For Safety Reasons How Can You Get the State to Help You Move

Last Updated: 9/xiii/21 | September 13th, 2021

When I planned my move to Sweden a few years agone, I tried to effigy out how to become past the ninety-day limit placed on tourist visas in the Schengen Area. This is a problem encountered by thousands of travelers every yr and a question that regularly (especially this fourth dimension of year) pops up in my inbox.

"How can I stay in Europe for more than 90 days?"

It'southward a unproblematic question with a very complicated answer.

I always knew it was complicated, but until I started researching how to stay in that location longer, I never knew just how complicated.

Fortunately, in the procedure of this research, I came to learn there are a few ways to stay in Europe longer than 90 days; they merely aren't well known.

This post volition teach y'all the options for staying in Europe over 90 days as well every bit give you tips on how to motility to Europe. Simply commencement a few things:

It's important to note that Europe isn't just ane place — there are varying visa rules throughout the continent. When people talk about the "90-day limit," they're talking about restrictions on the Schengen Area, which is the visa policy that governs 26 countries in Europe. It includes all of the European Union — except Ireland — likewise every bit a few not-European union countries.

Annotation: While I call it the "Schengen Visa," it'due south not an bodily visa yous necessarily need to utilize for. Depending on your residency condition and country of citizenship, you lot may demand to apply in advance for a Schengen Visa, however, those with an American passport practice not need to apply in advance.

What is the Schengen visa?

The Schengen visa is a xc-day tourist visa for Schengen Area countries, which are:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Czech republic
• Denmark
• Republic of estonia
• Finland
• France
• Frg
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Additionally, there are several microstates that are de facto members of the Schengen Area. These are Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican city.

These Schengen countries have a border-free visa understanding that lets residents move throughout the Area without needing to show their passport every time they cross a border. Essentially, it's as if they're one country, and you tin can move as freely every bit you desire.

Citizens of many countries are immune to enter the Schengen Area without having to go a visa beforehand. Your passport simply gets stamped upon your arrival and departure from Europe. You're allowed to enter and leave from any country yous want — they don't have to be the same.

Here is a map of the countries with visa waivers that can enter the Schengen without requiring a visa in accelerate.

Near visitors (including Americans) are allowed to spend 90 days in the Schengen Surface area in every 180-solar day period. The easiest way to recall of it is that you lot tin can visit for 3 months so yous have to leave for three months before you tin can render.

Still, yous tin can also bounciness back and forth betwixt Schengen and non-Schengen countries — you just demand to keep track of all your dates of entry/exit.

When I visit Europe, I wing in and out of dissimilar countries all the fourth dimension. Your starting time entry in the 180-solar day period is when your 90-twenty-four hour period counter starts. These days don't need to exist sequent — the total is cumulative. Once mean solar day 181 hits, the count resets itself.

For example, if I come to the Schengen Area in January and stay for 60 days and then come dorsum in June for x days, that counts as lxx days in 180 days. Only days you lot are in the zone during the catamenia count. If you go on Jan 1st and stay xc straight days, you accept to exit and technically can't come back until July 1st.

Nevertheless, not all travelers are immune such freedom.

Citizens from many countries demand to apply for a Schengen visa ahead of time. You'll be required to make full out paperwork beforehand and fly in and out of the country for which your visa is issued.

Fifty-fifty then, you yet might not be granted a visa. Spoiler alert: citizens from African and Asian countries get screwed.

And so, with that being said, how DO you stay in Europe longer? How do y'all get around that rule? Let me break it downward for you lot.

Part 1: Staying or Moving to Europe the Easy Way

With so many visa rules, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to stay in Europe beyond 90 days as a tourist — you merely need to mix upwardly the countries you visit. The Britain has its ain rules that allow you to stay 180 days in a calendar twelvemonth.

Most non-Schengen countries such as Ukraine, Moldova, Croatia, Ireland, and some Balkan countries permit y'all to stay for up to 60 or 90 days. Albania even lets American'south stay upwardly to a year!

