Long Distance Schengen Visa

[nousername]

Hi,

In my Camino planning I have determined that my Way would take longer than three months (maximum duration of visa), since my Way is a long way. I was wondering if other pilgrims have had the same experience before and would appreciate advice in how to overcome this dilemma.

Thanks

Gert

 

[RENSHAW]

Mmmmm - This is a Question for Sillydol who has actually just started one of her many Caminos today - Jep , she will know - send her a PM.

 

[michaelwalker]

I'm Australian and this would be great news.IF you get an answer are you able to post it here please?

 

[Canuck]

... I was wondering if other pilgrims have had the same experience before and would appreciate advice in how to overcome this dilemma.

Hi Gerth,

For a start, I suggest you type ''visa schengen'' in the upper right search box. This will give you the discussions (54) that have already taken place on this topic. I am pretty sure this will help you see clearer in how to overcome your dilemma.

Good reading,
Jean-Marc

 

[Deleted member 3000]

US Dept of State:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_t ... _4361.html

The application:

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/IMG/pdf/visagb.pdf

You will need passport sized photos, and probably will have to visit the consulate/embassy nearest you to submit the application. I do not think you can do it by mail. Check the websites for France and Spain for the offices in the U.S.

 

[nousername]

I found my Way!

Thanks for the replies, it is appreciated.

After reading the posts on the subject, as per suggestion I relaxed and started to visualize the pilgrims of old, looking for the Way.

I do believe that the credential is better than a passport for the purposes of pilgrimage. In the olden times a letter bearer or having a letter was sufficient, I suppose. While not all respected or accepted such letter as valid. As the present phenomena clearly indicates.

Now, to be a pilgrim is to have faith. While walking to a border post with stamped credentials instead of passport may get you detained or prosecuted. It would not be the first time a Christian/Pilgrim is prosecuted in history for his/her believes.

On the other hand preventing a Muslim for example from a pilgrimage to their holy places could decidedly start a war. The equal hypothesis then would be prosecution or war for intervention in a pilgrims Way.

Muslims does not have to risk detention or prosecution participating in their pilgrimage to their holy places, there is peace.

I have found my Way! I'm of to Mecca.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Janet (jl) on the Forum who comes from Adelaide, Australia, went through the process of trying to work out about getting a Schengen visa for walking the Camino, and gave up as it seemed to be too difficult. Instead she meticulously researched her route and worked out exactly how far she thought she could walk, staying just within the three month limit.
As a Kiwi, at this stage anyhow, we are still a bit more fortunate, as we have bilateral three month agreements with many of the Schengen countries independently of each other, so you can spend more than three months all up...
Margaret

 

[jl]

Yes Margaret - you're right - I did give up trying to get a Schengen Visa for a 100 days, but I am still working on trying to get one for a year!. Not sure how yet - but am working hard on it. Some have suggested to me that I ignore the rules, but I would actually like to do it the correct way! - and don't want to jeopardise the right of return. I am also "meticulously" planning the Via Francigena at present in order to do that next year within the 90 days (and incorporate Anzac Day at Villers-Brettoneux).

The dilemma for all of us in this situation has been created because more and more countries have joined the Schengen agreement, but the time has not been extended. Prior to the Schengen agreement I would have no difficulty in doing what I intend to do in a few years time, I just would have worked out an itinerary that would have got me across the country in the required time and presented my passport at each border. Yes, it is easier not to have border controls when one is doing the tourist thing for a few months, but when one needs time to walk thousands of kilometres it has definately put a spanner in the works!

Oh well - I will keep researching and planning! Cheers, Janet

 

[nousername]

There may be yet another way in regards to the visa duration dilemma. This ‘loophole’ could be found during the timeframe for the ‘application processing phase’. During this period a pilgrim is allowed to stay or ‘overstay’ .The application processing time added to the initial visa duration, therefore it provides for the additional time required to complete the journey.

Unanswered then is what application allows for staying within a region pending the processing and outcome of the application. What is the processing duration of that application?

Once found a certain period will pass before the ‘loophole’ is ‘rectified’ by governments. Historically this may take some time providing for a window of opportunity to the longer distance pilgrim.

