisoned, and expulsion seems unlikely for someone leaving anyway.

Of course there are risks. Up to you to weigh them and decide.

You need a visa if you plan to stay in France for longer than 90 days. If you are willing to break the law in order to stay in France, then I suggest you stay home. Europe doesn't need more crooks.

No, you would not be handcuffed and thrown to jail like the people in the US who overstay their 90 days. If you want to take a risk of being deported and not being able to enter any of the Schengen countries for years to come, go ahead. If not, get a visa.

Passports have not been stamped in years, instead they are usually screened, and the information goes to Schengen computer system. I have seen a man been arrested at the border in Finland when he had unpayed fines in Germany.

Check the French Embassy.

elina

Schengen Information System (SYS) doesn't track peopl'e movement in and out of Schengen zone. What it does is to help screen people arriving in Schengen (and others within Schengen, like in your example) by flagging up anyone who a) has a history of immigration offence in Schengen (has been deported, turned away etc), b) is wanted by a Schengen country for other offence (your example) and c) has been placed on the caution list by a member country (e.g. terrorist suspect), who should not be admitted into Schengen or is liable to arrest and extradition. On board trains, border officials usually carry a laptop with SIS CD (revised weekly) and they are supposed to screen any non-EU/EEA national, but in practice they make a decision based on your appearance or nationality.

Thanks for all of the input. Best that I get my visa. Thought it would be simpler without, but guess it just creates more problems.
AnthonyGA - cut back on the caffeine just a tad.