So, all you need to do to stay in Europe longer than 3 months is spend 90 days in the Schengen Area and then visit the UK, get to the Balkans, hang out in Ukraine, drink wine in Moldova, and have a pint in Republic of ireland. If you lot align your schedule correct, you tin hands be out of the Schengen Surface area for 90 days and so caput back into the Schengen Area with a brand new Schengen visa.

Years ago, to become around this limit, I spent three months in Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and England every bit I waited for my clock to reset. After that, I headed back into the Shengen area for Oktoberfest.

If you want to travel the continent for a long fourth dimension without having to go through the diverse visa processes described below, vary your travel by visiting non-Schengen countries. In that location's plenty of countries to choose from while you await for your Schengen Visa clock to reset. This is the like shooting fish in a barrel, hassle-free style of doing things.

—-> Need more tips for Europe? Visit my destination guide and get in-depth information on what to run into and do and how to save coin.

Part 2: Staying in the Schengen Expanse Past 90 Days

But what if yous do want to stay longer in the Schengen Area? What if the six months you want to be in Europe is all in Schengen Surface area countries? What if y'all want to live and work in Europe?

Afterward all, the Schengen Surface area spans 26 countries and visiting then many destinations in 90 days can be a niggling rushed (you would have an average of just three.5 days per country).

If you want to stay longer to travel, live, learn a language, or fall in love, then the "move around" choice suggested above isn't going to work for you. You need something else.

Luckily, there are a few means to do this — and I can't stress enough the importance of the give-and-take "few." Because staying more than 90 days in the Schengen Area isn't piece of cake.

First, permit's empathise the rule:

The Schengen law states that y'all can't stay in the Expanse for more than than 90 days. If you do, you're field of study to a fine and possibly deportation and beingness banned from re-entering the Schengen Surface area. How that rule is enforced, though, varies greatly from one country to another. Overstaying by a day might not exist the end of the world, however, some countries do non mess around with visitors overstaying.

For example, Germany, kingdom of the netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries are all very strict about entry and exit rules. If you overstay your tourist visit, there'south a good take a chance they'll pull yous bated. Two Australians I know were detained leaving Switzerland due to overstaying their visa past two weeks. They were allowed to go with just a alarm, just they missed their flights and had to book new flights.

I know of someone who overstayed by half-dozen months, tried to leave from Amsterdam, and now has an "illegal immigrant" stamp on her passport. In guild to enter Europe once more, she must apply for a visa at an embassy and be preapproved:

I fabricated the mistake of attempting to leave from the Netherlands afterward overstaying a Schengen visa and was defenseless. I overstayed by almost a month, and they hand-drew some sort of insignia in my passport to note my overstay. They told me I'd have to contact the IND and find out if I would be able to enter the Schengen states over again.

Another blogger told me this happened to them too so don't overstay your visa!

That being said, if you exit from Greece, France, Italy, or Spain you may be less likely to run into an issue, provided you (a) oasis't stayed over too long and (b) didn't catch the immigration officer on a bad day.

When I left Hellenic republic, no ane even looked at my passport. One of my friends met a guy in France, fell in beloved, and decided not to leave. A twelvemonth later, when she finally did, the French officials didn't even look twice. Some other friend flew into France and didn't fifty-fifty go an entry stamp. Kingdom of spain is another place notorious for not caring and Americans who decide to overstay for months mention that equally the easiest land to exit from.

Of form, I don't think it'south wise to overstay. A day or two? Likely not the cease of the world. But, Matt, can I extend just extend my Schengen visa/stamp?
Unfortunately not. Simply put, you cannot extend your tourist visa or entry stamp. In that location's a xc-solar day limit, and that's that.

So what's a tourist to practice?

