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“How can I stay in Europe or the Schengen Countries / Area for a longer period of time?”

This is one of the most common questions that I get from readers, especially because I have been able to stay in the Schengen Area for more than the usual 90-day limit despite being an unmarried non-EU (non-European Union) national with a third world country passport.

I understand that a lot of people would want to have the right to stay for more than 90 days, since going on a complete ‘Eurotrip’ can’t really be done in such a short span of time. So with this post, I will be giving you different ideas and options on how you can legally extend your European vacation! But first, let me give you a bit of background information.

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The Schengen Area & The 90-Day Limit

The Schengen Area is a group of 26 countries that comprises most of Europe. As part of a unified agreement, all of them have agreed to abolish passports and internal border controls. This means that all the Schengen countries act as if they are only ‘one country’ — every citizen of each member state is free to go anywhere they want, while outsiders who want to enter Schengen would experience border control once at the first country that they entered, but after that, entering other member countries would no longer require further immigration control.

These 26 countries are namely:

Austria

Belgium

Czech Republic

Denmark[1]

Estonia

Finland

France[2]

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands[3]

Norway[4]

Poland

Portugal

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain[5]

Sweden

Switzerland

[1] Excluding Greenland and the Faroe islands [2] Excluding overseas departments and territories [3] Excluding Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands [4] Excluding Svalbard [5] With special provisions for Ceuta and Melilla

From the above list, 4 of these are non-EU (or EFTA member states that may have border control) — Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland — whereas 22 are part of the EU.

However, to date, there are 2 members of the EU; so what happened to the other 6? Well, four — Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania— are still pending, and two — Ireland and the United Kingdom — decided to opt-out.

TRIVIA: There are 3 additional European microstates — Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican — that can be considered as de facto within the Schengen Countries given how they don’t have border controls with the countries that surround them; but it’s important to note that they are not official Schengen member states since they have not signed documents for it.

The Schengen Visa serves as the basic short-term visa that you will need to be able to stay in all of the 26 countries. However, non-Schengen citizens are allowed to enter the area without this (their passport will only get stamped upon arrival and departure) as long as they are residents of:

Albania[*]

Andorra

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Bahamas

Barbados

Bermuda

Bosnia and Herzegovina[*]

Brazil

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

El Salvador

Guatemala

Honduras

Hong Kong SAR

Israel

Japan

Macao SAR

Macedonia[*]

Malaysia

Mauritius

Mexico

Moldova

Monaco

Montenegro[*]

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Romania

Saint Kitts and Nevis

San Marino

Serbia[*]

Seychelles

Singapore

South Korea

Taiwan[2]

USA[2]

Uruguay

Vatican

Venezuela

[*] Visa waiver applies only to holders of biometric passports [1] Including The Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau [2] Passport must include identity number

[3] Including Virgin Islands of The United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico DISCLAIMER: This list is as of February 2015 NOTE: Ireland, UK and their territories are allowed limitless entry

If you are NOT a resident of one of the countries above (which mostly comprises citizens of Africa and Asia) you would then need to apply at an embassy to obtain a tourist/short-term Schengen Visa.

If you’re from the Philippines, go here to read my visa guide for obtaining a Schengen Visa from the Embassy of Belgium; although, if you’re entering a different Schengen country or staying somewhere else the longest, do consult the corresponding embassy to find out their requirements. Most of the time, the prerequisites are the same as that in my article for Belgium, but of course it’s always important that you recheck so you don’t miss out on any documents needed.

NOTE: It helps to mention that there are non-Schengen members in Europe that allow entry to their country if you have a Schengen Visa, namely: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Turkey, and Vatican City.

HOWEVER, you must check these details beforehand since their rules might have changed. Plus, customarily, only multiple-entry Schengen visas are allowed. You can check this list for more details and updates.

Once you are allowed to enter the Schengen Area — with just your passport or with a short-term visa — you are ONLY permitted to stay for 3 months (90 days) per 6 month period (10 days). The 90 day span doesn’t need to be consecutive, it’s treated as cumulative; but the fact remains that after you have stayed in Schengen for a total of 90 days, you have to leave. You are NOT allowed to come back again until the 11st day from the first time you stepped in.

IMPORTANT UPDATE (March 2015): Apparently, as of 1 October 2013, the Schengen member states changed the calculation of the 10-day period. To know more about this and avoid fines, deportations, and bans in Schengen, please check this article.

If you don’t leave by the time you hit 90 days, you are subject to a fine or deportation; worst case scenario, you will be banned from the Schengen Area for a period of time (1-3 years) or indefinitely.

It’s sometimes considered as ‘okay’ if you stay for a couple more days and even up to a week, but I advise that you don’t try and push it especially if you’re on a visa. And if you stay longer than a week, you should know that you’re going to be in big trouble.

Nevertheless, it’s said by most travelers (who are free to enter Schengen countries with just a passport) that southern countries like Greece, France, Spain and Italy are not so strict on checks. While the western countries like Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, and EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) are very firm with entry and exits (primarily at the airports or train stations, more so if you’re going to an isolated island).

Still and the same, as I’ve mentioned, you shouldn’t ‘push it‘. Follow the rules and if you really want to stay longer than the 90-day limit, below are the different ways that you can stay longer, legally!

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Ways to Legally Stay Longer

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT an embassy officer nor a migration agent. I am only here to provide you ideas on how you can stay in Schengen countries longer. If you ever need any help with visas or procedures, please check the links that I have provided and contact the appropriate departments instead. Also, I do not guarantee that the information below will remain to be true, if let’s say you’re reading this in 2020; therefore, please make it your responsibility to recheck the facts. Thank you!

