1 Year Travel Visa?

[Drummer Buoy]

Whatever anyone tries to do--it will be subject to "whatever official you get when he gets you and just how HE/SHE decides to interpret Schengen."
The real problem is that NO ONE--I mean NO ONE actually understands the rule.
The reason we had a problem in the Azores back in 05 was that we were given wrong information FROM IMMIGRATION. I distrusted the info but after an OFFICIAL meeting with them-they confirmed that WE9the crew) had 18 months in Schengen. THEY said it not me. So we went with it. Then three months later got burned by the SAME office e that gave us the wrong info. And, of course, the people that gave us that info ran for cover.

So--whatever anyone does---you are still "in it."
Just yesterday there was a knock on our boat---Policia Nacional de Espana. Very polite and friendly--but--the FIRST question they asked was --do you have in INBOUND stamp on your passport? A Stamp INTO EUROPE! At this point we are still legal but--they stood there and counted the days and even though we have a few weeks left legally---it was becoming a bit tense. If the guy can't cont we're in trouble.

Don't laugh---we had an incident in Costa Rica where the Port Captain counted our days in country and he insisted that November had 31 days---worked everything accordingly and he would not back down. The guy with the gun / badge / stamp makes all the rules at the moment.

I have seen and been party to so many situations like this all over the world--it's like a bad movie except if you are on the receiving end of something like this it is not so funny.

Be careful! Play that somebody changes things but I don't see it happening any time soon.

Just yesterday in the local paper was a piece that The Balearics are so overrun with tourists that they want to apply strict tourist limits.

Don't want to sound gloom and doom but the reality is that you must be careful and plan well and even then---???

[karabil]

We (australians) are applying for an Portoguese extension . Visit a SEF office while in Portugal about a month before your schengen expires. They ask a little info, give you an applictaion form, and email you with an appointment. The officer says if the appointment is scheduled after your 90 days expires then just show the authorities the appounment confirmation and there will no problem. We applied a week ago and have an appoinment 20th August. Our 90 days will expire 24th july. 80 euro fee payable at the interview stage and was told interview will be simple so .ong as can prove income, health insurance etc. PORTUGAL WANTS OUR MONEY.

[maine50]

Karabil- how long an extension did you apply for?

[karabil]

We are asking for 2 to 3 months, the woman said this was not a problem.

[dlymn]

Originally Posted by patprice

We (Australians) obtained a 12 month visa for Greece. Tenuous to get, had to fly to Canberra, pay fee $A300 each. Apparently worth it, we did it as we have a yacht in Greece.

I reckon that residency permits might also get you caught up with VAT. Let's hope there are no officious Greek bureaucrats out there!


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[valhalla360]

Have to wait for the dust to settle but looks like the UK may become more popular for escaping the Schengen.


If they are outside the EU, they not only allow you to reset the visa but also should reset the VAT exemption.

[jckb]

On the subject of Schengen visas, it may be useful to read up http://www.jimbsail.info/going-foreign/time-abroad,
particularly the section headed: Non-EU? Visas? Passport Stamps?

One Schengen country which is particularly helpful is France, which issues 1 year visitor visas to citizens of a wide range of "friendly" countries.

Beware residence permits within the EU. People with the right of residence within the EU may not use Temporary Import for non-VAT paid boats! They have to import their boat - ie, pay VAT.

JimB

[multihullsailor6]

If you obtain a 12 month residency visa in a given Schengen country that obviously gives you the right to stay in that country for the 12 month, it is not a "free" entry into the "Schengenland" for that period. I believe you will still only be able to stay for 90 days out of 180 days and have to return to your long-term country thereafter.

[dlymn]

Originally Posted by multihullsailor6

If you obtain a 12 month residency visa in a given Schengen country that obviously gives you the right to stay in that country for the 12 month, it is not a "free" entry into the "Schengenland" for that period. I believe you will still only be able to stay for 90 days out of 180 days and have to return to your long-term country thereafter.

That's what I thought also, but this might alter if the home country gives you a tick of approval.Not sure how that happens.
Croatia might soon join Schengen but at the moment is outside the zone. Might be fairly expensive to spend 3 months on a boat there although maybe less than Italy

[jckb]

Originally Posted by multihullsailor6

If you obtain a 12 month residency visa in a given Schengen country that obviously gives you the right to stay in that country for the 12 month, it is not a "free" entry into the "Schengenland" for that period. I believe you will still only be able to stay for 90 days out of 180 days and have to return to your long-term country thereafter.

1. If you have permission to reside in the EU, your VAT unpaid boat does not qualify for temporary import. You must import it, ie, pay VAT. Hence my previous post. Get a 1 year visitor visa.
2. It's correct that your 1 year visa only gives you rights to visit any other Schengen country for 90 days out of any 180. However, you then have a choice of many other Schengen countries to visit, so this restriction is not onerous. More to the point though, there are no internal border checks to trace how long you are in other countries, so this is a theoretical limitation, rather than a practical limitation.

JimB

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by multihullsailor6

If you obtain a 12 month residency visa in a given Schengen country that obviously gives you the right to stay in that country for the 12 month, it is not a "free" entry into the "Schengenland" for that period. I believe you will still only be able to stay for 90 days out of 180 days and have to return to your long-term country thereafter.

That's correct!

However it is impossible to track since there are no internal borders, as long as you haven't put down obvious roots. In my experience, as the holder of a residence permit car from a Schengen country, is that once you flash a Schengen residence permit there is no further interest in where you've been. To take a residence permit in one country, and then go spend a year a different one, is definitely an abuse of the privilege the first country granted you, so I wouldn't do it myself. I obey the rules.

[valhalla360]

One issue with a long term visa is I believe they require you to show where you will live for the year. Not sure if they accept a boat or not but if they do, I'm guessing they will want you to show an annual mooring. Of course, as stated by others, no reason you couldn't take a trip and leave your mooring empty.