1. Go a Working Holiday Visa

Working holiday visas are easy to become and the all-time style to extend your stay — even if you don't want to work. These visas are designed for immature travelers who want to work and travel abroad. Citizens of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (and often Southward Korea, Israel, Hong Kong, and Japan) are eligible for i- to two-year working holiday visas from most of the Schengen countries.

There is no single "working vacation" program for the Schengen or European union so applicants must use for this visa from a specific state. Applicants must as well be younger than xxx (though, in some cases, like for Canadians working in Switzerland or Ireland, you lot tin be equally sometime every bit 35).

Additionally, y'all can become consecutive working holiday visas. An Australian reader of mine got a two-yr Dutch working holiday visa and so got one from Kingdom of norway to stay two more years. While she and her swain (who also got one) did odd jobs in Holland for a chip, they generally used information technology every bit a mode to travel effectually the continent.

Note: This type of visa won't allow you to work in any other country than the i that issued information technology.

For Americans, there are only two options for working holidays in Europe: Ireland (non-Schengen country) and Portugal (Schengen country). The Portuguese working vacation visa is for travelers aged 18-30 and lasts two years. The Irish one also lasts two years and is good for those anile 18-30, still, you must take graduated within 12 months of applying (or exist a student).

2. Get a Long-Term-Stay Visa

Unfortunately, the majority of Schengen countries do not offering long-term-stay visas for tourists/visitors. Mostly speaking, if y'all want a long-stay visa, you'd have to apply for residency.

Schengen allows for a C- or D-form visa (the letter varies on the country), which is a temporary residence visa for upwardly to one year. But the specific visa and requirements vary from state to country. Some countries are harder, some are easier, and others are nearly incommunicable despite being in the same visa treaty zone.

Notwithstanding, in that location are a few countries that exercise offer long-term visas that aren't likewise difficult to go:

France

France offers a long-term visitor visa for a period of up to one year. The application process takes upwards to 1 month. According to the French Embassy, "The 'visitor' visa (or visa 'D') allows you to enter France and stay for more than than iii months. Long-stay visa holders volition be allowed to reside in France for up to 12 months according to the validity of their visa and purpose of stay."

To get this visa, y'all must fix up an appointment at the French consulate near you. You can't walk in — y'all must make an appointment.

At this appointment, you'll demand the following documents:

• One awarding form filled out completely and signed
• Three passport photos
• Your original passport, which must have been issued less than 10 years ago, exist valid for three months subsequently your render, and have at least two blank pages left
• A letter of the alphabet certified by a notary public that promises you won't engage in work
• A letter of employment stating current occupation and earnings
• Proof of income (you'll need bank statements or copies of your investment portfolio)
• Proof of medical insurance that includes evacuation insurance
• Proof of accommodation in French republic. (The French consulate never returned my emails, so I was unsure how you could have this before you lot even get to France. Ane could utilize a friend'southward address or, lacking that, rent a place (one where you can get a refund) for the purposes of the interview. It's a little fuzzy.)

Note: Yous tin't apply for this visa more than three months before your arrival date.

You tin visit the French Diplomatic mission website for links to local embassies and consulates for more information. This mail also has some helpful information to get you started.

Sweden

Sweden besides offers a long-term stay tourist visa for a maximum menstruum of one year. The process is like shooting fish in a barrel usually takes around 2 weeks to process when applied for in Sweden. Here'southward a brief overview of what you lot demand:

• Residence allow for visitor's application form
• Notarized copies of the pages of your passport that bear witness your identity and the validity of your passport, as well equally copies of all the other visas/stamps yous take. Your passport likewise needs to exist valid for 3 months after your stay.
• A bank argument showing your means of supporting yourself for the duration of your stay (you lot need at least $52 USD per twenty-four hours for each twenty-four hour period saved in your account)
• A render airplane ticket
• A alphabetic character from your insurance visitor stating you lot're covered overseas

Applications can be delivered in person during visiting hours (no appointment needed) or mailed to a Swedish consulate.

