Ok...thanks for all the information for entrance to UK.
Another question, if let say I want to travel around Schengen area, isit I can only travel in between 90 days start from the date I enter Italy? Because i already calculate for it, that if I would like to travel to other Schengen countries, I have to make it before my 90 days end, which is on 25 december 2016. With my 6 months duration of Student Visa, I can't travel around Schengen area in between ?

No, you can travel for any 90 days in the 180 days your visa is valid for. If you, say travel for 10 days and return to Italy, you will still have 80 days of travel left from what remains of the 180 days since your initial visit, and so on. As your visa is roughly valid for 180 days, you can travel in total 90 days through Schengen, divided into any number of separate visits, such as every weekend.

Alec, thanks for giving your advice to people about this issue over several years. I'm sure it means a lot to everyone. I too have a situation I wanted some help on.

I am an American English teacher who is temporarily living in Spain as part of the Spanish government's "Auxiliar de Conversacion" program. Upon arrival in Spain, I applied for a TIE (Foreigners identification card which permits freely traveling within the Shengen area). Unfortunately this process has been quite slow, and I don't anticipate receiving the TIE until mid-April. When I entered Spain in September, I entered with a type D multiple entry student visa that had a validity of 90 days, expiring in early January. Although my student visa has expired, I have been given documentation that allows me to legally reside in Spain while I am waiting for the TIE process to complete. Furthermore, I have recently been granted an Autorizacion de Regreso, which permits me to return to Spain, should I leave, without issue. 

I have a very important trip that I must take on Saturday, March 18 to France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Given my circumstance of having a no-longer-valid Spanish visa, no TIE (but with proof that I have applied for it), but with an Autorizacion de Regreso, can you explain to me whether I should expect to have any issue with entering, and with leaving these other countries? If, indeed, there is an issue, can you explain to me what I should do in order to remedy this issue?

What I was thinking about doing was leaving Spain to go to the UK for just one day, and then returning. If I do this, then I will be returning on a tourist visa, correct? Would you concur that this is the action that I need to take in order to do all of my traveling in accordance with Shengen rules when I go to all of these countries?
[this is the most important and time pressing question I need answered, if there is one aspect of my post that you do reply to](I have been informed by the police office that entering as a tourist now will not negatively affect the outcome of my TIE application). In the case that I return as a tourist, I won't even need my Autorización de Regreso, will I? Unfortunately I can only apply for one Autorización de Regreso at a time, so if I do use it upon entering, I won't have it for my reentry just in case when I take this trip.

One other detail to add- I left to the U.K. for a couple of days and re entered into Spain exactly on the day of my visa expiration, back in January. Could it be that reentering made me reenter as a tourist already? Or is this maybe not the case because it is a multiple entry visa?

Hi Alec, Thanks so much for all the help you've provided over the years. I was wondering if you might have the answer to my question.

I am an American citizen going to Italy to be an au pair, I am hoping to stay for 6 months (June-December) by obtaining a student visa through enrollment in a course. I already bought a ticket to arrive June 7th, and was wondering if it would be okay if the course I enroll in starts in July? I could start in June, but it would be nice to have a month to get settled in first. I have an appointment with the consulate in two weeks so I am hoping to get this ironed out quickly so I can officially enroll to get the documents I need from the school. Tried calling the consulate, but that is easier said than done.

It depends on how long you want to stay in Italy for. If you are going to leave in December, it doesn't matter if your visa starts in June or July. When you arrive in Italy, you first complete registration with your course provider and then apply for permit to stay (Permesso di Soggiorno) within 8 days of arrival at the local police office called Questura, which is a requirement under Italian law.

Alec, thanks. So if I understand you correctly, it won't be a problem with the Italian consulate when I go to apply for my visa if my flight leaves early June and the course I am enrolled in starts early July?

Alec, I'm hoping you can help me with a similar question. I am on a student visa (long séjour) that is valid until May 28th. I would like to stay in France, so my plan is to leave the schengen zone and re-enter a tourist. My current flight has me re-entering France, May 28th. Is this OK or do I have to re-enter after the 28th? I am wondering if I should rebook for the 29th. Thank you for your help.

I am sure the answer is in a previous post.

Seriously now would you believe the first guy on a forum ? Can't you ask a consulate ?

Unfortunately, the consulates are not very helpful in these questions... or each has its own interpretation .. it would be wonderful if they would clearly address in writing, in their online visa information, these two or three typical scenarios. It certainly would help a lot of people.

scpotrav17

May 28th should be ok. Make sure they put a Schengen entry stamp (with arrow pointing inwards).

