I have been granted a faculty exchange for fall 2016 in Ireland. Not aware of the 90-day stay rule, I booked airline tickets for my husband and myself for four months. Changing those tickets so that we are within the 90-day timeframe is cost prohibitive and we are trying to figure out what to do to avoid that. One thought is to purchase tickets for a trip to the UK, France, or elsewhere on the continent that would get us out of Ireland within the 90 day range. We would then return and use our originally booked flights back to the US. Thoughts or other suggestions?
Posted by
Charm City USA
183 posts
Suggest you ask your host university about this. They should be able to offer up-to-date, situation-relevant advice.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
France is also a Schengen member do that won't help you. You'd have thought the Irish university would have informed you about the 90 days problem. Can you not apply for a long stay visa?
Posted by
Massachusetts
404 posts
It's not too late to get a visa, is it? The university you are teaching at should be able to help arrange this. Not unlike students who study abroad.
Ireland is not in the Schengen area.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
So as Ireland is not in the Schengen area ( I didn't know that) the OP does not have a problem at all.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
No, unfortunately for us, while Ireland is not in the Schengen area it has its own rules about a 90-day limit. You can ask for permission to stay longer when you arrive in Ireland, but from what the Irish Consulate told me, the people charged with granting permission will be expecting us to have return tickets that comply with the 90-day rule.
Thanks for the suggestion to check in with the university to which I'll be connected; I've sent off a query.
Not sure about the visa; the Irish consulate simply told me that US citizens do not need one.
Posted by
Massachusetts
404 posts
Right, Ireland has its own 90 day rule. Did the consulate tell you that you didn't need a visa even after telling them that you'd be staying more than 90 days? That is surprising to me, and would seem to be a mistake. I bet the university will help you out - good thing you figured this out now and not in August. Let us know what happens.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Sara, your host University (or whatever) should have informed you of the rules at the beginning. It is very bad of them not to have done so. You need to contact them ASAP and find out what the rules are.
As others have said, Ireland is not in Schengen, so the Schengen "90 days in 180" rule is irrelevant. Ireland has its own rules (which may be more or less than 90 days). Do not assume that leaving for another country (UK, France) and returning will give you another 90 days.
Also, if you are working or studying at a University or college, you are not a tourist (though your husband may be), and you may need to get a visa from day 1.
You need to contact the University or college ASAP and find out what the rules are, and sort this out long before you step on a plane.
Posted by
Pantego, NC, USA
1014 posts
How close to Washington, DC do you live? Could get an appointment to see the Irish person in charge of Visa's and talk to them face to face about your problem? That can work better than a phone call to a lackey who does not care.
Posted by
Salinas, CA, United States
53 posts
Would a trip into Northern Ireland (U.K.) help?
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5456 posts
Not really as the border is open.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks all. We decided to keep it simple and cut the trip short to 90 days. I appreciate the help!