Schengen visa
 

Hi everyone! Am I correct in understanding that I will not need a Schengen visa even though I will be in Europe for 108 days, but only in the Schengen countries for 83 of those days. The remainding time will be spent in the UK and Ireland. We won't be going for two years. Has anyone heard if there will be changes by then? Thank you.

What is your citizenship?

If you're a US citizen, then yes, you will not need a Schengen visa if you are only in Schengen countries for 83 days total for the year. Upon entry into the UK, as a US citizen, you will be allowed to stay there for 6 months as a tourist.

Best for you to check both the UK embassy and your main Schengen country's embassy for updated information on your particular citizenship requirements.

I am a US citizen. I thought that was what I understood from the posts here but I sure wouldn't want to get over there and oops! The Schengen site was a little vague or else I just didn't know where to look on it. Thank you

Just to put the record straight, even though this doesn't affect you directly.
If you want to stay in Schengen area for more than 90 days in 180, Schengen visa won't help as it's only valid for 90 in 180 days for any one trip, and in any case is not needed for US citizens. What you need, and it is a hassle to get, is a long-stay visa for one of the Schengen countries. Availability of such a visa varies among the states and for some, like Spain, it's not too difficult (but still needs a handful of supporting documents), but for others, like France, very difficult, as it isn't something they routinely issue. But once you manage to get such a visa, you can use it to stay, not just in the country that issued it but also in the whole of Schengen, officially for 90 in 180 days, but effectively as long as your visa remains valid.

There is no change to Schengen rule planned for the foreseeable future, but if there is, you're sure to read about it here in fodors. What is happenning is that UK will tighten entry and exit controls, and hope to track 95% of non-EEA nationals' movement in and out of the country.

Alec,
What is EEA?

European Economic Area . . . .

"They hope to track 95% of non-EEA movements"

But it's the 5% that cause all the probs. And most of them are overstaying Australian barstaff anyway. The 95% consists of millions of Japanese office ladies, American hedge fund salespeople and Beirut businessmen on summer R+R. All of whom would go home at the end of the stay because hanging round here's the last thing they want (or can afford) to do.

One thing's for sure: all those longer queues at LHR and the gazillions of my tax paid to Accenture to foul up another system: we'll still have just as many unfindable Ukrainians out for a free house from Social Security and Algerian terrorists as ever.