How long can I stay in London which just a US passport? I've heard I can be here 6 months at a time...is that 6 consecutive months? What about if I leave to travel and then come back?
I've also heard that I can stay in the EU for 6 months in a year period but only 3 months at a time.
Would someone be able to provide a reliable source?
Here's a Schengen calculator website to help with the Schengen question. Generally, you can stay in any Schengen country or countries for a total of 90 days within any 180-day period. They do not have to be consecutive days.
Here is the UK government website about standard visitor visas. US citizens coming to the UK for tourism purposes can stay for up to 6 months with just their passport, provided it is valid for that entire time.
I cannot answer your question about the UK.
For the Schengen Zone the rule is that US citizens are limited to 90 days (not 3 months!) within any 180-day period. Every day you must look back 180 days and ask yourself, "Have I been in Schengen countries for 90 days?" If the answer is "Yes", you must leave that day. Both the arrival day and departure day count. By taking a long break (or multiple breaks), it seems possible to spend 180 days each year in Schengen countries. What I don't know is whether questions might be raised about repeated long visits. Might the Immigration authorities suspect under-the-table employment, especially if the visitor was of working age?
I take annual 88- or 89-day spring/summer trips to the Schengen Zone but have not made two such trips in the same calendar year.
One thing that should be added, while the UK and Ireland offer up to 6 months, it is up to the agent at entry to determine first "If" you get in, and for how long. Most times they will just stamp "6 Months" but if they see multiple entries for example, that will prompt questions and they may limit time, or refuse entry.
Note that "the EU" as a whole does not have one set of rules about how long you can stay. The Schengen zone countries (not the same as the EU) have a set of rules, and the UK has a different set of rules. Countries that are not Schengen and not UK, but that are part of the EU (such as Croatia) will have their own rules.
while the UK and Ireland offer up to 6 months
Ireland offers visa-free entry for up to 90 days. Six months for the UK.
The UK allows up to 6 months. Now that US citizens can use the e-gates at ALL UK airports, there is no more talking with an immigration officer and explaining yourself. You simply scan your passport and enter the country as long as your passport has a chip, which most current ones now have. In the past the immigration officer could deny you entry if you wanted to stay for the full 6 months if he didn't like your plans, and thought you might overstay the 6 months.
I go to the UK 3-4 times a year and can't wait to bypass the immigration lines next time I go - they can be truly horrendous!
As for leaving and coming back multiple times, they will flag your passport if you start doing this. Even at the e-gates they can pull you aside if you have entered the country more times than most normal tourists or stay for long stretches each time without obtaining a long-stay visa, which is extremely difficult to do unless you're a student or going there to work for a company that transfers you there. The UK is extremely strict about their immigration law. Don't mess with them or you may find yourself without access to the UK.
