Visa Issues in Schengen Countries

[goboatingnow]

It does seem possible to get an extended long stay visa,for say France, of six months. Is it then possible to visit another Schengen country say Greece for the 90 days.
Another issue in regard to the long term visa in France, they want you to give an address where you will stay in france. I will be on a boat, my boat.

Yes you can visit another schengen country on your long stay french visa, 90 days in 180.

As to the address on a boat , it may not be acceptable

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by idpnd

You may wish to plan your trip so as to spend some time in the non-EU Adriatic/Turkey and go back and forth; this may cost you a few seasons but it's much warmer down there

Amen to that. A relatively small part of the Mediterranean coastline is Schengen. In fact, possibly the best cruising in all of the Med is in two magical non-Schengen countries: Turkey, and Croatia. It would not be hard at all to devise an itinerary where you would be very far away from a Schengen visa problem.

Of these two countries, ironically (in view of our prejudices), the Christian country, Croatia, is less civilized. It has the most amazing coast, so it's really worth it, but once you have cruised in Turkish waters you will hardly want to leave. Very nice marinas, all the services you could possibly want, very cheap, extraordinarily friendly people, excellent food, gorgeous anchorages, crystal clear water, a stiff breeze in Meltemi season -- what else could you ask for?

Just make sure and have holding tanks in good order, and use them. The Turks are a bit Nazi-like where discharge regulations are concerned, but otherwise they are just the sweetest people you would ever want to be around.

[goboatingnow]

I concur, Turkey is nicer then Croatia, which has got very expensive in places.

[andreavanduyn]

Fully agree to the above; we lived there and loved it but the last 10 years has gradually changed unfortunately.

Now agressive 'service' personell and very expensive harbours and the remote places all have their disco on the beach till morning early blasting without shame to attract the young and beautifull

<most cruisers go to Greece instead.

[jim_thomsen]

All the above is correct legally. But we cruised Europe for 3 years, never leaving for 90 days (we are US citizens and our boat is American flagged). We did have to prove our boat was in the EU for less than 18 months (we went to Morocco for a couple of days when we were in southern Spain and that qualified).
The only time we had a problem was in Portugal. In the office with the police and immigration they told us we had a problem and that I was not in the EU legally since I had not left in more than a year. They were fine with my wife, even though she had left the EU for only 2 weeks, but they looked at her entry stamp and it wa less than 90 days old. They did not check her passport to see how long he was out of the EU. But with me they said it was a problem and the head immigration person took my passport and told me I had to come to his private office later that day.

I was worried when I went. And when the Immigration officer asked me again where we had come from and I told thim the last port we had checked into....he looked at me and said, "I don't think so." Before I could argue he said, "I think you just arrived in Portugal from the high seas. Welcome to Portugal." and he stamped my passport and said I now could stay 90 more days. We stayed another year and never had another problem.

I know this is not the legal ruling, but I never heard from any other non-EU citizens on boats having a problem. I would return to Europe (if the US$ was stronger!) and not worry about the 90 day issue.

[beneteau-500]

well as an aussie myself who has lived in london for past 17 yrs and sail the med from march to october every yr i have had no probs in greece italy fance and spain in obtaining a visa extension and my yacht has been based on the Island of Naxos greece ( Naxos island Greece | Webcams | Information about Naxos > Cyclades Islands) and its aussie flagged yacht and have had no probs

[Cheechako]

...."canals" of B.C.! and avoid all that european bureacratic stuff!

[hellosailor]

Find one of those small Pacific island nations that is claiming global warming is about ot exterminate them. Then ask for embassy status or military status, declare war on the Schengen countries and announce you are there for the purposes of conquest, under diplomatic protection. Surely in a world of the absurd...hasn't everyone read or seen "The Mouse That Roared" ?

Perhaps it is simpler to repaint the boat and buy false papers.

[dtynan]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

In time Ireland certainly and the UK possibly will join the Schengen, Ireland is only there because of the UK position as it doesnt want to jepordise its common transit area ( ie no passports needed) with the UK. Uk e-borders is in the process of removing that anyway, so I suspect Ireland will be in Schengen before the end of next year.