Enjoy and have faith.

 

[michaelwalker]

My advice, check out the citizenship laws for any of your ancestors and keep in mind they are sometimes updated so you may be elegible.

I was in this situation in late 2010. An Australian with a 3 month Schengen visa. I walked the Tours Route but had to take a train part of the way as it was too long to complete in the time.

I'd tried previously to get citizenship through my mother who is Dutch. I have a non-Dutch father. The law in the past only allowed you to become a citizen if your father is Dutch.

The law was updated in late 2010 allowing for children of Dutch mothers and non-Dutch fathers to gain citizenship. I took advantage of it and am now Nederlander.

Sadly it took so long, the planned long walk (greater than 3 months) will have to wait for another year. BUT it is a great honour, opportunity and responsibility.

Keep checking out the citizenship laws for your ancestors, sometimes they do change.

Kindly,

Michael

 

[jl]

Oh Michael - I wish! As a 6th generation Aussie I doubt that there will be any loop hole for me down that path. I will just have to explore other avenues. Cheers, Janet

 

[Sean Deany]

I've looked at the Schengen Visa problem before and it appears that one can obtain a Multipal Entry - 180 days Visa, however the catch is, is that one still only has 90 accumulative days in the Schengen Zone.

For Australian, NZ, Canadian and US travellers it just isn't fair. For instance EU members who come to Australia get a 6 months tourist Visa - so the Australian Government should be working on reciprocation arrangements with the Schengen Zone countries.

The simplest solution may be to take the risk and over stay it. This may or may not bring problems and it is at your own personal risk. I overstayed in 2004 before ever hearing of Schengen and while I entered and exited through normal boarder controls nothing was said by customs officials.

 

[ivar]

I've looked at the Schengen Visa problem before and it appears that one can obtain a Multipal Entry - 180 days Visa, however the catch is, is that one still only has 90 accumulative days in the Schengen Zone.

For Australian, NZ, Canadian and US travellers it just isn't fair. For instance EU members who come to Australia get a 6 months tourist Visa - so the Australian Government should be working on reciprocation arrangements with the Schengen Zone countries.

The simplest solution may be to take the risk and over stay it. This may or may not bring problems and it is at your own personal risk. I overstayed in 2004 before ever hearing of Schengen and while I entered and exited through normal boarder controls nothing was said by customs officials.

Hi there,

I don't think we can recommend breaking the law... and I have a feeling things have changed since 2004. I would not recommend staying over your visa. You will probably not have any problems leaving Europe, but might get into trouble if you ever want to travel back to Europe on a later date.

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[Tia Valeria]

The UK is not in the Schengen area so I think it is possible to spend some time here and then return to the Camino, particularly for those from countries with British links.

Sil might have an answer, or Annie Santiago who did something similar last year I believe.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

For Australian, NZ, Canadian and US travellers it just isn't fair. For instance EU members who come to Australia get a 6 months tourist Visa - so the Australian Government should be working on reciprocation arrangements with the Schengen Zone countries.

New Zealand travelers are not hit by the same problem as Australian travelers. We still have bilateral arrangements with various Schengen countries whereby we can stay in each country for three months. So it is perfectly legal for us to stay more than three months overall. I think that in Australia's case they require those from these European countries to get a visa before they come to Australia- whereas in NZ they are given a three month visa at the border.

Here is an extract from the relevant website:
"Schengen area countries permit most holders of passports from outside the Schengen area to stay visa-free in the Schengen area as a whole, regardless of the particular country or countries, for no more than 3 months out of a 6-month period. (This is sometimes expressed as 90 days out of a 180-day period.)

However, New Zealand has bilateral visa waiver agreements with many of the individual countries in the Schengen area. These visa waiver agreements allow New Zealanders to spend up to three months in the relevant country, without reference to time spent in other Schengen area countries. The European Commission has confirmed that these agreements continue to be valid. These agreements thus effectively override the Schengen area restriction (which would otherwise be imposed on New Zealand passport holders) of no more than 3 months out of a 6-month period in the Schengen area as a whole.

