Portugal didn't come across with our year-long visa. They didn't reject our applications, they simply said we don't need it...oh, and by the way, you have to leave after 90 days....you gotta love it!
Anyway, after October in Scotland, we needs suggestions for non-Schengen countries for November and December. We're a retired couple from Seattle area looking for options before going to France in January. THANKS!
Have you tried getting a year long visa from a different country?
The same thing happened to my daughter last summer. She traveled for 3 weeks about Europe then settled in the Netherlands. She started an internship there. Three weeks before the end of her 90 days, she was talking with her boss and they starting looking into what to do. Finally, on day 90 nothing could be resolved and she had to come back to the USA. The only suggestion was to fly to USA and then come back. But unfortunately she didn't have the funds to do it.
Hoping you'll be able to figure it out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_member_state_territories_and_the_European_Union#Gibraltar:
it does not form part of the Schengen Area
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area#Stays_in_excess_of_90_days:
entering Andorra means leaving the Schengen Area.
And of course Turkey
But there are essentially no border controls at Andorra, so there would be no exit stamp proving you left the Schengen Treaty Zone.
Again from Wikipedia:
There is an agreement signed 2003 between France, Spain and Andorra on the movement and residence in Andorra of citizens of third States.[4] It says that the three countries shall coordinate their visa requirements (in reality that Andorra follows the Schengen visa requirements) and that Andorra accept entry only of those who have right of entry of Spain or France. Andorra is allowed to permit long stays for any person.
Long term visa's have been discussed here from time to time, I am curious though what did you tell them about your planned time in Europe?
As for other options, you still have the rest of the UK and Ireland, but maybe more opportunity in the Balkans, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Croatia. From there you could look at Morocco and as was mentioned, Turkey.
Also Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and I assume Albania, though I haven't verified Albania. Note that Slovenia is Schengen. Also, Andorra wouldn't really be useful even if it didn't have that agreement with Spain and France. Schengen avoiders generally need a place to stay a long time while they're waiting out the 180-day cycle. Few people would find Andorra suitable for a long stay.
The non-Schengen countries have been covered above. The question is where do you want to go? November and December are not generally the best times for holidaying in Europe, as these are some of the colder, wetter months and daylight hours are short. Gardens won't have much colour left and many houses and gardens will be closed for the winter. Central Europe will be cold and may have snow inland.
The warmest nearby place will be Morocco, if you can put up with being constantly pestered in Marrakech etc. Many Europeans are avoiding Morocco and Turkey due to the heightened security situation.
If you are in Scotland, why not spend time in the rest of the UK or Ireland?
Alternatively, to get some winter sun, you could head further south such as The Gambia for a few weeks, which is what many Europeans would do if avoiding Schengen or the Caribbean.
