Med cruising and managing Schengen

[MarkJ]

It's an absolute pain in the butt!

I am here now and I do NOT want to go to Croatia, Turkey or North Africa.

Even the UK is not sympathetic. (6 months in any year... Not calender year)

Gibraltar has no anchorage.

And the distances are vast. If you want your 3 months in the South of France how do you get there and where do you go afterwards (except a 2,000 nm upwind treck to Turkey)?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by moseriw

just a remark: Croatia is not Schengen but EU!

And as Austrian and EU Citizen let me say these regulations are really ********.
What the **** do the think when the make such bloody regulation... nothing... because every regulation you make causes at least 10 exceptions.

So f... regulations at all and insist on good behavour.

BUT on the other hand... look at US law and regulations... a country I really do not want to visit.

So..... you'd prefer we not visit the EU and spend money here 6-7 months per year? I'm not sure I'm understanding you between the swears.

Personnally, I couldn't care any less if people with your attitude visit the US or not, but we enjoy both sides of the Atlantic and the people who inhabit both regions.

Have a nice day.

[ReneJK]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

And the distances are vast. If you want your 3 months in the South of France how do you get there and where do you go afterwards (except a 2,000 nm upwind treck to Turkey)?

why not Croatia ? some of the most stunning cruising grounds

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

It's an absolute pain in the butt!

I am here now and I do NOT want to go to Croatia, Turkey or North Africa.

Even the UK is not sympathetic. (6 months in any year... Not calender year)

Gibraltar has no anchorage.

And the distances are vast. If you want your 3 months in the South of France how do you get there and where do you go afterwards (except a 2,000 nm upwind treck to Turkey)?

Days at sea don't count towards Schengen days, and besides, what's not to like about Croatia or Montenegro? Both countries are stunning, great food, lots to see and inhabited by very nice people. We even plan to stop in Albania... another non-EU, non-Schengen country on our way to Greece.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by casarei

This i need to learn, will have alook at your post, I am guessing, as an example you could do 30 days say in Greece, EU, then 30 days Croatia, non EU then 30 days say Italy, 30 days Turkey etc. Meaning a total of 90 days over 18o days spread out with non shenegen areas in between???

It's easier to spend three months in non-schengen countries, then three months in Schengen. Less moving around this way.

Example: Three months in Turkey, then three in Greece, then do Albania, Montenegro and Croatia, then head to Sicily for winter. Then Tunisia and back up to Croatia before spending three months in Italy.

You get the Idea. Or, be fortunate enough to have dual citizenship and avoid these issues.

Making stops in Montenegro takes care of the VAT issue.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

besides, what's not to like about Croatia or Montenegro?

I was there during the war.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I was there during the war.

I can understand that, but things have changed. The way things are now, quite frankly I find it almost impossible to believe there was ever a war here. On the coast and on the islands, there's no evidence of the war. Inland, I'm sure you can still find evidence.

[Cormorant]

I've often thought of having two or three or four US/Canadian families go in as partners on a boat to be kept in the Med. (Or a canal boat on any of the Euro canals.) Then you divvy up time among the partners so you fly in for a two or three month cruise, then fly home. Repeat as often as possible.

The devil would be in the details of the partnership agreement (how to sell your share), maintenance and upkeep, and boat positioning for the next guy, etc. But it could be a good way to cruise the Med within Schengen time limits for 1/2 or 1/3 or 1/4 the boat cost.

[Pilou]

Originally Posted by BandB

It's really just a matter of moving to non-Schengen countries between your 90 day periods of Schengen.

That well sums it all up.

[Pilou]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

So..... you'd prefer we not visit the EU and spend money here 6-7 months per year? I'm not sure I'm understanding you between the swears.

Personnally, I couldn't care any less if people with your attitude visit the US or not, but we enjoy both sides of the Atlantic and the people who inhabit both regions.

Have a nice day.

Ken,

[ReneJK]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Days at sea don't count towards Schengen days

I think this is the golden nugget of info most people miss

As a European I never realized that 'Days at sea' dont count , but if you plan properly those 90 days 'in schengen' really do go a long way if 'days at sea' don't tally up to your total

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by ReneJK

I think this is the golden nugget of info most people miss

As a European I never realized that 'Days at sea' dont count , but if you plan properly those 90 days 'in schengen' really do go a long way if 'days at sea' don't tally up to your total

It really doesn't matter much because how many "days at sea" can you really have in the Med. But, to be clear, they only don't count if you clear out of the EU, spend days at sea, then clear back in. Just sailing offshore, at sea, doesn't stop the clock.

How do I know? I had an immigration officer count my days, in detail, once. I was over the 90 days but had cleared out of the Azores and hadn't cleared back in until Malaga, which took 10 days and gave me 89 days in the Zone.

Sure, lots of people get away with overstays, and really, they are not going to throw you in jail if you overstay. Actually the penalty is clearly outlined somewhere. It's a fine, then banishment, and possibly lifetime restrictions on entry depending on the offense.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Palarran

It really doesn't matter much because how many "days at sea" can you really have in the Med. But, to be clear, they only don't count if you clear out of the EU, spend days at sea, then clear back in. Just sailing offshore, at sea, doesn't stop the clock.

How do I know? I had an immigration officer count my days, in detail, once. I was over the 90 days but had cleared out of the Azores and hadn't cleared back in until Malaga, which took 10 days and gave me 89 days in the Zone.

Sure, lots of people get away with overstays, and really, they are not going to throw you in jail if you overstay. Actually the penalty is clearly outlined somewhere. It's a fine, then banishment, and possibly lifetime restrictions on entry depending on the offense.

Exactly, you must clear out of the country before the days at sea don't count. Then the days begin counting again after you clear in. Always be sure to say your destination is a non-EU country for the days not to count.

What you should have done was quickly clear in and out of Gibraltar, then be slow to clear back in someplace in Spain.

[Ferrari]

15 months to cruise the Mediterranean ......mmm?
We thought we could do it in 2years, but it took ten!!
Canadian registered yacht but U.K. Passports. All legal!
Earned lots of air miles.
Have fun and take your time .......there are roses to smell!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

. . Even the UK is not sympathetic. (6 months in any year... Not calender year) . . .

Actually, the UK gives you 6 more months every time you enter.

You automatically become tax resident if you stay more than 183 days in a tax year, but this is not an immigration concept.

I am not aware of any requirement for you to stay out after 6 months in a year. Just leave and come back the next day.

I am a U.S. citizen with no visa or residence status in the UK. I have been spending half my time in the UK every year for probably 20 years, and I keep my boat there most of the year.

UK immigration officials gave me a blue card making me a "registered traveller", which gives me the right to use the UK citizens' automated passport gates. I didn't even ask for it. Now when I fly into the UK, I walk right past the hordes of non-Europeans standing in line, stick my passport into the UK citizens' automated gate, and walk right through -- no landing card, no talking with any official, nothing. From wheels down at Heathrow to drinking a martini on Berkeley Square takes less than an hour.

When I sail to the UK from another country, passport control consists of calling up "Yacht Line" and telling them that I arrived. Occasionally they come to stamp my passport, but usually it's done on the phone.

The UK is an exceptionally good place for non-European sailors. Not only are the rules highly favorable, but the customs and immigration officials are exceptionally friendly and welcoming. The sailing is also fantastic. Britannia Rules!