Visa Overstay

[Chuck Cunningham]

This has probably been covered but I would like anyone's recent opinion as things change and also because I'm hoping for an 11th hour reprieve. I recently read about a gentleman that hiked from Geneva to Santiago. This sounds like a great adventure however it would surely take me over the ninety days permitted on my VISA. From what I can research it is NOT easy to get an extension unless of a dire emergency or the like. Does anyone know any way to legally stay over the 90 days.

 

[Purky]

Apply for a long-term visa in France, Spain, Sweden, Italy or Germany. You'll need quite a bit of money in the bank (i.e. proof of sufficient funds), the tenacity to do some heavy duty paper work and travel time to visit your consulate of choice for interviews. Not everything can go by mail.

You can also split up Schengen and non-Schengen countries during your visit to Europe. Plenty of possibilities, but plan wisely and don't get your number of days wrong. It also means that you have to stay at least 90 days in a non-Schengen country to circumvent the 180 days rule.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Thanks. The 90 day visa seems to be a tough thing to circumvent. Guess I'll do what I can in that amount of time and make sure I have sufficient time in which to catch my flight home.... or skip off to merry olde England for a spell.

 

[Former member 35551]

Depending on home country, not hard at all. I did it in 2015 via French consulate and my experience was . . .

Somewhat bureaucratic, and there is a lot of paperwork and some information required that doesn't seem logical. And I agree with Purky above, money trumps everything. Once you show that you have plenty of money in the bank, then everything else was a check the box activity. Not much of an interview; just making sure you've submitted everything.

I would get the visa and do the trip I wanted.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Thanks. I wonder how easy it is to do once I am over there? If you get the overstay or extended visa i assume that covers all of the schengen countries.

 

[lindam]

I do not know your current country of residence but I can tell you that as a Canadian, it was necessary for me to apply for a residence permit/long-term VISA in Spain (i.e., to remain in Spain for more than 90 days), and this application had to be made while I was still living in Canada.

 

[Micah26]

Thanks. I wonder how easy it is to do once I am over there? If you get the overstay or extended visa i assume that covers all of the schengen countries.

Chuck,
If your sure of staying over I would get the Visa beforehand. A lot easier to get paperwork etc while at home rather than when one is in the road! Just my two cents!

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Thanks Micah but this was kind of a last minute thing. I am leaving for Paris on the 15th of April before going on to Le Puy ..soooooo this year may be out. I totally agree with getting the paperwork beforehand but It won't be happening this year. so if I finish up my 90 day visa and still want to tramp I reckon I'll head up to the British Isles and do some creative (?) bumming.

 

[whariwharangi]

Thanks. I wonder how easy it is to do once I am over there? If you get the overstay or extended visa i assume that covers all of the schengen countries.

My advice would be to contact the embassy of the country you want to visit ie France or Spain.

Once you're over there ... my guess is: no chance.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

I do not know your current country of residence but I can tell you that as a Canadian, it was necessary for me to apply for a residence permit/long-term VISA in Spain (i.e., to remain in Spain for more than 90 days), and this application had to be made while I was still living in Canada.

I live in the US but it's probably the same.

 

[trecile]

If you plan to return make sure that you don't overstay!!

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

If you plan to return make sure that you don't overstay!!

I hear that. When the fun's over, if I don't head up to Britain then I will probably be in Paris (leaving via CDG) a couple of days early, just in case. Can stay in an Airbnb and maybe even get a pic of the Eiffel Tower.

 

[trecile]

I hear that. When the fun's over, if I don't head up to Britain then I will probably be in Paris (leaving via CDG) a couple of days early, just in case. Can stay in an Airbnb and maybe even get a pic of the Eiffel Tower.

You're including the Paris stay in your 90 days, right?

 

[whariwharangi]

Thanks. I wonder how easy it is to do once I am over there? If you get the overstay or extended visa i assume that covers all of the schengen countries.

Of course ... if you don't ask for sure you won't get.

I would suggest you try while there.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Of course ... if you don't ask for sure you won't get.

I would suggest you try while there.

Good advice. Can't hurt to try.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

You're including the Paris stay in your 90 days, right?

Yes, of course.

 

[whariwharangi]

I have seen what happens to people who overstay.

I was taking Spanish lessons in Granada. A woman, who had overstayed her Visa, went to Gibraltar in an attempt to game the system.

In some places you cross the border, stay a day, then come back and the Visa starts from the day of entry. Not the Schengen zone.

The woman was not allowed back into Spain and had to arrange to get her stuff sent home from the school. Not sure what travel options from Gibraltar are like ...

Another instance involved a woman whose apartment (borrowed) was broken into. She could not go to the police.

