schengen visa

Deb,

Kent posted a very good description of the Schengen Visa requirements in the "General Europe" section.

Have a look at This Post for all the details.

Happy travels!

A Schengen vise is required of anyone to enter the Schengen treaty area for up to 90 days, UNLESS you are from one of the countries specifically exempted from the requirement. Then only a passpost from that country is required. The United State is one of the exempted countries.

Thanks for clearing this up. Another question, I know that without a visa I can only stay for 90 days and stay out for another 90 days before I can return. I know US people that leave for one day and then return without any problems. I can't seem to get an answer on what the penalty for exceeding the 90 days.

The only consequence of overstaying that is uniform throughout the Schengen area is that one will be blacklisted in the SIS (Schengen Information System) for 5 years (i.e. difficult legal entry into Schengen for 5 years).
This consequence is fixed in the Schengen Agreement and the local authorities have therefore little discretion.

All other consequences, both administrative (blacklisting in national databases, forced deportation, deportation detention) and penal (criminal trial, fine, prison sentence) are regulated by national law of the country.

The authorities usually don't throw the book at first world tourists overstaying (i.e no illegal employment, no use of welfare, no other criminal activity, only a few weeks overstay, first time offenders), so it is mostly a matter of banning future entry.

But that is ultimately at the discretion of the enforcement agencies (and, if a case is opened, in the judgement of the court).

Well, we all have our stories about this visa. I lived in Europe, as a traveller even though I rented apartments in France and Spain and Italy. I never worried about this visa. If you dress well and act mannerly, you won't be singled out. Anyhow, how can they prove you were more than 90 days in France (or Italy) when you can travel without showing your passport and withouth passport control thru many countries in Europe? They can't.

Bonnie, it's not 90 days in each country, it's 90 days in Schengen.

If you leave and come back, the burden is on you to prove it.

True, they may not catch you. But if they do, you can be fined, jailed, or banned from re-entry for years to come. And with the world economy the way it is, I'll bet they'll be looking at lots of people's entry and exit dates.

If one plans on staying in a country, then you are supposed to follow the rules of that country. If you are supposed to register or get a visa, then you should do it. At the end of the day the only thing that is important is - are you doing the right thing, have you abided by the rules of that country.

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