ira

>Someone in history or literature said "The law is an ass." I wish someone on this forum would tell me who that genius was.<

Mr Bumble in "Oliver Twist" by Dickens.

>The only thing you need to do is stay under radar.

After 30 some years of the professor business, I still don't understand why some people prefer to cheat, when it is just as easy to earn a grade.

WTnow

Flanneruk,
You forgot two great places that my friends traveled in... Croatia and Turkey.


FABULOUS places with unending places to stay for cheap in pristine gorgeous landscapes, friendliest people, great prices....& not joining the EU anytime soon.

It would be very easy to stay in either place for 3 months.

I think my friend is planning UK and Russia this year to add to his time in the UK.

There really are LOTS of options on how to do it legally, although it is true it has just gotten harder.

South Africa and Morocco are places that some people like to add or Egypt etc. Many ways still to do it and stay legal for those that can not get the long stay visa.

People from the US as well as Oz and NZ do this all the time legally, as the flight is one of the highest cost items.

We got a long stay visa in Spain and I can tell you that it is NOT an easy process at all.

LarryJ

I guess the question is do you want to spend more than 90 days at a time in a great Schengen country where the quality of life is great or do you want to spend considerable time and expense somewhere depressing. If I were not going to go through the residency process I would rather just go back home after 90 days. Also there are two issues here; one being a traveler and the other being a resident.

Larry J

Vicky

I have Italian grandparents (from italy). Deceased now of course. Would it be worth the hassle to get Italian citizenship (dual citizenship) for the very reason the poster proposes? so that I can retire/live in Italy and the EU for longer than 3 months?

flanneruk

"You forgot two great places that my friends traveled in... Croatia and Turkey. "

Of course I bloody well didn't. Do my posts sound like someone who can't read? Or count to 90?

Go back to the itinerary you're boasting about. Then tell me how they can do that legally, without a long-stay visa, next year.

trvlgirlmq

Vicky -

The law only works patriarchally (through the male line). You can become a citizen of Italy if your father or grandfather was Italian and never gave up citizenship. By emigrating the the US (even if he was a child with his parents) your grandfather gave up his Italian citizenship so you would not be eligible for automatic citizenship yourself. You can get citizenship through a long process that takes something like 3 years of living/working in Italy. I can't rememeber what website I found this on but I think I Googled for Italian citizenship or some such thing when I was looking into the same thing.

Vicky

Thanks for the clarification. I had read some procedures but didn't realize it would not apply if my grandfather had become a US citizen, which he did.

WTnow

Gee flanner, you have such a way with words. No wonder you are so well liked. LOL.

First off, I was not boasting, only giving it as an example of some retired folks that have done a wonderful extended stay....absolutely legal, without the long stay visa.

I was not recommending anyone to do their exact itinerary, it was an example of taking the time to make a plan that would work. It is easier and more rewarding than most realize.


There are MANY ways to do this legally and people, like my example ,have been doing it for a long time and will continue to.

Not a have-to for anyone, just another possibility as not everyone can or want to get the long term visas which are a major hassle and for the high end visitor.

Larry,
I actually have found some countries outside schengen MUCH better and less depressing than some of them inside. I think many people who have done extensive travel would agree.

Turkey, Croatia and Morocco have been are favorite places so far & we stayed in some gorgeous, world class places there. Croatia and western Turkey are more pristine with every advantage of the best in Europe.

There is nothing wrong with 90 day visits or less, but some people like the OP want to do more. Going slow saves money and allows one to immerse in the culture in deeper ways, yet is much different than the expat experience.

Some think of longer stays as travelers and short stays as tourists. I do not know, but if you really like to travel, there is nothing better than open ended travel.

It may not be for everyone, but it is a fantasy for many people. We have found the reality of open ended travel even better than the fantasy.

Vicky, I would go to Slow Travel or the Italy-expat board and ask your question there. You will find many people who are experts in that area who can help. Christina is the resident expert hero on both.

PalenQ

I think flanneur can indeed read in spite of lacking a 'proper' education in his rather poor educational background.

JanesAdventure

Wow! Thanks for all the great advice and links to more. If I maintain a residence in the US, can I still qualify for a long term visa and residence in another country, like Spain? It sounds like that is the safest way to go.