The countries with which New Zealand has bilateral visa waiver agreements are:
Austria Belgium Denmark
Finland France Germany
Greece Iceland Italy
Luxembourg The Netherlands Norway
Portugal Spain Sweden
Switzerland"

Full info is on the website here: http://www.safetravel.govt.nz/destinations/europetips.shtml You'll see that the countries we have bilateral agreements include most of those you are likely to be walking Camino routes on.
Margaret

 

[Anniesantiago]

I tried every way I knew to get around this Schengen issue and couldn't

In the end, I spent about 6 weeks walking in Spain, then went to Wales for 3 months.
Then I returned, but still only did another 6 weeks, which was all that was allowed.

You can only spend 90 days every 6 months.
It doesn't matter how many times you come and go from the country in a 6 month period;
when it adds up to 90, you must leave.

In other words, you can't spend 90 days in Europe, leave to the UK for 2 weeks, then re-enter Europe.
If you spend your 90 days in Europe, you must leave and not re-enter for 6 months.

I suppose if you planned on never ever returning to Spain, it wouldn't matter.
Nobody really checks your passport at albergues.
However, if you stay in hotels, they DO often ask to hold your passport overnight.
In that case, if you were overstayed, you could be reported and asked to leave the country.

Otherwise, they'd probably get you on your way out and you could be banned from entering the country again.

This is the information I got from the Spanish authorities.

 

[dougfitz]

The difficulty that I foresee for AS/NZ pilgrims seeking to have the time in individual countries recognised rather than the overall Schengen time is that there are no internal border posts where one's passport can be stamped and the periods in individual countries tallied.

A friend's daughter overstayed a couple of years ago, perhaps inadvertantly. On the train journey back from a weekend trip outside the zone, when they checked passports, this was discovered, and she was disembarked. Other than what she was carrying in her weekend bag, all her gear was in Paris. She explained this, but still wasn't allowed to continue. Friends had to get her gear to her and she couldn't return for 3 months.

I think Ivar's and Annie's advice is correct - it would be silly to overstay, risk being discovered and having one's travel plans disrupted completely.

Regards,

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The scan of the magnetic strip in passports is instantly added to the database, and Schengen calculations made by the computer. I doubt that you can get away with overstaying without being caught.

 

[dougfitz]

Falcon, you are correct, but the passport scan only occurs on entry/re-entry. If you have haven't left, you might be recorded as over-staying, but that won't necessarily mean there is any effective action that can be taken.

If you have overstayed, and are leaving, the authorities may not be inclined to take action. In my own travels, I have been behind a family that overstayed in Botwana, and while the immigration person took forever, and required them to provide an explanation why, they were eventually let through. That individual experience might not apply elsewhere, but I cannot imagine that other than triggering additional checks, there would any benefit in stopping you leaving.

It is more likely that you will not be allowed to return to the Schengen zone if you have have already reached the 90 days in 180. Not being allowed to re-enter the zone would immediately disrupt any plans one might have had!

While I admit that overstaying might be easy do to, I still believe it is a silly thing to do. It is still possible to be subject to punitive measures, including it would seem from other posts, being banned from entry in the future.

(edited to improve readability)

 

[Tia Valeria]

The difficulty that I foresee for AS/NZ pilgrims seeking to have the time in individual countries recognised rather than the overall Schengen time is that there are no internal border posts where one's passport can be stamped and the periods in individual countries tallied.

I can see the problem with this but wonder if it can be solved by visiting the police near the border. If one has the 3 month country visa in hand and a stamp from the police both sides of the border will this count so as to validate these seperate visas? Or are there controls in limited places?

I think this would need folk with good language skills, and in more than one country, to go and ask how these visas can be validated especially if there is no border control.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

As a Kiwi I have stayed more than three months in Schengen countries without any problems. New Zealand has easier visa entry requirements than Australia for European visitors, and we are treated more easily in Europe in return. There are some countries in Europe with which we don't have bilateral agreements. I just have to make sure I do not overstay a three month total stay if going into one of these countries, but in many countries of Europe (Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Iceland Italy Luxembourg The Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden Switzerland) we have a bilateral agreement that allows Kiwis a three month stay in each country. I have never been queried at any border about total time I have spent in Europe.
Margaret