Hello everybody:
I am new to the forum - and Rick Steves in particular.
What a wonderful group of experienced travelers !!!!
My wife and I will arrive in Florence on the 18th of May 2020 - departing 2 September.
That is 106 days. Will it be necessary to have a visa for a period exceeding 90 days?
Calvin
Yes. Schengen rules only allow you to stay a maximum of 90 days within a 180 day period. Overstay and you could not only get fined but banned from entering Schengen for up to 10 years.
Getting a visa for Italy for 16 days is a lot of paperwork. And if it's just for tourism they probably won't give you one.
This is, of course, assuming you have a U.S. or Canadian passport.
Addendum.....I see from your other post that you will already have been in Europe for a month before getting to Italy. If any of these countries are part of Schengen you are in serious trouble. And even if you get an extended visa for Italy, it's only good for Italy.
If you are taking your course from an actual school then you might be able to get a student visa. Check with the school.
Probably. Two questions:
1) What is your nationality?
2) How long will you be staying in the Schengen Area as a whole?
Depending on this:
So, yes, you probably need a visa for over 90 days, and this limit includes days spent in other Schengen countries.
I hope your art classes will be usable as justification for the visa I suspect you need. You need to get started on the visa thing right away. From reports here and elsewhere it's not just a formality. You'll probably need to show proof of a lease of some sort, medical insurance valid in Italy, and possibly income/assets. Some folks have had to make multiple visits to an Italian consulate before all the paperwork was in order.
The alternative would be to shorten your Schengen stay by spending a good chunk of time in a non-Schengen country. As of now that includes Croatia, but it could change.
Count your days very, very carefully. Both your arrival day and your departure day count. For example, if you leave Italy on July 1 and return on July 31, that is only 29 non-Schengen days.
This breezy website consolidates general Schengen visa issues with a "whatever!" attitude, but it reads like he knows what he is talking about. Skip to Italy, sounds like it is one of the easier countries (but not that easy) to get a 1 year visitor visa.
Again :-)
Hello Again:
I am extremely grateful for the quick and comprehensive responses.
I am unfamiliar with the word "Schengen Area". Thank you SO much for the map.
I am clearly in the "green" area. It appears the more practical course may be to shorten my trip.
I will look into the "Student Visa" though.
Again - very grateful. Thank you all -
Hope you find some laughter in your day today :-)
Calvin
In his earlier question, they indicated they would be kicking around Europe a month prior to arrive in Florence. That would be about a 136 days in the Schengen zone. Way, way past 90 days.
....Will it be necessary to have a visa for a period exceeding 90 days?...... Absolutely, what are you thinking? It is called illegal alien and you know what the US attitude has become regarding illegal aliens. It has been reported on this site that a student overstayed by one day -- the fine was 500E and she was detained long enough to miss her return flight and that resulted in another very expensive return ticket. Also, another individual reported that he could not avoid overstaying by about two weeks. The fine was substantial and he was banned from returning to the Schengen zone for two years.
The immigration people take the 90 day limit very seriously, both the day in and day out count as separate days, and they will catch you if you are over. To stay more than 90 days you must have the appropriate visa. Goggle Schengen zone for if you don't know what the zone is. You need to do some more homework. And, BOTH of you will need a visa. Her's is not automatic because she is a spouse.
I am unfamiliar with the word "Schengen Area".
That unfortunately is true of many posters here. They have not done their "due diligence", and think there is no limit, or it is 90 days in each country (no, it is 90 days for all Schengen countries), or think they can leave and return for a new 90 days (no, it is 90 days in any 180, exiting and re-entering doesn't change anything).
Then you point out that there are also laws in their country that stop foreigners staying as long as they like, in another country they would be the "illegal immigrant".
But now you know, Calvin. I hope some of the more "bristley" replies don't put you off.
I'm glad you asked first and had enough time to contemplate ways to solve your problem....
I hope it works out well and you have a great European summer study holiday.