Each section below would have options or solutions that are ‘generally unknown’. For quicker reading, you can click to the items below to navigate to the section that you want to see best:

#1 – Study

Student visas in all Schengen countries are not hard to obtain for as long as you are accepted, enrolled, or invited by a university or school. (Which you should apply for before entering a Schengen country). Naturally, you would have to pay for these courses but you can always work part-time while studying, since most student visa holders are allowed to do so. Otherwise, you could try to get a scholarship, apply to an exchange program (if you’re still studying) or simply enroll to the FREE universities.

Yes, you read that right… free!

There are actually several countries in Europe that chose to eradicate tuition fees for both local and international would-be students and they are listed below (along with other countries who have the cheapest tuition):

FINLAND Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: FREE Regardless of nationality, tuition fees in Finland are absolutely free in whatever level! (Plans of putting tuition fees on non-EU students for 2016 have been totally abandoned). But as per any student application abroad, you would need to prove that you can handle your living expenses. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $630+ (Php 27,00+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Finland‘ NORWAY Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: FREE No matter your nationality, local or international, state universities and university colleges in Norway do not charge tuition fees, and much like Finland, it applies to all levels: undergraduate, masters and Ph.D. (Some specialized courses might still have fees though small, so always recheck with the university. Private institutions on the other hand, would still have fees.) Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $1,000+ (Php 44,200+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Norway‘ AUSTRIA Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: FREE or $412 (Php 1,200+) If you’re from a 3rd world country, some universities in Austria will exempt you from paying any tuition, whereas any other non-EU resident will most likely just pay around $412 (at the lowest possible). Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $900+ (Php 40,000+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Austria‘ GERMANY Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: FREE or $1,000 (Php 44,200+) As of 2014, all public German universities offer higher education free-of-charge not only to local but international students! However, it’s important to note that this is true for the undergraduate level only, and that there might still be some administration fees (but the cost would start at about $57 or Php 2,500+). Just make sure to check that the course you’re applying for is in English; however, if you’re fluent in German then that’s better. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $770 (Php 34,000+) For more information: See ‘Cost of Studying in Germany‘, ‘List of Free German Universities‘ and ‘Studying in Germany‘ HUNGARY Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: $1,000+ (Php 44,200+) The good thing about Hungary is that unlike the Scandinavian countries, it is one of the European countries that has a more affordable cost of living, thus, proving your ‘solvency’ would be easier than the others. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $566+ (Php 25,000+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Hungary‘ FRANCE Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: $1,000+ (Php 44,200+) You’re lucky if you can find a cheap university in Paris, because the cheapest ones are actually found outside of it (Lyon is one example). I have actually been told that there are public universities that can only cost $300 a year but since I wasn’t provided with the exact university names, I leave it up to you to do the research. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $500+ (Php 22,000+) For more information: See ‘Studying in France‘ BELGIUM Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: $1,100+ (Php 50,000+) I have tried this option before through the University of Antwerp for one of their 1-year Master Programs and the process of obtaining a student visa was fairly easy given how I was backed up by the university. The tuition was worth $2,000+ (Php ,500+) which is almost double the lowest yearly tuition possible; so if you want to get the cheapest, try the University of Leuven, Hasselt University or University of Ghent (I didn’t manage to apply for these three since I was late for their deadlines, that’s why I resorted to saving up for the $2K through my online work to pursue the University of Antwerp). Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $730 (Php 32,300+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Belgium‘

» READ: Money Saving Tips to Come Up With a Travel Fund

ITALY Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: $1,500+ (Php 66,400+) Italy is known for providing studies on fashion, history, and liberal arts at an affordable cost for international students. Living expenses should be easy to handle once you know the economical places to eat and stay in. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $390 (Php 17,200+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Italy‘ TIP: For ‘means of support’, it’s always best to add more to the minimum requirement. It also helps to add a sponsor (even if it’s just on paper) even if you already can support yourself — this is what I’ve done when I applied for a university in Belgium; it’s always best to ‘overdeliver’.

Moreover, if you’re from the Philippines or Asia like me, before you can study overseas for a business or graduate school, check if you need to have a GMAT or GRE certification since most of our universities are not ‘recognized’ abroad. (GRE is said to be the easiest, which I have done. Others reviewed for months on this, but I only reviewed for a day since I was in a rush; and yet I was fine! But surely, I don’t advise that you do the same). Also, if your studies were not conducted in English, a majority of the European schools would need a TOEFL or IELTS from you. #2 – Work

There are different ways to do ‘work’, some are conventional but some are unique. Check out the list below to see what best fits you:

NORMAL WORK This is where you go through the usual process of finding a company (in the form of a transfer, internship, part-time, or full-time work) and then applying for a work visa. For more information: See EuroJobs or Europa TEACH ENGLISH This is not the same as those ‘jobs on the road’ where you hold private English classes to people who don’t have it as a first language. Why? Because doing so is a risk. A short-term tourist Schengen Visa is NOT a work permit. Working can still be done in ‘secret’ though (with Spain & Italy as the most tolerant) but if you somehow attract the attention of authorities, it can get nasty. So if you really want to teach legally, secure a work visa or working holiday visa first (that will make you stay longer too) by searching for opportunities in recognized schools or institutions. (Teaching English while under a student visa is possible as well). Countries that are typically open to English-teaching jobs are Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Germany, Spain, and Italy. For these jobs, a TEFL certificate is a usual requirement. For more information: See TEFL or ESLCafe LANGUAGE ASSISTANT PROGRAM Often run by governments, it gives non-EU citizens a chance to stay in the Schengen countries or area longer in exchange for offering aid in teaching the English language (they even pay you for the services you’re doing). There are only few European countries that offer this kind of program and below are their basic requirements:

