Living with Schengen in Europe

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Ostinato

London as you may remember is warmer and dryer than most of the country. We stayed at St Katherine's. Unfortunately the administration is no longer cruiser friendly. Limehouse is still possible and we had good experiences in Ipswich.

Ireland also makes it easy to become a resident. That won't solve your Schengen problem but could let import your boat vat free.

However in warmer climates, some people used Tunisia but that has changed since this last attacked. Turkey is another cruising refuge allowing you to apply for a one residency permit after you arrive on a 90 day e-visa. I am sure there may be other options that I am not aware of.

I believe Gibraltar is not part of Schengen so that's one option in the western Med.

[Ostinato]

Correct and to apply you must send in your passport to the consulate you applying to so they can insert the visa. This effectively stops simultaneous applications. And if you tried to do it sequentially, the second consulate would see the over lapping visa. This would raise questions to say the least.

[leitgib]

You have the people and boat. The boat can stay 18 months, after that, VAT must be paid (or clear out). For persons, it depends on the citizen ship. I guess in the US, the same rules apply. A EU citizen can stay 90 days, non negotiable. What about the boat ?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by leitgib

You have the people and boat. The boat can stay 18 months, after that, VAT must be paid (or clear out). For persons, it depends on the citizen ship. I guess in the US, the same rules apply. A EU citizen can stay 90 days, non negotiable. What about the boat ?

There are other legal options for the boat and the people to stay much longer without penalties or taxes. It's not as simple or as rigid as you put it.

[LACHLANC]

Thanks to all for your help so far. I’m trying to make sure what I want to do is possible before I buy a boat as if I find out it’s not possible it becomes an disappointing and expensive exercise!!

I’m thinking of trying to get a 1 yr long stay Visa for France or Italy and there are a few concerns:

Firstly, if I want to sail for two summers in the Med, does anyone know whether I have access to 3 months in the Schengen zone both before and after the 12 months visa? [i.e. 3 mths in France/Italy/Greece etc followed by a 12 mths visa followed by 3 mths Shengen access within Greece/Italy/France].

Secondly, once inside the Schengen area when travelling on land I believe your passport is sighted but not stamped when moving within Schengen. When arriving by Sea you could technically have come from any country – if I sailed from Italy to France while I was in the 12 mth long stay visa period does my passport get stamped on arrival in France? If it did and I spent more than 3 mths outside Italy while holding the 12 mth long stay visa would this potentially create a problem as my 12 mth long stay visa would be for Italy only?

[note: I would travel on an Australian passport and be likely to sail an Aust flagged yacht]

[karabil]

We have just flown back to Australia for 3 week brief sort out after sailing into Portugal. While in Cascais we chatted to the port police/immigration about the 90 day rule. They told us it was easy for us to get an extension, just turn up at office a little before our 90 runs out. Not yet sure of the cost or paperwork necessary but will post once we know more. They said was easy for "Australians, Canadians, etc - not so easy for Africans, middle easterns etc."
For transatlantic crossers they start the clock upon arrival at Azores, and do not stop it for the sea time Azores to mainland Europe.
I have used up 6 weeks of my 90 days and plan on being back there for another 9 weeks before we lay up for winter and fly home. Next year we plan on 5 months so will have to see if we can also extend in Spain or France.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by LACHLANC

Secondly, once inside the Schengen area when travelling on land I believe your passport is sighted but not stamped when moving within Schengen. When arriving by Sea you could technically have come from any country – if I sailed from Italy to France while I was in the 12 mth long stay visa period does my passport get stamped on arrival in France? If it did and I spent more than 3 mths outside Italy while holding the 12 mth long stay visa would this potentially create a problem as my 12 mth long stay visa would be for Italy only?

When moving within Schengen your passport usually isn't even inspected. There are no systematic border controls at internal borders, and border posts have disappeared. Crossing from France in to Italy is as uneventful as crossing from Victoria in to New South Wales.
Which is why I believe that the 3month rule is not really relevant to people who have a long stay visa for one Schengen country.

[Prairie Chicken]

Keep in mind that if you obtain a residence visa, or stay beyond 6 months in a single country, you likely become subject to personal tax in that country.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by Prairie Chicken

Keep in mind that if you obtain a residence visa, or stay beyond 6 months in a single country, you likely become subject to personal tax in that country.

It can get pretty messy even. For example, in Switzerland a fixed address trumps a mobile one, even if you spend more time on my yacht. So if I stay in Spain for more than 183 days Spain might suddenly consider me a tax resident, but Switzerland will not stop considering me a tax resident... I'd rather not pay taxes twice.

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by karabil

For transatlantic crossers they start the clock upon arrival at Azores, and do not stop it for the sea time Azores to mainland Europe.
I have used up 6 weeks of my 90 days and plan on being back there for another 9 weeks before we lay up for winter and fly home. Next year we plan on 5 months so will have to see if we can also extend in Spain or France.

Karabil when we crossed over in 2013 we checked into Horta and then we checked out at St Micheals(?) and then did the crossing to Portugal. We saved the sailing days and it was really the customs in Horta who suggested it to us. So the clock does stop.

[Kenomac]

Days at sea are not counted, according to border agents in Spain and Italy. Straight from the enforcers.

[Cottontop]

Schengen is about being able to stay in barious European countries without needing a visa, for reasonable lengths of time. This is a tremendous convenience.

If you want to stay longer than Schengen allows, just get a visa for one of the countries you can use as a convenient base. It's not that big a deal in most countries.