WANTED: Schengen Visa Information
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WANTED: Schengen Visa Information
If you're a U.S. Citizen, I'd be very interested to hear of your experiences travelling within the Schengen countries, whether or not you were ever asked for a visa (technically, a visa isn't required of a U.S. citizen) or if you had problems after your 90 days ran out, or anything else of significance to a fellow American planning to spend a long time in Western Europe. It used to not be a problem to stay longer than 90 days in any country, all that was necessary was to renew the entry stamp in my passport by going to a local police station or immigration office with some current passport photos, filling out some paperwork and then waiting for the bureaucratic wheels to roll. What's it like now?
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By the way, I'm pretty sure that a long-stay visa is required if you just stay in France, for example. While I don't know the specifics, I know that an acquaintance got one for a year. He's currently in France but will return to get the long-stay visa from the French consulate.
I'm not exactly sure what happens if you go to multiple countries -- but the thread I linked has some information on this, as the original poster in that thread called the Dutch consulate, if I remember correctly (I don't have the time to read it now).
I'm not exactly sure what happens if you go to multiple countries -- but the thread I linked has some information on this, as the original poster in that thread called the Dutch consulate, if I remember correctly (I don't have the time to read it now).
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It used to be you just had to go out of the EU and then re-enter and get another 90 days. Switzerland is the only non-EU country easily reached from most of Europe. But not sure this techically is OK but in my experience they often do not stamp passports going in or out - more likely going in but since they usually don't going out then they have no idea how long you've stayed the first time. I think that if you're not applying for a job or welfare, etc. and have money, some young folks may be asked to prove they have money with them or some kind of funds available- UK used to do this routinely. But don't think average tourists would be bothered - that is if you're Caucasian looking at least.
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This website has good info. The website's focus is Italy, but much of the information on visas is relevant to other EU countries too.
http://www.expatsinitaly.com/visas.htm
http://www.expatsinitaly.com/visas.htm
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I’ve lived in Switzerland (non-Schengen) for the last three years, travel at least once a week by plane to other places in Europe and to date have NEVER had a stamp placed in my passport. This includes when returning to Switzerland each time, where I show my passport and don’t even mention that I have a residents permit, nor do they ask. None of the countries have entry forms anymore (except I think the UK does if coming from the US.) Really, there is no way that immigration would know when you arrived and how long you have been staying; conversely there is no way to prove that you have not exceeded the 90-day limit, other than if you keep an air ticket or train ticket. If you stayed more than 90 days in a hotel, or if you rent an apartment, then your landlord would be concerned, and you would need a long-stay visa, other than that, I don’t think anyone is concerned.
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Sep 7th, 2013 10:39 PM