I am in switz did not know of 90 day limit
read web info unclear
can I apply for visa now?
Do I apply on line or to a gov office in bern?
Need to be in switz until sept. 4
How do they know if I was in switz for 90 days
I flew from us to uk
a week in uk yhem zurich
I fly out of zurich
can I rebook my ticket to leave from non switz country?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
Governments, including USA, want you to make these arrangements in advance and don't encourage visa applications after arrival. But since you're already are in Switzerland, I think you should go to the government office in Bern, or wherever you find it to be located.
Even non-refundable plane tickets usually have a provision to change your return trip for a fee of perhaps $100. So, you probably can change your trans-Atlantic ticket to get you home earlier or home from a different country, outside the Schengen zone. Then you'd buy a separate plane ticket (or train tickets) to get to that country.
Or, if you keep your home base in Switzerland, you can make a few, long-stay, side-trips to countries outside the Schengen zone. For instance fly to Britain, Ireland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and/or Morocco for periods that make up the difference between your planned flights and your 90-days allowed in Schengen Europe.
Your passport should currently show dated stamps for arrival in Britain, departure from Britain, and arrival in Switzerland. Even if it doesn't, they still will know, because all the data is in the computer.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3391 posts
If you fly out of Zurich and have stayed longer than the allowed 90 days, you risk being barred from the country and/or the Schengen Zone in the future. As soon as they scan your passport they will see how long you've been there and pull you aside. Get to the government office ASAP but be prepared for them to deny a longer stay. Switzerland is quite strict unless you have a valid reason for being there. If they do deny you, then Laura's suggestion of piecing out time in non-Schengen countries is an excellent one. September is a long way off though so you'll need to be careful with your addition! Some countries that are within easy reach have short stay limits and others, like Britain, allow longer stays. Check with your country of origin to see how long you're allowed to spend in each based on your citizenship.
If you've already been there for longer than 90 days, I would travel by ground transport outside of the Schengen Zone and make arrangements to fly home from there. You'll have a better chance of avoiding issues with the 90 day limit.