France: must come from one of their 60 partner countries, age 20-30, have basic level of French, completed at least 2 years of university (http://www.ciep.fr/en/assistantetr/)

Italy: must be a resident of the USA, have Italian proficiency, a university graduate or undergraduate, 3.25 GPA (http://siteprogram.pacioli.net/)

Spain: must be a resident of USA/Canada/New Zealand/Australia/China/EU, have basic level of Spanish, a university graduate or in last year of university (https://www.mecd.gob.es/)

Switzerland: must be a resident of USA/Canada/Great Britain/Ireland/Austria/France/Italy/or Spain, age 21-30, have sound language knowledge of the region (can be German/French/Italian), a university student or graduate (http://www.ch-go.ch/)

For openings in other countries, check by: www.europelanguagejobs.com AU PAIR JOB Usually done for at least 6 months or more, working as an au pair is like being a domestic assistant as you live with a host family that provides free accommodation and food. Other than providing childcare, you are also typically asked to do light housework as you receive a salary for it. For more information: See IAPA, Great Au Pair, or Europa Au Pair WORKING HOLIDAY If you are 25 to 31 and a citizen of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, you are eligible to get a working holiday visa, granting you to stay, work, or find work in the Schengen Area for one to two years . For more information: See Work Holiday Visas SELF-EMPLOYMENT If you’re a freelancer, Germany’s self-employment visa is your solution. This is not the kind of visa that makes you move your ‘company’ to Germany, but a visa for being an artist, writer, digital nomad, accountant, etc. Application for this type of visa can be done while you’re in Germany and it can be approved in a week provided that you have fulfilled the necessary requirements. If however, your tourist visa is close to expiring upon application, they will give you a temporary 3-month visa as they process your request (some people take this course of action since even if they don’t get approved, they have already managed to extend their stay). For more information: See Berlin.de or this Get a Residence in Germany as an American UPDATE: Some other EU countries seemingly also provide self-employment visas like Italy, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, and Netherlands. However, I can’t find official links available to direct you to; so it’s up to you to look more into it. But basically, if you have a specific member state in mind that you really want to go to, simply ask the embassy if they can accommodate self-employment visa applications like this. VOLUNTEER Much like the English-teaching jobs, there are volunteer jobs as well that are ‘under-the-table’ — apart from being risky, those won’t enable you to stay longer in Europe. Examples are fruit-picking jobs, hostel work, etc. (this is why most of the time their websites advise that you don’t mention to immigration officers that you are going to work in a farm, for example). Therefore, to be able to remain or to be able to become a volunteer for a longer period of time, you would have to either get a work visa/permit, or sign up for accredited volunteer programs that could whip out a work visa for you. Unfortunately, these often come with a fee; but some can be very affordable. For more information: See Europa or European Voluntary Service CULTURAL HOMESTAY This is not like the informal homestay set-ups that I have discussed in this article: [Cultural Homestay Internationa (CHI) World Explorers Program #3 – Reunion or Union

The items below are common solutions and have no ‘special’ tricks or tips but they remain to be conventional ways of obtaining a longer visa in the Schengen Area:

FAMILY REUNION Applicable if you have close kinship ties to a Schengen citizen or permanent resident. MARRIAGE / FIANCÉ Self-explanatory. If you have fallen in love with a European from any of the Schengen countries this is the way to go! COHABITATION If you’re not the ‘marrying’ type, you can choose to go for a live-in visa with your boyfriend/girlfriend who is a resident/citizen of one of the Schengen countries. Customarily, applications like this become successful if you can prove that you’re in a relationship for at least 2 years or have lived in together for at least 1 year. HOME STAYS There are some European families that are willing to take a foreigner in as a part of their household for a long period of time. This can usually be a part of a student’s schooling experience or as a part of an organization for cultural or language immersion (like of the previous section) who would often need a fee from you.

#4 – Citizenship

This (citizenship) is more of an option for those who are really focused on staying in the Schengen Area indefinitely. Obtaining this can be done through different ways:

MARRIAGE With a European in the Schengen Area. On average, it takes 3 years; some can only take a year. ‘PURCHASE’ / INVESTMENTS For the insanely rich people, they can obtain an EU citizenship through investments or purchase of property (or even purchase of citizenship). Examples of these countries are Austria, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, and Slovakia (price to pay can start at $320,000+ to millions!). There are also Schengen member states like Netherlands and France that can offer residency permits for a limited period of time, in exchange for payments or investments at a minimum of $300,000+. ANCESTRY / NATURALIZATION I call this the ‘Waiting Game‘. If you are able to obtain a long-term visa that will enable you to stay in a Schengen member state for 5 to 10 years, then your citizenship is ostensibly secured. On the other hand, if you can inspect your family tree and discover that you have ancestors who are citizens or have become residents in EU countries in the past, your years of ‘waiting’ can be shortened! Examples of these are:

Ireland: This is NOT a Schengen member state, but since Irish citizens are allowed to enter Europe without limits, acquiring citizenship through Ireland would be a good step and you can achieve this if you have an Irish parent or grandparent. Your citizenship immediately becomes effective upon registration.

Germany: The country freely provides citizenship to children and grandchildren of former Germans who were deprived of their citizenship status between January 30, 1933 and May , 1945 on racial, political, or ethnic grounds.

Italy: Once proven that you have Italian ancestors, you can become a citizen by naturalization if you find a way to remain in the country for at least 3 years (it seems long, but better than the norm of 10 years).

★ Spain: Like Italy, 10 years is also the usual length required to become a Spanish citizen; but, it can be shortened to 2 years if your country is a former colony of Spain: these are Latin American countries, Sephardic origins, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and the Source: Spanish Naturalization

*As with most cases of naturalization, countries would commonly require that you have basic knowledge of their language, history, and geography before fully processing your citizenship. Also, you must stay there legally; for example, staying for 2 years in Spain without legal papers does not qualify you for the naturalization.

