Over 90 Days In Europe
Hi all, is anyone else worried about long trips to Europe now we are restricted to the 90 days in 180 that Schengen visa-free allows?
We fear not being able to spend long periods over the summer particularly in France as well as other shorter trips to elsewhere in Europe.
France does have a 180 day visa available but aside from its cost and need to visit the French embassy in London, it also appears to need an address in France - something us tourers don't have.
Has anyone else looked at this restriction?
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During the current Coronavirus outbreak France is not even issuing long stay visas.
When things get back to normal you will either have to limit your stay to 90 days, risk a fine on departure if you overstay, or jump though French government bureaucratic hoops and pay their visa fees - but I cannot see that you need an address in France for a tourist visa.
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Thanks for your reply but the visa application form which was operational until the last ten days or so did ask for a French address as I was part way through completing it. I am not sure of the actual wording now and as you say, they are not allowing applications at present.
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Unfortunately it is one of the penalties of Brexit, although there is a possibility of a change in the future as the current deal has to be regularly reviewed as I understand it.
In the meantime I suspect people will have two choices, either travel within the 90 day restriction or go down the visa route. The latter option seems very expensive although depending on country they do seem to vary in price. When we regularly had two trips away to Europe each year we would go for a couple of months in early summer and perhaps 4/6 weeks late August/September. Perhaps people will have to row back a bit on how much time they spend in Europe in future?
David
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It’s potentially worse than get a fine, de facto you’ll be an illegal immigrant and if your passport is stamped as such you’ll struggle to travel anywhere in the EU in future.
National long stay visas are not an easy option. I haven’t looked in detail at the French version but the Spanish version requires you to register for Tax in Spain.
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I fear there are too many hoops to jump through to obtain a 180 day long stay visa if you are a mere tourist.
I commented on a previous thread along the same lines as follows :
"I too have been trying to see how our pattern of trips will fit into the new 90/180 rule.
We normally go to Spain via France for 10-12 weeks from mid January depending on when Easter falls, then we go somewhere in the EU for about 8 weeks from late August. Occasionally we may also pop over the channel for another week or so in July, courtesy of Tesco vouchers for Eurotunnel.
Trying to work out the permutations to comply with the 90/180 rule has certainly stretched my powers of mental agility; that is until I discovered this website <Schengen Visa Calculator>
Now it is quite straightforward planning ahead."
This doesn't overcome the 90 in 180 day limit but it makes planning so much easier. Hope this helps.
Jim
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I have looked at the French version on their France-Visas' web site it is all there. Although it does not say you will need an interview this may well happen because in the case of us tourers we cannot give an address in France! Cost is €99 each. Need proof of medical insurance for the whole period and proof of funds (3 x Bank Statements showing your UK address!) and an ID photo. In our particular case this may well not be a problem as we usually go for 2 x 6 week trips a year. But I can well see the problem with the long stayers.
If you look at the web site you will see that for less than 90 day stays you could well be asked to show certain documents on entry: Medical Insurance, evidence of financial solvency and where you are staying (mine will be behind the car!), and a return ticket or sufficient funds! If the French Immigration person is having a bad day this could be fun at the ports!
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Hi Bill
The trouble with the Spanish long term visa it is aimed at people with second homes and not over winterer's and at 516 euros a throw very expensive or maybe not if allowed to stay for longer, you only have to pay tax in Spain if you are resident here for more then 183 days which then becomes your main residence if that makes sense. The only other thing is to do a bit of genealogy and find any relatives with Irish heritage which seems to be the thing here in Spain at the moment, we have Yorkshire friends who now have an Irish passport.
Phil
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Applying for a visa in the French system will result in a visa for France, not accepted in Spain. Countries control their own visas over 90 days.
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Yes, I think the 183 day requirement also extends to the option to renew. There’s also the issue of €32k income requirement for a couple. As you say, more suited to people aiming to take up permanent residency than tourists spending the winter in the sun. Sadly as far as Spain is concerned 90/180 strictly applies and there’s no easy way around it unless the Spanish change current arrangements - not easy given status quo is based on EU wide agreements. I guess there might be an economic case for doing so, but haven’t heard anything to suggest it’s on the agenda?