The UK won't join Schengen any time soon for a variety of reasons. As we in Ireland (the Republic) share a land border with the UK (Northern Ireland), that pretty much rules us out too. Not that we mind, too much.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by jim_thomsen

All the above is correct legally. But we cruised Europe for 3 years, never leaving for 90 days (we are US citizens and our boat is American flagged). We did have to prove our boat was in the EU for less than 18 months (we went to Morocco for a couple of days when we were in southern Spain and that qualified).
The only time we had a problem was in Portugal. In the office with the police and immigration they told us we had a problem and that I was not in the EU legally since I had not left in more than a year. They were fine with my wife, even though she had left the EU for only 2 weeks, but they looked at her entry stamp and it wa less than 90 days old. They did not check her passport to see how long he was out of the EU. But with me they said it was a problem and the head immigration person took my passport and told me I had to come to his private office later that day.

I was worried when I went. And when the Immigration officer asked me again where we had come from and I told thim the last port we had checked into....he looked at me and said, "I don't think so." Before I could argue he said, "I think you just arrived in Portugal from the high seas. Welcome to Portugal." and he stamped my passport and said I now could stay 90 more days. We stayed another year and never had another problem.

I know this is not the legal ruling, but I never heard from any other non-EU citizens on boats having a problem. I would return to Europe (if the US$ was stronger!) and not worry about the 90 day issue.

Portugal has a major drug smuggling problem... sounds like you were in Lagos...
he probably needed the time to do a search on your boats movements and timings for arrival departures...
in the main a blind eye is often turned unless you kick off and get arsey with them... big mistake...
they're a very friendly hospitable people even if they speak russian with pebbles in their mouths and hold dear the Chinese tradition of 'Saving Face'... something to do with their many years out there over the centuries.. the 'Trail Blazers'

[goboatingnow]

You might want to ask markJ for his comments on what you've said. Spain and too a lesser extent Portugal have traditionally turned a blind eye to WASP overstays But with the downturn, illegal immigration and pressure to form fortress Europe this is changing. There were several schengen overstays fined or deported this year in Greece Germany abd Italy. By all means have a go. ( but don't be surprised if you get " done"). (people also ignored Spains matriculation tax for years until....)

Dave

[barnakiel]

Apply for a long stay visa in the country of your choice. In advance.

b.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You might want to ask markJ for his comments on what you've said. Spain and too a lesser extent Portugal have traditionally turned a blind eye to WASP overstays But with the downturn, illegal immigration and pressure to form fortress Europe this is changing. There were several schengen overstays fined or deported this year in Greece Germany abd Italy. By all means have a go. ( but don't be surprised if you get " done"). (people also ignored Spains matriculation tax for years until....)

Dave

I don't doubt it at all Dave...
but when you look at the amount of non-Schengen boats cruising western Europe and the Med I'd say that those several are less than 0.5% of total probable over stays.....
and maybe they were taking the pi$$ or pi$$ed someone off and got grassed up... it happens...
undesirables I think is the term..

[goboatingnow]

Apply for a long stay visa in the country of your choice. In advance.

The conditions of which generally can make you a tax resident and hence pay VAT. not to mention all the other conditions. Theres isnt a long stay tourist visa.

but when you look at the amount of non-Schengen boats cruising western Europe and the Med I'd say that those several are less than 0.5% of total probable over stays.....
and maybe they were taking the pi$$ or pi$$ed someone off and got grassed up.

No I agree, and I mentioned the "dark side" . But far from me to encourage anyone to break the law. Also it matters how you cruise the area, if for example you intend to fly as well as cruise them it becomes a bigger problem. But certainly arriving by small yacht, most Schengen countries dont check your previous stay information.

However there is a "fortress Europe " plan, based on the US model, its a coming,

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

The conditions of which generally can make you a tax resident and hence pay VAT.

Yes. This is correct - if 180 days are exceeded (give or take) BUT there is some difference between 90 and 180. Right? We may gain something - say 90 extra days. Correct?

Non - EU boats (boats NOT crews) are treated slightly differently and in many cases can apply for 18 months of TI.

However, for all practical purposes, it is good to follow Goboatingnow's advice and be careful - there are very many, very poorly trained custom officers in some parts of EU, who (to make things worse) are very concerned with trying to prove that they are working...

Always remember there are two separate issues - the visa thing vs. the Custom's status of you boat. They are separate issues. And, as Goboatingnow pointed - for some nationalities and some boat flags they may overlap (like with the infamous tax residency and a EU flagged boat ;-().

b.