#5 – Long-Term Tourist Visa

A big part of the Schengen Area’s member states do NOT allow long-term tourist visas, except for a few which could grant you a Type D visa (maximum 1 year) with the condition that you will NOT work. These countries are:

FRANCE As long as you have a solid reason and that you have enough money for the duration of your stay (said to be at minimum $3,000 per month or Php 132,000), you can be granted a long-term visitor visa that can last to only a year (but can be subject to a renewal depending on your reason for wanting to stay longer, your financial means to prove that you’re not going to need to work, etc.) Take note that this type of visa would allow you to take residency in France ONLY starting from the 4th month of your stay (you can still tour the rest of the Schengen countries from the 1st to 3rd months). Anyhow, in a sense, you can still travel around after the 4th month because there are no border checks on land; but again, that’s a huge risk and it’s illegal. If you get caught, well… you know what could happen and it’s not gonna be good. For more information: See France Consulate or ask your local French embassy for more details SWEDEN If you have special grounds or reasons, Sweden is willing to give out a long-stay tourist visa but be warned that the process can take up to months. It’s said that most of the people who are successful with this are those who have family or relatives in Sweden though, but it’s still worth a try if you’re willing to go through the processing time. For more information: See Swedish Migration or consult your local Swedish embassy for more details SPAIN There is a type of tourist residence visa in Spain called as “non-lucrative” geared towards retired or rich persons who can stay for 1 year in the country for as long as they can provide proof that they don’t need to acquire work in Spain, that they are not carrying out any economic activity in Spain, and/or that their clients are not based in Spain mainly — so basically, that they generate their income outside of Spain. One important proof they need is for you to show that you have monthly income of at least 2,130 EUR. For more information: See Spain Embassy or consult your local Swedish embassy for more details

I have found articles that mention Italy and Portugal as additional countries that can provide long-stay tourist visas; however, I cannot find information in any embassy website. Nonetheless, you can always try your chances and ask your local embassy for more information.

#6 – In-and-Out Hop

I have already listed out the 26 member states of the Schengen Area at the top of this article — keep these in mind very well, and once you do, plan a ‘EuroTrip’ that will make make you hop in and out of Schengen countries while managing to technically still remain within the European territory.

What do I mean by this? You can tour around different Schengen member states like France, Spain, or Germany and by the time you hit your 90-day limit, go and hop over to a non-Schengen European country like Croatia, UK, Macedonia, or Turkey to wait until you hit the 11st day so that you can come back to the Schengen Area again.

Just find the right mix for this, save up, plan it well, and you can definitely manage to stay for a very long time in Europe.

» READ: Money Saving Tips to Come Up With a Travel Fund and Change in the Calculation of ‘Short Stay’ in the Schengen Area

NOTE: Take note that this set-up works best for those who hold passports that have the privilege of entering the European zone visa-free. Unfortunately, this could be a bit tricky for those who would typically need a visa to enter any European country since most visa applications have to be done in your home country… and to the best of my knowledge, it’s customarily not allowed to apply for 2 or more similar short-term visas in one appointment. (Correct me if I’m wrong). What you can do though is to get a Schengen Tourist Visa for 90 days (3 months) and then get another 10 days (6 months) tourist visa for UK, and some other European countries and that would technically enable you to stay in the European area for a loooong time. (Best to get multiple entry visas too so that, for example, you can go in and out of UK to France as many times as you want).

TIP: Let’s say your visa is soon ending and you want to apply for another visa for a different country without going back to your home country (like heck, just think of the flight costs!). In most cases, this is NOT allowed unless you can properly justify why you’re unable to do it in your home country. I know of some travelers who have used the reason of “I’m traveling long term, that’s why” and have ended up as successful in their appeal. However, it’s still important for you to know that it’s customarily a tough case and that it might even involve a lot of pleading. But then again… there’s no harm in trying, right?

Overall, if you want to do use this method of ‘hopping’ around, just please remember to:

Be informed. Take note of the non-Schengen countries’ policies with regard to the number of days that you are allowed to stay in their domain (this is in connection with your passport/nationality).

Do your own research. Be updated. Remember that there are candidates for the Schengen Area at the time that I make this post, so it’s possible that Bulgaria (for instance) would suddenly become a Schengen member state in the future; so, hopping over to this place won’t be a solution after your 90 days limit.

#7 – Visa Extensions

This is a very delicate subject because almost all Schengen countries do NOT tolerate extensions once you get into the area with a short-term (less than 90 days) tourist visa. Be that as it may, the good news is: it’s still and always possible if you’re resourceful and creative enough. (Extensions for long-term visas for studies, work, etc. are a different matter altogether).

If you’re rather one of the nationals who are allowed to come into Schengen countries with just a passport, be mindful that it can prove more difficult, because you technically don’t have a visa on hand to apply an extension for — sure, there are chances that you can apply and obtain a visa without a need to go back to your home country; however, I seldom hear of situations that are successful in doing this. (You can try and do your research though since some embassies might be able to accommodate such requests depending on your nationality and situation).

Now the typical grounds that can grant you an easy extension can be cases of:

Force majuere – unforeseen circumstances that are not under your control (i.e. bad weather conditions, airline strikes, etc.); this is the only situation that does not require fees for extension

Humanitarian reasons – if you have fallen ill or a close family member has fallen ill or died

Serious personal reasons

These can allow you to stay for more days either in the whole of the Schengen Area (very rare case) or just inside the country that you are in (that you chose, that is your point of entry or the place you’ve stayed the longest — it’s a case by case basis but this is what mostly happens when you are granted an extension: you’re only allowed to stay in the country that you applied for).