After your documents are received, y'all'll exist required to have an interview with one of the immigration officers. Most people who employ for this visa have family in Sweden. If yous don't, y'all'll need to take articulate reasons as to why y'all demand to stay longer and testify ample proof that you lot can support yourself (i.e., "I desire to meet Swedish guys/girls" won't cut it!). If yous're applying in Sweden, you'll need to put a local'due south accost on your application grade, and that person will accept to accompany you to your interview.

You can acquire more about the process on this government page.

Espana

Kingdom of spain offers a long-term visa targeting retirees called the Non-Lucrative Residence Visa. It requires that y'all spend at least 183 days in Spain, which would make you a legal resident for tax purposes here. During this time, you are unable to work in Kingdom of spain (so y'all'll need to have enough savings to get you by). However, studying and unpaid internships are permitted.

The large catch for this visa is that you need to accept over 27,000 EUR in your bank business relationship. That'south around $32,000 USD. Since the visa is designed for retirees, the assumption is that you're coming hither to rest on your financial laurels afterwards a lifetime of saving upwards — hence the sizeable requirement.

The visa has been denied to people who are remote workers and so I wouldn't recommend this visa if you lot're a digital nomad (Kingdom of spain is currently working on a visa specifically for distal nomads though it'south not currently available).

In addition to having sizable savings, you'll besides need to fill out the application, submit your passport and boosted photos, pay a fee, and provide the following:

• Proof of private health insurance (from an authorized company in Spain)
• A doctor's notation certifying that you lot're good for you
• A criminal background check translated into Spanish

Yous must apply for this visa in your state of residency as you lot will be interviewed as part of the process. The application varies per land, normally between 120-520 EUR (it'south around 125 EUR for Americans and just over 500 EUR for Canadians).

This consulate page has all the specific details you lot need regarding the application.

Portugal

Portugal has multiple long term stay visas. Kickoff, there is a Golden Visa, which requires a minimum investment in the state of $300,000 USD. More realisticly, is the D7 visa, which is like to Espana's retirement visa.

It requires proof of insurance, a background check, an application and interview, etc. The principal departure, however, is that you simply need an income of effectually $9,000 USD instead of the $32,000 USD in savings the Spanish visa required. You lot notwithstanding cannot work on this visa, so your income must be passive (investments, pension, rental property, etc.).

The D7 visa can work for digital nomads, though there is a split visa that might work amend: the D2 visa.

This visa, known as the Immigrant Entrepreneur visa, isn't designed specifically for digital nomads. You'll need to submit a concern plan and demonstrate you have enough capital to become started. You'll also need to explain why you desire to first (or move) your business concern to Portugal. You lot'll take a much college adventure of getting approved if you take invested upwardly of v,000 EUR in your business and speak some Portuguese equally well (information technology'south not required, but these visas are regularly rejected so it volition give you a leg upward).

In short, there are a lot of steps for a temporary visa that but lasts ane yr. However, you lot tin get this extended and eventually apply for permanent residency or citizenship afterwards 5 years.

You'll need to apply for both of these visas in your country of residency.

A note of long-term visas: Keep in heed that the information to a higher place is just for reference. At that place may be more requirements needed for your application and not all visas are open to anybody. You'll want to contact your local embassy for specifics and additional data.

The Bilateral Agreement Hack

In add-on to the standard Schengen visa, nearly countries have numerous bilateral agreements contained of the Shengen visa. These agreements let travelers stay in a specific country for an additional period of time across the xc-day Schengen limit. The just caveat is that can't leave that country during that time.

For example, France has a bilateral agreement that allows U.S. citizens to stay an additional ninety days across the Schengen limit. Y'all can enter from any Schengen country, stay ninety days in France, and so fly habitation. But the catch is you accept to go home — you lot tin't get elsewhere. You have to leave Europe so you can't utilise your time in France as a sneaky way to reset your Schengen clock.

