cheryl_b

Hello fellow Fodorites,

My daughter is travelling through Europe for 5 months. She and her friend do not intend to apply for a Schengen Visa, nor are they students (they're celebrating their graduation!). Everything I've read, including the posts here, states that you can stay in Shengen for 90 days and then must wait another 30 days before you can re-enter. Unless you're from New Zealand, lol. (Is that right?)

My questions...

what if you stay less than the initial 3 months in the Zone? do the 90 days have to be consecutive for the restriction to kick in?

is there a way to travel to the UK or other (which??) non-EU states without having to stay out for a month in order to get around the restrictions? the UK exchange rate is horrible right now, and it would be tough to stay on budget for them.

My daughter has to come back to the U.S. after 2 months for a week, and then she's heading back. Does that cause a "reboot"?

or should they really apply for a visa (how much $)?

Alec, if you're out there, you seem to be the resident Fodor's expert on the subject...Help! And of course, all help is welcome and appreciated.

hetismij2

The rule is 90 days in any 180 days. So day 1 is the day they arrive. They then have 89 more days which can be taken during the next 179 days.
If they stay in Schengen for 90 consecutive days they must leave on day 90 and cannot return for another 91 days.

Returning to the US does not restart their visa free period.

They need to either change their plans and spend a long period in Britain, Ireland and other non Schengen lands or they need to try and get visas.

Do not encourage them to break the law!

KTtravel

Hetismij2 is correct.

Here are the rules: http://travel.state.gov/content/pass...act-sheet.html

cheryl_b

thanks. i'd read the website above, but like many government docs, it's neither complete nor clear.

cheryl_b

from KTtravel's link:
If you do not meet these conditions, or plan to stay in the Schengen area longer than three months, contact the embassy of the country where you plan to spend the majority of your time to apply for a visa.

well...what if you're not spending a majority of time in one place?? which consulate do you apply to?

nytraveler

You should apply to the consulate of the country where you will spend the most time.

But that's not the question. The question is - what kind of visa do they qualify for. Too long for tourist. Not going to school so student is out. The long-term visas generally sought by those with high incomes looking to retire will not work for them. And they can't get a work visa without a job.

They need a REASON to qualify for a longer visa - and just wanting to be there is not a valid one. The Schengen tourist visa is 90 days just to prevent what they are trying to do.

So - they need to get out of Schengen into other countries or go home sooner.

After all, a european young person can't just come here and stay for 5 months - just because they want to.

adrienne

<< what if you're not spending a majority of time in one place >>

They're staying in each Schengen country for the exact amount of time? For instance, they will be in France, Spain, Italy, etc. for exactly 15 days each? There's no country where they will stay for 20 days? I guess they have their final itinerary in place if you know that they won't be in one country even a day longer than the other countries. What is their itinerary?

The UK is an EU member but not a Schengen member so they can visit the UK and extend their stay in Europe by doing this.

I would not bother trying to get a visa which can be a lengthy process and they probably would not be eligible. Just have them travel within the Schengen rules.

Exchange rate is only one factor in traveling and making your money last. The other factor is how much you can buy for your money. You cannot only look at exchange rate.

Example: France and Portual both use the Euro and the exchange rate is the same for both countries. However, you money will go much farther in Portugal than France as it's much cheaper.

The same applies to the UK. If you stay away from large cities you can buy more with the Pound and your money will go farther. This logic can be applied anywhere, including the US.

Bad exchange rates are relative. The first time I went to the UK the exchange rate was $2.50:1 GBP. It's $1.71 today.

BTW - the people traveling should be doing this research so they can learn something before they leave.

Alec

As stated, it's 90-in-180 days and no Schengen country will issue a long-stay visa in your daughter's case - too much risk of overstay, illegal working etc. While most Schengen external borders are quite relaxed, I know some boarder agents are much more diligent in checking eligibility, including actually counting the days they have already spent in Schengen. Any absences from Schengen during the 90 days will extend your stay, so if she spends 10 days in UK or Ireland, on return she can stay in Schengen for 10 days longer than the initial 90 days, and so on. Going outside Schengen (including home in US) doesn't reset the clock but suspends the clock from ticking away.

cheryl_b

thank you, alec, for your non-snarky reply.

yes, the european visitor is a good point, except that after the initial 90 days are up in the U.S., you can return after a "reasonable" time abroad, without the 180 day caveat.

the travelers researched this; i'm on this venue so i can be more knowledgeable and help, so please, keep your attitude at bay, people.

nytraveler

No one is having any "attitude" - simply providing facts.

And the rules for the US are not the same as Schengen - and Schengen rules are the only ones that count. They don;t want to try to overstay and be found and deported - or found on departure to have overstayed and have to pay a fine and have this noted in their passport - possibly banning them from Schengen for a period of time.

adrienne

<< thank you, alec, for your non-snarky reply. >>

Wow! Are you nasty.

People here tried to help you and you really have an FU attitude.

KTtravel

I really don't think anyone had attitude until you made your comment.

The Schengen rules are pretty strict. Unfortunately, I think your daughter will not be likely to qualify to stay longer in the Schengen area. However, she can have a great time with 90 days there and then can continue her trip by visiting non-Schengen countries. It's not ideal but she should still have a great experience.

StCirq

Boy, who's got the attitude, here? No one was snarky. You stated facts that appeared to suggest that your daughter was planning to flout the Schengen rules, and then, when people here who actually know those rules, suggested you and the daughter re-think these plans, you got all defensive.

She has to change her plans. It's that simple.

sparkchaser

I think it's pretty clear what the choices are:

1. Spend 90 days in Schengen and the other 60 days in a non-Schengen country (UK, Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Moldova, etc.)

2. Shorten trip.

3. YOLO and overstay her visa. She's a big girl now and the worst thing that will happen if she overstays her visa is she gets deported and gets the big red "illegal immigrant" stamped on her passport and possible denial of entry into Schengen in the future.

flanneruk

"Unless you're from New Zealand, lol. (Is that right?)"

New Zealand's government has negotiated bilateral agreements with most Schengen countries allowing its citizens easier access. In return, it extends the same courtesy to citizens of those countries.

The same option is open to the United States. The United States - which purports to be a democracy - hasn't used that option. So we must conclude that the American people don't want easier access to mainland Europe.

sparkchaser

<i>So we must conclude that the American people don't want easier access to mainland Europe.</i>

Nah, we want to have our cake and eat it too (we want to be able to go to Europe for as long as we want and have our youngsters work there too as they travel about but we don't want any Europeans coming over here working odd jobs and seducing our women)

bilboburgler

As Flanner says, NZ actually negotiates and sticks to its agreed position.

Right now the US is deliquent on its extradition treaty with the UK. As sparky says, cake and eat it.

socaltraveler

Attitudes aside, I think sparkchaser lays it out pretty well. If it were my daughter, I would strongly advise either 1 or 2. Overstaying the visa simply because 'my trip is already planned that way and we want to travel for 5 months' has some serious possible consequences. Not worth it.

cheryl_b

ok, ok folks. didn't mean to start something, and i'm well known for NOT having a bad attitude! i've given and gotten great advice here over the years, so, idk, i slipped...

they are rule-abiding young women (much more than i was at that age!) and they will most likely spend their non-schengen time in the british isles and croatia, et al.

sparkchaser: thanks for the run-down on specifics. there are plenty of places to visit!