But of course, you wouldn’t want to fall ill nor would you want a family member to die just so you can extend your visa, right? So what other options do you have?

Luckily, there seems to be some Schengen countries that are quite lenient with extensions and the ones that I know of are:

PORTUGAL Apparently, they can offer up to two extensions, for as long as you can support yourself and provide the necessary documents. (It’s said to be best done in Lisbon). For more information: See Immigration SWEDEN I’ve heard a lot of successful stories from friends who have managed to extend their visa on Sweden, but it’s important to note that most of them were able to do so because they had a Swedish friend, family, or ‘special someone’ to back them up. I guess it’s a way of ensuring a Migration Board that you have a local who can support you (even if it’s just on paper). For more information: See Migrationsverket France; however, I couldn’t find any reliable source online for this; still and the same, it’s worth looking into – let me know if this is indeed possible.

» Other Possibilities due to Bilateral Agreements with…

US Citizens I have found some forums online saying that U.S. citizens can stay for 90 days in Poland, leave for one day, and come back to have another 90-day stay. This is said to be possible because of some sort of bilateral agreement or declaration between the U.S. and Poland. I’ve certainly read of accounts that said that they were successful in doing so and have had Polish officials confirming this set-up. However, I advice that you check with them yourself since I can’t find a reliable online source. Make it a point to verify if this is true since it goes beyond the Schengen rules; it’s even possible that the extension will only allow you to stay in Poland only and not in the rest of Schengen.

Australian Citizens Australia has bilateral agreements with Denmark and Germany which overrides the Schengen conditions. They can stay up to 3 months or 90 days in each of these two countries. In theory, Australians can stay indefinitely by going back and forth between Germany and Denmark every 90 days. Of course, the restriction of no more than 90 days in any 10 day period in the Schengen area will come into play if they venture out to other member states. SOURCE: Visa exemptions for Australians

I have not done an extensive research on ALL non-EU nationalities, so I hope you take the action to recheck your rights and benefits in Schengen since your home country might have these same bilateral agreements that will allow you to stay longer in Europe.

Now, if I may add, I have also discovered several ‘success extension stories’ in other Schengen countries using the methods below which are both worth a shot. But again, be aware that some countries may accept this while some others may not:

Register as legal partners – if you have a significant other who is a national of one of the Schengen countries, it’s possible to come into the country with a tourist visa and then immediately jumpstart a live-in or cohabitation agreement (NOT marriage) to be able to remain in the country longer even after the expiry of your tourist visa. Customarily, applications like this only become successful if you can prove that you’re in a relationship for at least 2 years or have lived in together for at least 1 year. (Countries that I know of who can take on these kinds of applications are Belgium and the Netherlands.)

Partner with an NGO or Tourism Board – if you can find an NGO, tourism board, or organization that can vouch for you, it’s possible to gain an easy extension. Some travel bloggers have been able to use this method as they offer their skills of writing or blog ‘reach’ to the appropriate institutions. This is definitely worth your while, especially if a certain migration office is open to other types of visa applications (i.e. I’ve read an account of someone that’s able to do this in Romania; even if it’s not part of the Schengen Area yet, some legit member states can conceivably acknowledge this circumstance).

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Overall

I hope this guide helped shed some light into the 90-day limit rule in the Schengen countries; plus, I certainly hope that in one way or another, I helped give you an idea on how you can prolong your European journey without breaking the law!

Should you ever have any other tips in mind that should be included in this guide, please feel free to leave a comment below. (And if there are any corrections, do kindly let me know of that too).

Before I end this post, I leave you with the following general reminders:

Do your own research. I cannot stress this enough. Take my advice with a grain of salt. Besides, the information that I post here is based on my own findings and experiences as of February 2015, so it’s your responsibility to ensure that the facts that I have here are still up-to-date or true at the time that you are reading this article. I say this because I certainly don’t want you to waste your money or time when you suddenly find out that certain conditions are changed, eradicated, etc.

Check migration rules. Be well-informed of the rules that apply to you depending on your nationality or passport. Know your limits and your benefits. Speaking of passport, always ensure that it is NOT expiring anytime soon.

Ultimately, I hope that this whole piece can also be a way for you to connect to others who have had successful experiences of staying longer in Europe; therefore, do feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. However, like I said, be reminded that I am NOT an embassy officer nor a migration agent. Any queries relating to such things should be directed to your local embassy or migration board, and NOT to me. Thank you and good luck!

How about you?

Do you have other tips to share that I can add to this guide for Schengen countries?

Do you have any experience in one of the solutions/ways listed above? How did it go?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

The post Ultimate Guide: How to Legally Stay Longer in Europe (Schengen Countries) appeared first on I am Aileen.

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topfygad · 5 years

Text

World’s most powerful passport 2019

Travelling generally is a bureaucratic nightmare for these on restricted passports. Right here we have a look at the most effective passport to have in 2019 primarily based on the liberty it gives.

Ten years in the past, in my first job after commencement, I shared an workplace with a researcher referred to as Munir who I nicknamed Dr2 as a result of he not solely had a PhD however was additionally certified as a medical physician. (I recognise it’s not the wittiest title on the planet however it was the most effective I might do on the time.)

Honest Use Passports are ranked by their visa-free rating

Munir performed loud Arabic music whereas he labored, beloved studying British colloquialisms (“armchair critic”, “fairweather pal”), and held a Jordanian passport. Someday, he got here into work visibly pissed off and introduced that he was giving up on journey.

Stationed within the UK for 3 years, he thought he would have a fantastic alternative to see Europe whereas he was right here. Alas, his passport was so restrictive that securing visas turned distinctly Sisyphean.