Understood. And – thank you.
This information is very helpful.
My classes in Florence run from 25 May until August 28- that’s 96 days – I can shorten those.
But the QE2 is booked to arrive in Southampton on 2 May. I guess I could skip the London, Paris, Milan visits, (I have been to all previously).......and hang out in non-Schengen countries...... entering Italy and departing within the 90 days.
Interesting.
Thank all of you for sharing your knowledge.
Much appreciated.
OH - And by the way - what I was thinking........... was how enlightening it would be to master the 19th-century French Academic method of drawing and - when sufficient........... to proceed to the underpainting, dead color and final finishing including details, glazing and scumbling techniques of the Renaissance Masters.................
Calvin
I guess I could skip the London, Paris, Milan visits, (I have been to all previously).......and hang out in non-Schengen countries
The UK and Ireland are non-Schengen countries.
There is way to manage your Schengen zone stay but might add substantial to your expenses. First, stay in London (non-Schengen zone country) from May 2 to the 24 so the clock doesn't start until the 24th. Then schedule several weekends visits to non-Schengen zone countries to gain the additional six days or so that you will need to keep your visit under the 90 limit. It does become complicated. Good luck.
If you are a bone fide student you should be able to get a student visa and you could complete your course.
Since you are a student and not a tourist the tourist visa waiver (Schengen) probably isn't appropriate.
But the wife is not a student so she would have a problem.
AFAIK, student visas usually allow spouses as dependents. However I have no specific knowledge of Italian visa rules.
I am intrigued about this course. You say your classes run for 96 days. Who is organising this course? Is it in Italian (and aimed at Italians), or is it in English and aimed at foreigners?
If it is merely aimed at students from other EU countries, they do not need visas.
If it is aimed at non-EU foreigners (like you), the organisers should be able to advise about visa requirements, other students will also have the same issue. I would have expected such a course to be planned as less than 90 days, to get around this problem.
All is well. Lovely surprise. We now have 23 days to split between the UK and Ireland -
(Thank God I had not booked my AIRB&B reservations in London, Paris, and Milan)
By cutting my last one week class - I am good.
Sometimes it is the unexpected the most rewarding. :-)
Thank you all for helping me.
Calvin
My un-doing was self-made.
Having some reservations as to whether I would be accepted - I applied with two and was accepted at both.
Both are designed to get you in and our under 90 days.
The Florence Studio has a ten-week program (150 hours @ 3 hours per day - 5 days per week).
The Florence Art Studio have 4-week courses in both drawing and in painting.
In this case - I simply allowed my enthusiasm for the journey to overcome the most obvious.
ON TO ENGLAND & IRELAND !!
Calvin
I'm so glad you discovered this before arriving in Europe, perhaps with long-term Florentine lodgings locked in. I was oblivious to the finer details of the rules myself at the beginning of my 2015 trip, and it was only thanks to a fellow language student that I learned how strict the limits were and was able to make the necessary adjustment to my itinerary.
Since you'll probably be spending some time in London next year, I'll mention something I discovered on my most recent trip--something I haven't seen mentioned in any guidebook. Royal St. is one of the streets cutting under the railroad tracks running south from Waterloo Station. By dumb luck I walked along that street to get to the Imperial War Museum from my hotel near the London Eye. As you cross under the tracks you encounter about two dozen ceramic artworks based on works of William Blake, who at one time lived in the area. They were created by a variety of artists.
Another thing that might interest you is the exhibition of winners from the BP 2020 Portrait Award competition. I don't think the dates have been announced yet, and it might open too late for you to see it, but I hope it won't. I've been to the last two exhibitions, both at the National Portrait Gallery, and I thought they were excellent. About 40-45 portraits, judged best in a blind evaluation. The 2019 contest had over 40,000 entries from 100 countries; no wonder the standard is so high.
Thank you acraven:
acraven:
I will certainly look into both.
Thank you.
Calvin