Hi Alec,

I have a similar question that I haven't been able to find an answer to. Like mt6272, I'm an American working as an auxiliar de conversacion in Spain. My student visa lasted from September to January, and during that time I got a TIE, a foreigners' ID card, which expired on May 31st.

Unfortunately, I had to work on May 31st and wasn't able to leave the country until June 3rd, when I went to the UK. I returned to Spain on June 7th and got my passport stamped both ways. Upon both leaving and entering Spain, I was lectured by passport control and told that I don't have 90 days as a tourist. Everything I've read has led me to believe that I do, but does the fact that I overstayed my visa by a few days cancel that out?

I already have my flights back to the US on June 23rd. My real problem is that I'm planning to go to Amsterdam next week and I'm unclear about my situation. Am I on a tourist visa or not? If I just show my passport and not my expired residence card, will I be able to travel freely in the Schengen Zone?

Any feedback you have would help a lot.

You were able to leave the country, you just chose not to and to violate your visa. you did not "have" to work, you aren't a slave.

The reason you don't have 90 days as a tourist is because you overstayed your visa, what aren't you understanding, you can't just say ignore what I do. I presume what he meant, although you certianly could have asked, is that the time you stayed after your visa expired counted as part of those 90 days.

I would reassess whether you 'have' to go to Amsterdam next week.

The airline will check the passport as proof of identity, but because your flight to AMS is within the Schengen area there will be no passport control. If you do get an additional scolding, it will be when you leave Spain on the 23rd.

Very helpful thread. The only question I have is how long do I have to stay out of the Schengen area? My residence permit expires expires on the 20th. So can I go to the UK on the 20th and return to Schengen on the 21st? Or does it have to be >24 hours? Also, what should I tell UK immigration I am doing for one day...

Alec, it is amazing the wealth of knowledge you have and the depth of kindness you have in sharing it. I truly hope the question I have isn't redundant.
My sons are currently in France. Their visas (Category D) are for Jan 1/17 - July 1/17. They are there with a program, and now have extended their stays by 17 days. This was done without realizing the Visa implications, and non-refundable flights are already booked. My questions are as follows:
1. While they have been there, they have travelled to non-Schengen countries. (England, Wales, Croatia, Turkey) Because they have travelled to these countries, would they still need to leave France on July 1, (i.e. head to London for a day)and then return, or would their exits to those other countries suffice for allowing for a 90 day tourist stay?
2. If they have to leave, does it have to be 24 hours? Or could they take a flight to London and fly right back that day?
3. Would they have to wait until July 1, the day their visa ends, or could they go before that date?

Any help with this will be deeply appreciated. We want to honor the 'laws of the land' and don't want to muck with future travel possibilities.
Warm regards.

To anyone still following up with this forum and is willing to help me!!
I’m a native Australian on a type D visa in France, working as an au pair, but my visa clearly says I’m a student. The visa came into effect on the 25th of April and the contract with my host family is for 8 months, so it will expire on the 25th of December, CHRISTMAS DAY!!!
My brother is on a euro trip too and we are planning to stay in Denmark for Christmas, then I will come back to France to fly out on the 31st of December, just 6 days after my visa expires. My Mum went through so much to change my flight so I could spend Christmas in Europe, since I was originally planning to leave on the 15th of December. I am willing to go to England to get stamps but I can’t exit BEFORE and come back AFTER my visa expires, since that would mean spending Christmas in England, defeating the whole purpose of changing my flight.

If anyone can give me advice, I would really appreciate it! I have gone through so much stress, research and have tried to contact the embassy in France and Australia but did not succeed.

Thank you!

P.s. I visited the Prefecture in France and they said I won’t have any hassles leaving if I overstay, only if I want to come back.

This is a very old/meandering thread. You might do better to start a new thread of your own.

I agree with the prefecture.. as far as I have been told here that if you are leaving.. and hopefully changing planes outside Schengen.. you should not have any problems. Where you MIGHT have a problem is if they "catch you" and you need to change within Schengen.. then they MIGHT raise a fuss.. but hopefully not over 6 days.

Good luck. There is Nothing you can do to improve the situation so just go to check-in as if nothing is wrong. Enjoy your vacation as though all was in order.

Hi Alec,
We have a reverse problem. My son (USA) is headed to the Czech Republic for a study abroad program soon. He arrives in country on Feb. 10, however his student visa begins Feb. 19. We believe there was a typo, on whose end we don't know.
Is he able to enter Czech as a tourist nine days early? Or, does this need to be addressed with the Czech consulate?
Thank you.