He as a health care provider (twice over) had fewer rights than I did as a brand new grad with comparatively few expertise simply because our passports had been completely different. It was the primary time I realised how fortunate I used to be to have a British passport. Whether or not making use of for a transit ESTA or Russian visa, my expertise isn’t irritating.

I’ve been routinely reminded of this reality within the ensuing decade, most lately by Arton Capital, a monetary agency that yearly compiles an index of the most effective passports to have. On this case, ‘greatest’ is outlined by the variety of international locations the passport holder can go to both and not using a visa or by acquiring one on arrival.

UAE steals the highest spot

The UAE is the most effective passport to have in 2019. Final 12 months, the spot was held by South Korea. This 12 months sees the South Korean passport pushed into third spot behind the UAE and Germany in second.

UAE passport holders can simply entry 167 international locations: 113 of them visa-free and 54 with a visa on arrival. Solely 31 international locations require UAE passport holders to have a visa to enter the nation. This provides Emirati residents easy accessibility to over 84% of the world.

European international locations have traditionally dominated the index, with Germany ceaselessly in first place. Nevertheless, 2017 noticed the rise of Asian international locations with Singapore changing into the primary Asian nation ever to high the world’s strongest passports, adopted by South Korea in 2018.

The US has the joint-third greatest passport with easy accessibility to 165 international locations. The UK and Eire have the joint-fourth highest scores with easy accessibility to 164 international locations every.

Alas, for poor Munir, journey nonetheless stays troublesome on a Jordanian passport with easy accessibility to simply 56 international locations. Even worse is Afghanistan, which sits on the backside of the desk with visa-free entry to simply 29 international locations. The remainder of the underside 5 is manufactured from Iraq (32), Pakistan (35), Syria (36) and Somalia (38).

Finest passport to have: the rankings

(VFS = Visa-Free Rating, VF= Visa-Free, VOA= Visa On Arrival, VR= Visa Required)

RANK COUNTRY VFS VF VOA VR 1 United Arab Emirates 167 113 54 31 2 Germany 166 127 39 32 3 Denmark 165 127 38 33 Sweden 165 127 38 33 Finland 165 127 38 33 Singapore 165 127 38 33 Luxembourg 165 126 39 33 France 165 126 39 33 Italy 165 126 39 33 Netherlands 165 125 40 33 Spain 165 124 41 33 Norway 165 123 42 33 South Korea 165 122 43 33 United States of America 165 116 49 33 15 Belgium 164 124 40 34 Austria 164 124 40 34 Greece 164 123 41 34 Portugal 164 123 41 34 Switzerland 164 122 42 34 Japan 164 122 42 34 United Kingdom 164 120 44 34 Eire 164 119 45 34 Canada 164 114 50 34 24 Czech Republic 163 123 40 35 Hungary 163 122 41 35 26 Malta 162 123 39 36 Iceland 162 119 43 36 28 Slovenia 161 121 40 37 Poland 161 120 41 37 Lithuania 161 120 41 37 Slovakia 161 120 41 37 Latvia 161 120 41 37 New Zealand 161 112 49 37 Australia 161 109 52 37 35 Malaysia 160 121 39 38 Estonia 160 120 40 38 37 Romania 158 117 41 40 Bulgaria 158 115 43 40 39 Cyprus 157 121 36 41 Liechtenstein 157 116 41 41 41 Croatia 156 116 40 42 Monaco 156 110 46 42 43 Brazil 155 110 45 43 Chile 155 109 46 43 Argentina 155 107 48 43 46 Hong Kong 150 115 35 48 47 Andorra 148 101 47 50 48 San Marino 147 106 41 51 49 Israel 146 104 42 52 50 Brunei 144 104 40 54 51 Barbados 143 108 35 55 52 Mexico 142 99 43 56 Vatican Metropolis 142 99 43 56 54 Uruguay 141 99 42 57 55 Bahamas 139 104 35 59 56 Peru 136 89 47 62 57 Seychelles 135 103 32 63 St. Vincent and The Grenadines 135 101 34 63 Costa Rica 135 92 43 63 60 Trinidad and Tobago 134 100 34 64 61 Saint Kitts and Nevis 133 100 33 65 62 Antigua and Barbuda 132 100 32 66 63 Mauritius 131 99 32 67 Ukraine 131 89 42 67 65 Paraguay 129 88 41 69 Panama 129 87 42 69 Taiwan 129 85 44 69 Venezuela 129 84 45 69 69 Saint Lucia 128 94 34 70 Macao 128 91 37 70 71 Grenada 127 96 31 71 72 Serbia 126 84 42 72 73 Dominica 124 90 34 74 Honduras 124 83 41 74 Guatemala 124 81 43 74 76 Vanuatu 123 86 37 75 Solomon Islands 123 86 37 75 Colombia 123 81 42 75 79 Samoa 122 85 37 76 El Salvador 122 81 41 76 81 Tuvalu 121 83 38 77 82 Kiribati 118 80 38 80 Macedonia 118 77 41 80 84 Tonga 117 83 34 81 Montenegro 117 76 41 81 86 Russian Federation 116 79 37 82 Marshall Islands 116 74 42 82 88 Nicaragua 115 75 40 83 Georgia 115 74 41 83 Turkey 115 71 44 83 91 Bosnia and Herzegovina 113 73 40 85 92 Moldova 112 75 37 86 Palau 112 68 44 86 94 Albania 111 70 41 87 95 Micronesia 110 67 43 88 96 South Africa 98 63 35 100 97 Kuwait 95 52 43 103 98 Timor-leste 94 56 38 104 99 Belize 91 60 31 107 Ecuador 91 47 44 107 101 Qatar 90 52 38 108 102 Fiji 89 50 39 109 103 Jamaica 88 54 34 110 104 Guyana 85 47 38 113 105 Bahrain 83 44 39 115 Maldives 83 44 39 115 107 Nauru 80 43 37 118 Oman 80 39 41 118 Kazakhstan 80 37 43 118 Thailand 80 37 43 118 111 Belarus 79 42 37 119 Bolivia 79 37 42 119 113 Saudi Arabia 78 38 40 120 Suriname 78 38 40 120 Papua New Guinea 78 38 40 120 116 Botswana 77 49 28 121 117 Lesotho 76 46 30 122 118 Eswatini 75 45 30 123 119 Indonesia 74 35 39 124 China 74 28 46 124 121 Malawi 73 43 30 125 122 Kenya 72 40 32 126 123 Namibia 71 41 30 127 Azerbaijan 71 34 37 127 125 Gambia 70 45 25 128 Tanzania 70 42 28 128 Tunisia 70 34 36 128 Cuba 70 30 40 128 Dominican Republic 70 27 43 128 130 Zambia 69 41 28 129 Philippines 69 34 35 129 Cape Verde 69 34 35 129 133 Uganda 68 35 33 130 Armenia 68 31 37 130 Morocco 68 30 38 130 Kyrgyzstan 68 28 40 130 137 Zimbabwe 67 39 28 131 Mongolia 67 30 37 131 139 Ghana 66 39 27 132 140 Sierra Leone 64 40 24 134 India 64 25 39 134 Sao Tome and Principe 64 23 41 134 143 Benin 63 30 33 135 Uzbekistan 63 26 37 135 145 Cote D’ivoire (Ivory Coast) 62 28 34 136 Tajikistan 62 26 36 136 147 Senegal 61 31 30 137 Burkina Faso 61 28 33 137 Haiti 61 21 40 137 Bhutan 61 17 44 137 151 Mauritania 60 26 34 138 152 Guinea 59 27 32 139 Madagascar 59 24 35 139 Algeria 59 18 41 139 155 Mali 58 31 27 140 Niger 58 29 29 140 Mozambique 58 27 31 140 Togo 58 25 33 140 Gabon 58 24 34 140 Rwanda 58 23 35 140 Cambodia 58 20 38 140 162 Comoros 57 18 39 141 Turkmenistan 57 17 40 141 164 Guinea-bissau 56 25 31 142 Jordan 56 21 35 142 Viet Nam 56 21 35 142 Laos 56 21 35 142 Egypt 56 17 39 142 169 Equatorial Guinea 55 18 37 143 170 Angola 54 24 30 144 171 Liberia 53 25 28 145 Chad 53 21 32 145 173 Burundi 52 20 32 146 Central African Republic 52 18 34 146 175 Myanmar [burma] 51 15 36 147 Djibouti 51 14 37 147 177 Cameroon 50 19 31 148 178 Congo 48 15 33 150 Kosovo 48 14 34 150 180 Nigeria 47 23 24 151 South Sudan 47 14 33 151 182 Congo (Dem. Rep.) 46 14 32 152 Nepal 46 13 33 152 North Korea 46 11 35 152 185 Sri Lanka 45 16 29 153 Lebanon 45 16 29 153 Libya 45 13 32 153 188 Palestinian Territories 44 14 30 154 Eritrea 44 11 33 154 Ethiopia 44 10 34 154 191 Bangladesh 43 18 25 155 192 Iran 42 12 30 156 Sudan 42 9 33 156 194 Yemen 39 11 28 159 195 Somalia 38 9 29 160 196 Syria 36 9 27 162 197 Pakistan 35 8 27 163 198 Iraq 32 7 25 166 199 Afghanistan 29 5 24 169