There are real consequences for overstay.

 

[trecile]

In some places you cross the border, stay a day, then come back and the Visa starts from the day of entry. Not the Schengen zone.

Correct. You can stay no more than 90 out of the last 180 days.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Correct. You can stay no more than 90 out of the last 180 days.

I think I've got this. Had I ever been tempted to overstay my visa... I no longer am.

 

[Micah26]

Chuck,
Well then Bon Chance et Bon Camino. Either apply while there or enjoy the hospitality out of the S region! I am jealous But, my time will come!

 

[joecamino]

Chuck,

It's a bit out of the box, but another option could be splitting your Camino in two. For example..

- start in Geneva and walk for 60 days
- head off to the UK (or Romania or Croatia) for 30 days
- pick up Camino where you left it, and continue for up to 60 days

Since the max Schengen stay is 90 days in a rolling 180-day window, a break outside the zone puts time back on the clock.

(Nothing magic about 60/30/60, of course-- you'd "press pause" at a logical point.)

Joe

 

[camino-david]

My advice is to check with a consulate (or two) rather getting opinions here. Notwithstanding, I thoroughly agree do not overstay your visa because the likely outcome is that you will not be allowed to return, ever.

 

[pudgypilgrim]

Since the max Schengen stay is 90 days in a rolling 180-day window, a break outside the zone puts time back on the clock.

Not exactly. In your example you would still only have 30 days when you return to the Schengen group. You would still have been in Schengen for 60 of the allowed 90 days. You would need to leave for 180 days to reset the time.

The easiest way is to do what many of us have to do and split your trip into more than one year.

 

[joecamino]

As the previous poster already said, this scenario will give you an overstay of 30 days! I put your example - 60 days in, 30 days out, 60 days in, starting on 15 April 2017 - into the Schengen calculator and got this result:

View attachment 33045

Thanks for the catch! Good idea, but my math was off. That'll teach me to post too late

 

[kmrice]

A woman, who had overstayed her Visa, went to Gibraltar in an attempt to game the system.

Is Gibraltar in the Schengen Zone even though it is British territory?

 

[Bradypus]

Is Gibraltar in the Schengen Zone even though it is British territory?

No - it is not part of the Schengen Zone. For more detail see the "Special cases" section of this Wikipedia article: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_member_state_territories_and_the_European_Union#Gibraltar

 

[kmrice]

No - it is not part of the Schengen Zone. For more detail see the "Special cases" section of this Wikipedia article: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_member_state_territories_and_the_European_Union#Gibraltar

Thanks! Excellent article; Gibraltar is part of the European Economic Community, but is not in the Schengen Zone.

I was glad to learn this because when I left Spain last fall I stopped in Gibraltar on my way home. I left Spain, but not Gibraltar, on my 90th day. Glad to learn I should not expect any problems reentering.

I really appreciate your authoritative response.

 

[Camino2010]

In 2012 for my third Camino I bought a plane ticket from Canada spanning 4.5 months. I knew about Schengen rules from the two previous years so part of me was baffled by my choice, but I followed my instinct when I booked. I counted days carefully as always, and it turned out perfectly. It was very hot in Spain (July heatwave) so once I reached Santiago and then Fisterra and Muxia, I went to Ireland and England (non-Schengen countries, as is Romania) to visit Camino friends. I still had enough days to visit Czech Republic for a month after that and walk some of its Camino paths. I unsuccessfully asked to extend my 90 days in Czech Republic. I didn't know really anything about travel visas then. Now I live here instead and the Camino is closer to get to than from Canada. But in 2012 by counting carefully I got every last wonderful moment out of the 90-day allowance. I flew back to Amsterdam on day 89 and then back to Canada on day 90, 4.5 months after I'd arrived in Europe.

Buen Camino!

Rachel

 

[kmrice]

.

• Arrow pointing to the right in the bottom left corner in a rectangular stamp for entering the Schengen area.
• Arrow pointing to the left in the bottom left corner in a rectangular shaped stamp with rounded edges when you leave the Schengen area.

That's what they will look at when you want to come back.

The Schengen area does not (yet) have an automated system for registering entry/exit data.

Thanks for a very helpful post. I've examined my passport, and I have a stamp with an arrow showing my entry last summer, but none showing my departure 90 days later. I left on a ship out of Barcelona, and I don't recall passing through Spanish customs on boarding.

Hopefully, if they don't have an automated system, they will either not notice I have no exit stamp, or will accept the copy of my ship ticket, and dated photos showing I was where the ship was, on the same dates. We'll see.

Next time I'll try to figure out how to go through customs before boarding; I don't recall it being an option in Barcelona.