Schengen caution on the North Atlantic circuit

[LJH]

Originally Posted by monte

I think he's mistaken about that. The schengen clock starts when you first enter a shenghan country, and as Mark said, it stops for time at sea so make sure you check out if you want the additional days. I've also heard of some customs officials that believe the shenghan clock can be reset and restarted with a new entry. This is incorrect but the information was given to some friends this year by a Spanish customs official after their 90 days expired..

The Schengen clock starts when you first enter a Schengen country and stops or pauses when you get stamped out. If you forget to get your exit stamp the time you spend at sea will count toward your Shengen visa time.

[LJH]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

From an observer standpoint and someone who wants to spend a few years in Europe studying the culture, it seems like everyone who is joining this agreement is limiting the amount of tourist $$ going their way.
I guess I will spend a lot of time in UK and the rock, or flying back to the US.

There are a few other options. As Dockhead said earlier there may be changes coming next year.

Some current info for you here:
Schengen Area - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DGs - Home Affairs - What we do - ...Schengen, Borders & Visas - Border crossing

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

From an observer standpoint and someone who wants to spend a few years in Europe studying the culture, it seems like everyone who is joining this agreement is limiting the amount of tourist $$ going their way.

On the contrary.
Schengen has made life a lot easier for the increasing numbers of Chinese and Indian tourists wanting to visit Europe. No longer having to apply for a visa for each single country is a big bonus.
That is the reason why also some non EU countries (like Switzerland) joined. It's good for tourism.

[s/v Beth]

I hate to admit this, but I think I have this all wrong. I thought the EU had a directive that taxed my boat if it remained in EU territory for too long. Apparently that is different than the Schengen agreement.
What is that agreement called and what states are involved?

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I hate to admit this, but I think I have this all wrong. I thought the EU had a directive that taxed my boat if it remained in EU territory for too long. Apparently that is different than the Schengen agreement.
What is that agreement called and what states are involved?

read it here:

Some Frequently Asked Questions about the rules for private boats - European commission

The boat can stay in the EU for up to 18 months under "temporary importation".

The clock may be restarted and another 18 months exemption will be granted if the boat leaves the EU. There is no minimum time period required to be out of the EU - 24 hours is enough.

carsten

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I hate to admit this, but I think I have this all wrong. I thought the EU had a directive that taxed my boat if it remained in EU territory for too long. Apparently that is different than the Schengen agreement.
What is that agreement called and what states are involved?

Would have to dig to find the original references but from several CF members that have posted accurate information on Schengen issues if I recall the boat can stay 18 months without becoming tax or VAT liable in the EU.

Schengen is different that the EU (European Union). Schengen is just an agreement on passports , travel and immigration policies vs EU is political
-economic agreement. Countries can be part of either without being part of both.

[waggy]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I have no idea. And it does not particularly interest me.

But wouldn't a passport from a UE country totally eliminate Schengen?

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by carstenb

read it here:

Some Frequently Asked Questions about the rules for private boats - European commission

The boat can stay in the EU for up to 18 months under "temporary importation".

The clock may be restarted and another 18 months exemption will be granted if the boat leaves the EU. There is no minimum time period required to be out of the EU - 24 hours is enough.

carsten

Thanks guys. Is UK considered in the EU in this rule?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Thanks guys. Is UK considered in the EU in this rule?

The UK is a member of the EU although they didn't adopt the Euro and still use the pound. But the UK is not a member of the Schengen agreement. Same for Ireland although they do use the Euro.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by waggy

But wouldn't a passport from a UE country totally eliminate Schengen?

Sure, but you have to live there and pay their astronomic income tax rate for years (5 years; I just checked). Why would you do that when you can just get a residence permit card, like I did in a few weeks?

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Sure, but you have to live there and pay their astronomic income tax rate for years (5 years; I just checked). Why would you do that when you can just get a residence permit card, like I did in a few weeks?

Not all of the EU has high taxes. You can live in Luxemburg, or Monaco. Or even in Switzerland, which, although not in the EU, is a member of Schengen. :-)

[waggy]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Sure, but you have to live there and pay their astronomic income tax rate for years (5 years; I just checked). Why would you do that when you can just get a residence permit card, like I did in a few weeks?

I'd never heard of a residence permit card, but if that works then great.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by Sailormantx

I had an interesting chat with immigration in Horta yesterday as they clear you very time you move the boat in Portuguese waters. 90 days as a tourist was not unusual, but...as a member of the Schengen agreement area your time starts in whatever country you enter in and does not stop until you leave for a non-Schengen country. So they are counting my 90 days form the time I cleared into St Pierre et Miquelon and counting non stop even though I cleared out of St Pierre and spent 15 days at sea in international waters before arriving in the Azores. This should not be a problem for me, but If you are planning to make full use of your 90 days it would be better to clear out from Canada and not St Pierre et Miquelon, which is a part of France, and therefore included in the Schengen area.

This is odd, because st. Pierre et Miquelon are not in the Schengen area. They aren't even in the European union. So entry in to st. Pierre et Miquelon does not start your Schengen clock.
The officials in Horta need to read the rules more carefully.

[Sailormantx]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

This is odd, because st. Pierre et Miquelon are not in the Schengen area. They aren't even in the European union. So entry in to st. Pierre et Miquelon does not start your Schengen clock.
The officials in Horta need to read the rules more carefully.

I read that also on the the links posted by LJH. This whole Shengen /Eu thng is a bit confusing so it is no surprise that even the officials get it wrong sometimes. I am sure that it is a great convenience for Europeans and tourist flying in for a short vacation, but it can be a bit problematic for cruisers with schedules set by the weather and seasons. I don't think the rules will change to allow foreigners to spend years in Europe simply by changing countries every few months as was common in pre EU/schengen times, but it would be nice to have six months without having a carefully planned itinerary to avoid breaking their rules. That is probably wishful thinking as we cruisers are a very small niche in their tourism market and I don't see them adjusting the rules for our convenience.

[melleman]

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schenge...gle_entity.svg

Blue is Schengen area.
Green is EU but not Schengen.

Pic is from Wiki