Rankings are from Arton Capital, a monetary agency that permits people, households and corporations to speculate overseas.

Lead picture: Dreamstime

source http://cheaprtravels.com/worlds-most-powerful-passport-2019/

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flying-venus-blog · 7 years

Text

Now Get a Schengen Visa On An Indian Passport

Applying for your first Schengen Visa can be a daunting experience. There are many documents to put together, several confusing questions to answer and countless clarifications to seek. Getting a Schengen Visa on an Indian passport is a complex process but the sooner you start with it, it is almost set you just have to plan out a trip. Because I believe a trip is the best reason for getting a visa and passport as we stay excited for it and pre-plan everything on the advance basis. Let's go through some common queries that the most first-timers have when applying for the Schengen Visa.

What is a Schengen visa and when do you need it?

A Schengen Visa is a document that allows you to travel within the Schengen area, commonly for a period of up to 90 days. Twenty-six countries make up the Schengen area, and if you plan on travelling to one or more of these countries, you will need this visa. The countries are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

As an Indian, where and how do I apply for the Schengen Visa?

The Schengen countries have outsourced their visa application cells to VFS Global, a company which now handles the entire process, making it simpler and faster. There is also no requirement to go to the embassy anymore. VFS Global has five centres in India – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Puducherry and Bengaluru.

To start off the process, log on to VFS Global's website, and go to the bottom left of the screen, where you will see this:

After entering the appropriate details (for multi-country trips, select your "main destination". you will be directed to another screen where you will be able to download the visa form, find information on visa fees and make an appointment to submit the visa form along with supporting documents.

What do I need to take care of before my appointment?

Put all the documents you need to produce together – there are quite a few of them. You'll find the entire list on the VFS website; while most are fairly straightforward, others require some clarification. I've talked about them in brief here:

Cover letter: Though this isn't listed as one of the required documents, it is best to submit a cover letter as a comprehensive reference paper for the visa officials. Start by addressing the embassy through which you are applying for the visa. The body of your letter should include the dates of your trip, the names and professions of those accompanying you, the purpose of your travel, and a paragraph on how you plan of bearing the expenses on this journey – mention real figures pertaining to your savings, credit cards and fixed deposits. Also list down the documents you will be submitting along with your visa application.

