8 Years in the Med?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

The article says they flew back to the US for Christmas. I would guess for a month.

I'm trying to think in my head if I could spend 8 years in the Med. I would love to spend 3-5 years, but there would be enough stuff to do for 8 years if you took it slow and did a few things more than once.

Believe me , you could spend the rest of your life cruising the Med.

Dave

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Sindbad

For Americans the maximum stay in the Schengen countries is 90 days within 6 months. Countries like Turkey, Cyprus, Tunisia, Albania, Morroco etc. are not Schengen countries and have their own visa regulations. It needs some planning, but full-time cruising in the Med should be possible, but I would not like to be there during winter.
The boat can be kept in the EU countries, such as Spain, France, Italy, Greece, for 18 months without paying VAT. If it is not in use, e.g. on the hard, and evidence can be provided, this period can be extended by additional 6 months.
The duration how long the crew and the boat are staying are two totally different issues. Check out noonsite for detailed information.
Cheers
Thomas

+1

Note also there are possibilities to " bond" the boat under specific country rules as well. But this has fallen out of favour because of the EU 18 month rule.

There are some EU countries that have specific bi-lateral agreements with other countries so that it is possible to get extended visas , the qualifications are complex and specific.
Note that these visas are specific to that country and Schengen rules apply of you travel into other EU countries. Any stay of 6 months or more on a calendar year can make you a tax resident.

In practice as long as you arnt resident. You could leave the boat forever in the EU without any real risk of VAT . There is no oversight on this rule (TIR) in reality. ( nor is there any documentation to be maintained that's shows length of stay )

Schengen is unfortunately am issue for non EU crew. Overstays were typically overlooked and they still are if you arrive and depart by yacht. If you however have to travel through an airport the level of scrutiny is much higher and overstays can result in entry bans.

Dave

[S/V Alchemy]

I would have enjoyed that article more in 1998, the year prior to buying our first boat.

As it is, I found it nearly content-free of the sort of information I would like to know.

I already know the Med is a nice place full of interesting people. I'm not sure how they turned a one-night transient dock in Venice into a seven-month stay. I suspect the original article was heavily edited to fit the lubberly understanding of the typical WSJ reader.

[svBeBe]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

The article says they flew back to the US for Christmas. I would guess for a month.

I'm trying to think in my head if I could spend 8 years in the Med. I would love to spend 3-5 years, but there would be enough stuff to do for 8 years if you took it slow and did a few things more than once.

Flying home for a month wouldn't do them any good according to the Schengen visa rules. They would have to stay out of all Schengen countries for minimum 90 days before re-entering. I have researched this for a couple of years trying to figure out a way to do it and IMHO it really cannot be done and follow the rules because of the 6-month winter season. The limit is 90 days then must leave for 90 days. No matter how you figure that out, it means having to sail during winter months (unsafe in my opinion) or it means flying 'home' for minimum 90 days and then returning. Supposedly it is possible to obtain individual country longer-stay visas which then does not affect the 90-day Schengen visa limitation. We inquired at the Italian consulate and were told that we must rent a home because a marina address was not acceptable for obtaining long-stay visa. That means paying for a marina berthing and an apartment or home, which is beyond the budget of most cruisers.

Judy

[hellosailor]

Since the WSJ gave a contact email for the author, I dropped him an email asking if he'd like to join us here. Or at least, share some information.

These things were easier when the EU was still a morass of monopoly money and border crossings, weren't they?

[hellosailor]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...med-94297.html

There's another thread on it as well. And he's been invited to join us there.

[Kiwi303]

Originally Posted by svBeBe

Flying home for a month wouldn't do them any good according to the Schengen visa rules. They would have to stay out of all Schengen countries for minimum 90 days before re-entering.

Judy

Maybe they were second generation Americans? Parents being immigrants? through I would have expected that to have been mentioned in the article if so. If that was the case they would likely have been able to get residence permits on an ancestry visa basis.

As to Schengen zone regs, again as another posted mentioned before, there are exceptions. I am a NZer, NZ has a bilateral treaty with Hungary which amidst other clauses means I can wander through the Schengen zone for 90 days, then cross into Hungary for a FURTHER 90 days for a total of 180 in zone, despite Hungary being Schengened. Maybe they exploited some such loophole?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by svBeBe

We inquired at the Italian consulate and were told that we must rent a home because a marina address was not acceptable for obtaining long-stay visa. That means paying for a marina berthing and an apartment or home, which is beyond the budget of most cruisers.

Judy

Web site for France shows the same requirement. Have a call in to their consulate office in Miami to ask if a marina berth is acceptable to them.

So far it looks like long term cruising in Europe, if you follow the rules, is only for the mega rich.

The only alternative I see is a lot of sailing time to enter and leave the Schengen countries every 90 days, not an attractive option as you pointed out.

[Lagoon4us]

We are in a small Marina in the Adriatic, there is a boat here that simply sailed over the last 12 months without 'entering' a single country.

They left where the boat was built and simply sailed on through the Med for that period of time, no questions have been asked hence none answered!

We have only been boarded for a safety inspection otherwise not interfered with at all...

Rules are rules but hey there's an awful lot of boats in the Med and strangely enough i think if you had a 'Sunsail' boom cover you could cruise the world undisturbed!!!!

Cheers....

[Lagoon4us]

Two passports gives you 180 days reciprocal but if one is British then you win the Lotto. Boat still has 18 months.
Cheers

[hellosailor]

Two passports, and using two passports to evade regulations, can also get you deported or arrested in most countries. FWIW.

Has the Eu grown so modern that you can't find some nice small pension, slip the owners a couple of bills, and say "Hold my mail please? I'll be on a boat and not using my room" and have them provide an address for you?

[Lagoon4us]

Your words not mine a british passport allows free travel, simple as that.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Two passports, and using two passports to evade regulations, can also get you deported or arrested in most countries. FWIW.

Has the Eu grown so modern that you can't find some nice small pension, slip the owners a couple of bills, and say "Hold my mail please? I'll be on a boat and not using my room" and have them provide an address for you?

Wrong in Europe it's acceptable to travel on a British passport.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

Two passports gives you 180 days reciprocal but if one is British then you win the Lotto. Boat still has 18 months.
Cheers

Be careful here if you are travelling on an Eu passport you better be able to substantiate the Non tax residency. Also if you work in the EU and are paying income tax you are a tax resident even if under 180 days. Hence the boat must be VATed in ( or you use transfer of residence )

Dave

[Charlie]

My understanding is that England and Ireland are not Schengen countries so you can stay there. If you stay in Italy you can sail across the Adriatic to many of the Non-Schengen countries as well.