I realize there have been tons of questions regarding how long can one stay in the Schengen Zone, but my situation is a little different and I'm not sure where to look to get the info that I need. I have a Polish residence card that expires on 30 June of this year.I 've been teaching English and plan on returning to the States permanently, but I'd like to spend an extra week or two in Europe after my school year ends rather than flying home immediately. Based on a friend's experience, I know that I'd technically be illegally in Poland if I was still there on 1 July. What about the rest of Europe, since Poland is part of Schengen? Is there any way to extend my stay without risking fines? My American passport is up to date, no worries. I'm mainly just worried about going through passport control at the airport on my way home (most likely Heathrow) and running into issues about how long I've been here. Thanks for any help!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23340 posts
Unfortunately all you can get here are opinions since no one is a "Schengen visa" expert. Since this is a very technical question you should ask this of the Polish immigrations or local American embassy or consulate. Since this problem carries serious consequences I would not rely on anyone's opinion. Go to an offical source
Posted by
Freedonia
15213 posts
I agree with Frank....you need to get an official answer. Just one point. Heathrow is in the UK which is NOT a part of Schengen. They don't care how long you've been in Schengen. However, when you leave Schengen you'll go through passport control and they just might care.