Hotel bookings: Unfortunately, you will have to book your flight tickets and hotels before you apply for the visa. While this in no way confirms that you will get the visa, officials need to establish that you are indeed going for tourism via your accommodation confirmations.

Travel insurance: For emergency hospital or other medical expenses, you will have to get mandatory travel insurance worth Euro 30,000. It will keep you protected against large bills in case something goes wrong. VFS has a list of approved insurance providers on its website, and it's best to pick from amongst them. Once you buy it, your insurance will be delivered to your email inbox.

Financials: The country you are travelling to wants to know that you have enough money to make it through the trip and go back. For this you will submit a bunch of your financial documents such as bank account statements for the last six months, income tax returns for the last three years and others – a list of which you'll find on the VFS website.

If you are unsure of anything on the visa form, leave it blank and clarify with the official at VFS before submitting it to him.

What is the estimated time for the entire process? How long will it take for the visa to arrive?

The first thing you need to remember is to schedule your appointment with VFS at least a month or a month-and-a-half before your scheduled departure. If you can do it sooner, it will give you more time to make your real bookings at hotels. Once you get your appointment date, it will only take a day if you have all your documents in order. A year or two ago, you would also have an interview after submitting the documents at VFS. These days that only happens in rare cases ,where they have a cause for suspicion that you don't plan on coming back. So once you are done with VFS, you should get your visa within seven days. I got my visa to Italy in three days.

What if my visa is rejected? Will my fee be refunded?

Sadly, under no circumstance will your visa fee be refunded. If your visa is denied for some reason, you have two options: One is to appeal the decision. Since the appeal will be evaluated by someone other than the person who rejected your visa, there is a chance that the decision will be overturned. But the visa appeal process might take a few weeks, or even months. Also, in India this process is only available for Spain, Germany and Norway. So the second and better way to go forward, is to reapply through a different Schengen state embassy. Usually, a previous visa denial will not automatic lead to the refusal of a new application, and the new application will be assessed independently.

FAQs

Do I have to hand over the documents personally at VFS?

Yes, you, along with whoever you are travelling with have to be personally present while you hand over the papers. After you have successfully submitted the documents, scans of your fingerprint will also be taken (the first time you are applying for a visa).

If I am travelling to more than one Schengen country, which embassy do I apply through?

You will have to apply to the “main destination”, the country where you will be staying in for the most number of days.

Do I apply through the country I am entering the Schengen area?

No, you don't have to if you won't be staying the most number of days there.

Should my first trip be to the country that issued the Schengen Visa?

No. You can enter through any Schengen country after you get your visa.

If I'm travelling for work first and and then taking a short vacation, do I tick business or tourism in my visa form?

Business. Get an invitation letter for the first few days from your foreign business partner, and then show hotel bookings for the rest of the days.

How long is the visa valid for?

You are allowed to travel in the Schengen Area for 90 days within a 180-day period. These 90 days, however, do not have to be consecutive. Say you enter the area in March and stay for 50 days, and then come back in August for 20 days, this totals to 70 days in 180 days.

Can my visa be extended?

A Schengen Visa, which has already expired, cannot be extended. Even otherwise, while on paper you can extend it, an extended visa rarely comes through.

Will my air tickets be refunded if I don't get a visa?

No. To help minimise risk, book a flight ticket that is refundable to the largest amount possible.

What are the common reasons behind a visa being rejected?

There can be a few reasons why an embassy might reject your request for a Schengen Visa.

– The documents and cover letter you have provided prove inadequate in establishing the purpose of your travel and stay

– There is a mismatch between your travel itinerary and the visa period you have applied for

– Your supporting documents do not show accommodation for each night you will spend in a Schengen Area

– You do not have enough funds to support your travel

– Your travel insurance policy is not valid across the Schengen Area

– You were unable to respect Schengen Visa limitations during a previous attempt

But don't worry; if you put everything together carefully and meticulously, and don't have a criminal record, the chances of you getting your Schengen Visa are very high, because the cities are awaiting for you, have a look!

And if you are done with your Visa, then get ready to plan your trip to the most popular continent in the world, and then fasten a rope to Europe with Flying Venus travels Pvt. Ltd. Where your dreams are easy to go and grab. For more visit Flying Venus Travels.

#Visa

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topfygad · 5 years

Text

World’s most powerful passport 2019

Travelling generally is a bureaucratic nightmare for these on restricted passports. Right here we have a look at the most effective passport to have in 2019 primarily based on the liberty it gives.

Honest Use Passports are ranked by their visa-free rating

UAE steals the highest spot

Finest passport to have: the rankings

(VFS = Visa-Free Rating, VF= Visa-Free, VOA= Visa On Arrival, VR= Visa Required)

Rankings are from Arton Capital, a monetary agency that permits people, households and corporations to speculate overseas.

Lead picture: Dreamstime

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2PyoSPi via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN

0 notes

topfygad · 5 years

Text

World’s most powerful passport 2019

Travelling generally is a bureaucratic nightmare for these on restricted passports. Right here we have a look at the most effective passport to have in 2019 primarily based on the liberty it gives.

Honest Use Passports are ranked by their visa-free rating

UAE steals the highest spot

Finest passport to have: the rankings

(VFS = Visa-Free Rating, VF= Visa-Free, VOA= Visa On Arrival, VR= Visa Required)

Rankings are from Arton Capital, a monetary agency that permits people, households and corporations to speculate overseas.

Lead picture: Dreamstime

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2PyoSPi via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Cheapr Travels

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