Now, the France/U.S. dominion is catchy. Information technology'due south based on a post-WW2 understanding that never was cancelled. Multiple French consulates told me yeah, they thought this law existed just couldn't tell me where to find it. A few visa services told me I was crazy. One consulate told me it was possible but only with a long-term visa.

Merely, afterwards many calls, the US, Canda, and Uk French embassies told me that yes, this police does exist and that yes, this is still valid. So they referenced me to the French national archives.

Well, we plant the actual diplomatic papers that spell this out. Information technology took us close to a yr to notice it but we did.

This is the notation from the French government virtually it:

Hi,

In that location is a bilateral agreement between French and the U.Southward. by exchange letters (March 16-31 mars 1949), which allows American citizens to stay in French republic ninety days over 180 days, irrespective of the stays already fabricated in other Schengen countries.

However, this agreement has been made earlier the Schengen agreement. Today, as there is no more than border control between the Schengen countries, it is very difficult to determine how long a person has stayed in French republic and we heard that some people had troubles with the immigration police while leaving France.

Therefore, we recommend American citizens to respect the Schengen regulation which allows a maximum of 90 days on 180 days in the whole Schengen area.

Consulat général de France, Service des visas
4101 Reservoir Road, Washington DC, 20007

A follow to the London embassy gave me this response:

"Whilst the bilateral agreement you lot refer to has non officially been revoked, the French Edge Police has sole authority on deciding whether to apply it or not, at the time of entering or exiting the Schengen expanse."

So this is really a thing. And, while they don't like you using it, it's still the constabulary. Just bring proof yous stayed in French republic for xc days! If you plan to utilize this rule, bring documentation every bit border guards my not exist aware of it.

Additionally, Denmark and Poland also have bilateral agreements with the United States that let citizens stay an boosted ninety days in each land split up from the regular Schengen Zone visa. The Denmark rule applies exactly the same manner as the French ane. Denmark also has a bilteral agreemnt that is applicative for citizens of Australia, Canada, Republic of chile, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Korea.

For Poland, y'all must enter and leave Poland via a non-Schengen land where you will be stamped again (i.e., direct flight from NYC). So y'all could do xc days in the Schengen, wing to the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, and then wing to Poland. Poland'due south rules are simply laid out in an understanding letter the U.S. and Poland signed in 1991. (Here's a copy of the letter from the Shine regime).

In theory, there are likewise other bilateral agreements betwixt the U.South. and Schengen countries. I've been told by multiple sources that Belgium, Italy, Hungary, Kingdom of norway, Spain, Portugal, and the netherlands all have their own bilateral agreements with the U.Due south. too. This page outlines the existing bilateral agreements.

However, I reached out to each land'due south consulate and none of them replied (save Portugal) in whatsoever meaningful way. They simply directed me to the standard visa FAQ page.

Regarding Portugal, a representative from the Portuguese consulate said this regarding their bilateral 60-twenty-four hour period visa:

Delight note that those 60 days are an exceptional extension that needs to be requested within Portugal at SEF function near your temporary address in Portugal.

At present, in theory, ane could say thanks to borderless travel yous could become your "extra 90 days in Denmark" so just travel around, fly out of Kingdom of denmark, and no one would be the wiser. Ane could say that. But I've noticed a lot more than intra-Europe passport checks in contempo years. I got yelled at in France for not having my passport with me while on a train to see a chateau. So, I wouldn't recommend doing this.

Note: Most counties have bilateral agreements with other countries. Phone call the local embassy for more data (y'all'll have better luck calling than emailing).

3. Go a Student Visa

All Schengen Area countries offer student visas that are piece of cake to obtain so long as you're enrolled in a recognized university programme. This would require you to pay for the class, but it will virtually guarantee you a visa if you are accepted.

1 of the best countries to exercise this in is Spain, where a whole industry has sprung up to help students study Spanish. There are tons of schools that volition allow you to enroll and write letters stating you're a educatee in that location. You'll need to apply in your home country but the process is relatively straightforward. This post details the requirements.