For the well healed there is also the option of a ‘golden visa’, all you need to do is invest €500k in Spanish property, popular choice for Russians apparently.
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Is that definitely the case? Although the Spanish equivalent isn’t really feasible for most people, if you did jump through all the hoops and get one you can travel freely within Schengen.
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Not sure I understand the question. Spain is in Schengen and if you held a Spanish long-term visa you can travel freely within Schengen for the duration of the visa irrespective of the 90 day requirement. If you stay in Spain for 183 days each year you have the option to renew the visa and after 5 years apply for permanent residency.
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A Schengen area visa is limited to 90 days - it is for people from countries who have to have it. We don't - we get the 90 days allowed without having that visa
Beyond 90 days EU countries issue their own visas - at wildly differing prices as has been said. A French long stay visa, once they start issuing them again , can be for a specified period up to a year. It does allow you to go into Spain for part of that time. For how long? 90 days.
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I have worked out trips that we would like to do using the Calculator and have found that we will be fine to carry on with what we have been doing for the last 10 years since retiring. Should we want to go to Spain in the winter months (jury still out on that) then we will just go later in the year.
We have been going for around 10 weeks April - June, then again Sept - Nov. This has worked out well in the past. However we have talked about going to Spain from Nov - January. We do have to be careful as we have a timeshare in Lanzarote which we go to in the first 3 weeks of March. If that interferes with our plans then it will just mean going with the van to Europe a bit later in the Spring.
The calculator is very easy to use and does save the old grey matter getting overload.
Maybe we will use the winter to discover some other countries.
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The situation is a little more complex but may help some people.
If you look at the faqs at www.eeas.europe.eu you will find the following
"A long term visa or a residence permit issued by a Schengen State allows you to travel or stay in other Schengen States whilst respecting the maximum duration of a short stay (a stay of "90 days in any 180 day period")
My brain is starting to hurt so I will add no more!
Moderator Comment - Link Edited
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Above link doesn’t work, try this:
https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/frequently_asked_questions_en.pdf#page4
Moderator Comment - Link Edited. Can members try and remember to set links to open in a new window, thanks
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Bill, that link is for a visa for a short stay in the Schengen area (90 days in180) but British citizens do not need that type of visa - we have exemption from it. The problem is for longer stays than that .
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Yes, sure enough, Only included for item 15 as the link concerning long-stay visas provided by comeyras didn’t work. I made the assumption that somebody with a long-stay visa would not be limited to 90 days in other Schengen states, but turns out they are.
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It could get a bit complicated when you have to add your Med cruise to the calculations, having remembered to subtract the 'sea days' as well.
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Not sure what the limit was then. I know the gendarmes used to call round the hotels to collect the registration cards. Wether they were ever collated centrally?🤔
I doubt many “ordinary folk” could afford more than 90 days in 180 in any event.
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Would anybody risk going on a cruise ship again?
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Not yet, I would imagine, any more than we are queuing in our droves at Flathouse to get on the ferry to Caen.
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fwiw...
I thought ? ....The UK was never in the Schengen agreement and so the new 'rule' is also just an old 'rule' prior to Brexi*, and the 90 day issue existed prior to 1/1/21 - just most folk ignored it ? Please correct me if in-correct ?
It seems to me that the current new found chaos will mean many folk will just avoid extra trips into Schengen areas before or after any long stays against what the Countries actually perhaps want = Tourist visitors spending.
So I assume there will be some adjustments or re-negotiations for UK / EU travel soon so will await update.
Will email my overwinter local English Radio station in Almeria for comment meantime and to highlight the current issue.
Stay safe & well to all
M
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The 90 day rule did (and still does) apply, but only to non-EU states which obviously excluded us pre Brexit. I hope you’re right about ‘adjustments’, but wouldn’t hold your breath!
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Yes, realistically 2021 is looking like another stay home year. Folks will have lots of reasons not to travel be it waiting for first, second or booster jab, yet to emerge new variant rampant CV19 here or at destination, difficult and/or costly re-entry to UK etc, etc. The only places safe to go to won’t welcome you anyway.
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