Any advice on how to obtain the appropriate visas to legally travel within Schengen countries as tourists for longer than 90 days in a 6 month period? As new retirees, we are contemplating taking two 2-months trips, which would put us over the 90 day rule. For example, we are thinking next year of a 2 month trip in Benelux and France in the spring, followed by a 2 month trip to Switzerland, Germany and Austria in the summer. I'm guessing that since our first trip would be within the Schengen requirements, we would have to seek a visa from one of the countries we plan to visit in the second trip? I realize this is a good problem to have. Thanks for any help you can offer. (I did try the search first, but didn't find an answer).
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32345 posts
Barbara,
Based on my understanding of the rules, I'm not sure that you'll be able to travel for the periods you want. A few thoughts......
When you first enter Schengen area in the spring, you'll be allowed to stay for 90 days. When you leave after two months the "meter" will stop, but will begin to run again when you return in the summer. The meter would not reset to "zero", since you'd still be within the six month window (if that makes any sense). Therefore you'd only be able to stay for an additional 30 days in Switzerland, Germany and Austria and would then have to leave the zone until six months had elapsed from your first entry in the spring.
AFAIK, having a long stay Visa from any particular country does not allow travellers to freely roam about the E.U. for extended periods of time. You'd need to check with the Embassy of one of the countries you'll be visiting. One possibility would be to spend the last month in the U.K. after your 90 day limit has run out.
Good luck!
Posted by
9 posts
Sorry to hijack this topic, but having read another post on Schengen penalties, I just had to ask: I got my dates wrong and instead of booking 89 days in Europe, I booked 89 nights, so I'm leaving on the 90th day. Problems? What if there's an airline strike on the day I'm due to fly home?
Posted by
Eugene, Oregon...Formerly Ventura, CA
2262 posts
"What if there's an airline strike on the day I'm due to fly home?"
Obviously that's too tight a schedule, but please post a new topic in order to get help from others.
Posted by
Nashville, TN, USA
795 posts
Barbara, what I would suggest is not worrying about visas for the Benelux/France trip and then get visas for Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
I have to warn you, getting the Austrian visa is a bitch. They insist on your coming to a consulate in the USA and giving fingerprints of all 10 fingers. You might want to flip your trips and get visas for your other set of countries and go there in the summer and do the Austria./Germany/Switzerland ones in the summer.
Posted by
Nashville, TN, USA
795 posts
@CurraWong62- Don't worry about it. That would be highly unlikely to happen and if you stay at the airport, you would not be considered in the country. You can also switch airlines in that event.
Posted by
OP
Seattle, WA
151 posts
Thank you Ken and Terri Lynn. I'll continue to explore the options and post if we have success. I keep thinking that as long as we can show we're not interested in immigrating and/or using the health care system, there should be a way to do this. I'm going to contact consulates for some of these countries and see what they say.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
To get an extended-stay visa you have to apply to a specific country in the Schengen zone. I can only speak to getting an extended-stay visa for France or Switzerland - it's not easy!
For France, there are about 13 separate forms to fill out that are each accompanied by supporting documentation. You have to submit things such as all of your financial records to prove that you will be able to be financially self-supportive while staying. You have to obtain your criminal records and submit those. You have to have a physical address in France that is your base + you must register with the local police for that address within a certain period of time from your arrival. You must give them assurances that you won't work while there. This is just the beginning. Here is the link the the French Consulate's page in DC regarding non-professional extended stay visas and the requirements attached to it.
I wouldn't even try to get a visa for Switzerland...they are extremely restrictive in their policies and it's difficult to get an extended-stay visa unless you are working there due to a company transfer.
If you are granted a visa I don't see what the problem would be in moving about the Schengen zone. There are really no border checks between countries any more so I can't see how it would be a problem.
If you can't get a visa to overstay the 90 day limit, then consider combining a visit with other countries that are not part of the Schengen zone such as England - they have a 6 month limit on tourist stays. This web page has a good map of the Schengen zone if you scroll down...it might help you plan.
Personally, I wouldn't attempt to get a long-stay visa unless I was planning to retire in Europe or live there...hardly worth the effort when you can just plan your trip to include countries not part of the zone.
Posted by
Freedonia
16194 posts
Here's a letter from today's L.A. Times from a couple who were fined $500 each for overstaying their stay in Schengen. (They wrote $ but I'm guessing it's Euros.)
http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-tr-letters-20150405-story.html
Posted by
OP
Seattle, WA
151 posts
Thanks Anita and Frank II. I really appreciate the honesty. We don't want to play games with the rules - that would add a whole level of stress we don't need. I will look into the visa possibility more, but also at either scaling back a bit or seeing more of the UK than originally planned. Once again, this forum and the knowledgeable, well-traveled contributors are wonderful!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32345 posts
Barbara,
To add to the information that Anita posted above, you'll have to decide whether jumping through a bunch of hoops and months of paperwork and bureaucracy is worth it to stay for an additional month. Is there any possibility you could take one trip in the spring and the other in the fall, to satisfy the six month rule? That would also allow you to stay longer with each trip.
You might find one of these helpful.....
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
Better to check with the embassy of the country/countries in question rather than this forum.
E .g. Austria:
http://www.austria.org/visa
Austrian National Visa (Visa D)
If you intend to stay in Austria for more than 90 but less than 180 days as a tourist, student, on a business trip, to visit friends or relatives, or you intend to take up short-term employment (less than 6 months) AND you are neither an EU nor an EFTA citizen, you need a national Austrian visitor visa (Visa D).
Posted by
OP
Seattle, WA
151 posts
Thanks all. Edgar, we will definitely be communicating with the appropriate embassies if we decide to do try for a visa. Ken, thanks so much for the links to calculators. We had just come to the solution you offered, but had not found the calculators. That's a big help. We want some wiggle room, so we'll either shorten up the trips, change to a non-Schengen country, explore the visa options or play with the dates. Lots to think about!