Germany is some other popular choice, as post-secondary schools there are essentially costless. While there may exist more competition, the costs are much lower. Y'all can learn about the awarding process here.

While most student visas allow you to stay in a country for one twelvemonth, I would just consider getting ane if you really plan on studying. If you're only getting a student visa to travel and play tourist, it's not going to exist worth the cost and paperwork since you'll need to set everything from a residential address to a depository financial institution account to a local phone number and more than.

4. Become a Freelancer Visa

In that location are several countries that offer freelancer visas. This process is a piffling more complicated and not for the casual tourist. These visas are meant for people who actually want to live and piece of work in Europe. If you're just a casual tourist, expect to be denied. But if you're a digital nomad, this is the visa for you.

Schengen countries that offering freelancer visas include Germany, Estonia, Kingdom of spain, Czechia, Portugal, Greece, and Republic of malta. Non-Schengen countries that accept them include Republic of croatia, Romania, Georgia, and Iceland.

Frg is the country most used by people who want to reside in Europe. If you're a freelancer, digital nomad, artist, or have some course of income, this is the visa to go (and information technology's quite easy to get). If you are from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.S., Israel, Republic of korea, or Japan you tin apply later you go far in Germany (everyone else needs to apply in accelerate).

The visa simply lasts for three months, however, it is designed to be extended into a residency visa which would then final for three years. I accept many friends who accept gotten this visa. Every bit long as you follow the steps, you should be fine. This postal service has more data about the process.

Near freelancer visas follow a like format: utilize, pay a fee, submit proof that your business organisation tin can stay adrift, then wait to be accepted. However, some accept more stringent requirements.

For example, Estonia's freelancer visa requires a monthly income of at to the lowest degree 3,500 EUR per month leading up to your application. For the Czechia visa, yous demand to have at to the lowest degree $6,000 USD in your banking company business relationship (the lovely folks at Wandertooth, who did this process a couple of years agone, tin can walk y'all through the steps).

In recent years, Kingdom of spain has also created freelancer visa called the "autonomo" that too follows a similar process. You can read more than hither.

If you are a digital nomad and are considering working remotely from the European union you tin can compare these programs to run across which ane bests suits your goals (though Federal republic of germany is likely the best place to starting time since it's ane of the easiest to get).

5. Get Married to a European

Autumn in love with a European (or at to the lowest degree a friend) and employ for a spousal relationship visa! You'll get to stay in that location while the application process goes through then you can move to Europe and stay there forever with the love of your life! That's a win-win! (This is a joke. Don't become married only for a visa to stay in Europe!)

***

The best, easiest, and most constructive mode to stay in Europe long-term is to increase the number of countries you visit so you're in the Schengen Area for only 90 days. Every bit I said, at that place are a lot of countries not in the Area so this is piece of cake to do.

If yous're like me and want to stay in the Schengen Surface area longer than 90 days (or just want to motion to Europe because information technology'south awesome), exist prepared to piece of work the system. Iit'south non impossible to stay long-term in the Schengen Area. By agreement the system and using the few loopholes that do exist, one tin can legally stay past 90 days and enjoy all Europe has to offer without worrying almost beingness barred for life.

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Book Your Trip to Europe: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Volume Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to discover a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines considering they search websites and airlines around the earth so you always know no stone is left unturned. Beginning with Skyscanner get-go though because they have the biggest accomplish!

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You tin book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and all-time deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

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Don't Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance volition protect you confronting illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It'due south comprehensive protection in case annihilation goes wrong. I never become on a trip without information technology as I've had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the all-time service and value are:

• Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)
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• Medjet (for boosted repatriation coverage)

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Want More Information on Europe?
Exist sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!

Annotation: Due to the complexities of visas and the uniqueness of everyone's state of affairs, we practice not answer whatsoever visa related questions in the comments or via e-mail. Give thanks you.

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Source: https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/how-to-legally-stay-in-europe-for-more-than-90-days/

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