<I'm not looking to steal a good job from anyone>

Well if you are working low-skill jobs that is exactly what you would be doing. There is no such thing as "slightly illegal".

Why not do the 3 month stay, that you could pay for with money earned legally at home?

Thanks for the info Kybourbon - guess I goofed when I stayed for 4 months!

Live long enough and maybe I will learn enough:)
Pat

Regarding those who insist there is no such thing as degrees of "illegal" or being slightly illegal, are they suggesting that it is just as illegal to spit on a sidewalk as it is to rape someone then hack their body to bits with a machete?

The first would be a mere violation while the latter is at least two felonies. Both acts are illegal, but are punished according to the seriousness of the crime.

You could do Italy for 3 months and then go to a non-schengen country for another month or 2.

As for 'working' while you are here. Yes it happens. However, you will only be able to get the grottiest of jobs and employers will take advantage of you regarding pay,conditions etc.

If you are interested in keeping costs down and doing farm work, you could look at a WOOF scheme - but I'm not sure if you would need a working visa for those. Google WOOF holidays anyway to find more info.

Are you sure you can't get a working holiday visa?

<<<<<<<<<<
Illegal but not prosecuted because it's largely inconsequential.
>>>>>>>>>>

This statement is so full of holes that it is not even wotrth mentioning that it is all B.S.

Ciao nphinit - Would you consider attending language school while you are here? You can get a student visa for up to a year for that. Mightbe fun as well!

You can apply for a 6 month visa, but must be able to show sufficient funds to stay in the country for that long (sufficinet meaning about $50K). And they could still turn you down...

The student thing might be your easiest bet.

You can always come over without a visa or permit to stay, but you do run a risk as many have eluded in their posts above.

Good luck!

What about getting a TEFL certificate and teaching English while in Italy. I did the course in Rome and most of the students were American and didn't have a work permit to stay but they did anyway. Most of the schools didn't ask for anything other than a codice fiscale - which was easily obtainable.

In ancient days, you needed a paper visa to go into almost any country. In large part, those types of visas are still available, but you would have to find out what they are, and how to get them. In all honesty, most do not allow for employment, so if you contact the appropriate embassy or consulate and ask for a visa for an illegal purpose, you are not likely to get one.

The unwritten tourist visa we are now most familiar with is a convenience for us, compared to the old system where we had to get a written visa for each country. But trip planners should certainly be aware that the unwritten tourist visa (most commonly good for 90 days only) is not the only type of visa available.

Interesting. How do the "movie" stars and others do it then. Do they get waived for money equity or do they enter/leave and then get visas or permits every time? Or do they get overlooked because they are "special"!

I am ignorant. Just asking.

Because I know a whole lot of home health people who are trying to be naturalized as USA citizens coming from about 4 European, some from the S. Zone. And also others that do the reverse visits/ stay for eons of time. Most work in the USA, illegal or not.

Sorry, did not want to hijack the thread. Just thinking outloud and really wondering at the dichotomy. I would think there are many illegals in Europe as there are multitudes in the USA. Maybe just the consequences of illegality are vastly different??

I see students too and often, get around this in both directions.

Movie stars, musicians etc receive visas for work in the US, and yes, they are reserved for people of special abilities and talents.

I ahve a related question: Lots of people buy second or retirement homes in Italy. Do the same rules on visas apply if you own a home?

My question was more for the reverse situations, as I know nurses going to work in Schengen countries as well, who are not wealthly?? How do the Johnny Dep etc. or other long term European visitors do and buy property all within a short period of time then? My guess would be that sufficient amounts of money will buy permissions in most cases.

But there are probably many, many of every age doing this under student requirements. And there are probably more dense individual systems, probably different in each country, that would need to be worked through to maintain a legal residence of more than 90 days, say a year to two years. This is rather a covert way to pick and choose, IMHO.

I wonder what the real consequences are for illegals (convictions or actions taken in actuality per year) per country. I'm going to study the numbers.

Is there a huge stigma on illegals from the USA? If I went to Germany and stayed with my relatives for 6 months would the powers that be "come to get me"?

"My question was more for the reverse situations, as I know nurses going to work in Schengen countries as well, who are not wealthly?? How do the Johnny Dep etc. or other long term European visitors do and buy property all within a short period of time then? "

My guess is that, rather than waste time asking non-experts, he hires good lawyers who know what needs to be done and who then do it. The trouble here is that people want the laws to be different, or to not apply to them. Can't help.

The example situations are a bit different.

Most EU countries have some sort of skilled migrant scheme for certain professions that explains the presence of foreign nurses.

As for movie stars, well they are still employed by the US movie co, they are just using the country as a filming location. The point of having immigration and employment controls is to protect local people's opportunities. If they were refused permission to come in do you think the movie producer is going to sack Jonny Depp etc and use all Italian actors? Of course not, they'd just go and film somewhere else. Of course no country is going to say 'no you can't come and film here with your foreign actors' as it is a great source of income (both directly and indirectly).

In Italy, it is relatively easy to get a residance visa IF you own a home or apartment. Once you have the deed in your hand, you can go to your local consulate for the necessary papaerwork OR you can go to your local questura (police station) in Italy and get a long term permesso sojourno (usually 2 years to start). With your permesso di sojourno you can stay or come and go as you please...

Movie stars, rock stars, etc., get special artist visas and are fairly easy to obtain as they have proof of work (contracts via studios) - can you tell what I did in my past life?!