Schengen with non-EU spouse??

[goeasy123]

Does anyone have real experience of traveling in Schengen as a non-EU + EU citizen partnership?


What documentation do you need to carry? ...any specific problems at border controls? In general, what are the practicalities? Any specific issues when entering and exiting countries by boat?

[rubberduck]

We have a reverse issue. Both have EU passports but one has a US, i can tell you its not always easy.

From a document point of view there is very little to worry about other than a passport as your partner will need to follow the rules just like any Non-EU person would. Its annoying and hard and really the best way around it is marriage which might also be annoying.

May i ask what country your passport is in? A few of the nordic countries make if very easy for their countries residents to bring in partners... even if they are not married but just dating. Sweden is a good example of this. Your partner would then have EU residency and would be able to stay and sail within the EU without limitation.

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by rubberduck

We have a reverse issue. Both have EU passports but one has a US, i can tell you its not always easy.

From a document point of view there is very little to worry about other than a passport as your partner will need to follow the rules just like any Non-EU person would. Its annoying and hard and really the best way around it is marriage which might also be annoying.

May i ask what country your passport is in? A few of the nordic countries make if very easy for their countries residents to bring in partners... even if they are not married but just dating. Sweden is a good example of this. Your partner would then have EU residency and would be able to stay and sail within the EU without limitation.

I have an Irish passport. My wife has British.

[SY Kelpie]

As I understand it, you have to get your spouse to apply for a dependents visa (no fee) which then allows them to accompany you. You should then be free to travel around the whole Schengen area without restriction, although if you stay in one country for more than three months you should register your presence there, apparently.

All theoretical for me. We are an Irish/UK couple. Plan to find out whether this works later on in the year...

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by goeasy123

I have an Irish passport. My wife has British.

FYI:

As the saying goes "the devil is in the details." as to visa and travel rules.

First point of clarification, Schengen and the EU are not one in the same.

The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. The area is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement signed in Schengen, Luxembourg.

Of the 27 EU member states, 22 participate in the Schengen Area. Of the five EU members that are not part of the Schengen Area, four – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania – are legally obliged to join the area in the future; Ireland maintains an opt-out, and instead operates its own visa policy. The four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, are not members of the EU, but have signed agreements in association with the Schengen Agreement. De facto, the Schengen Area also includes three European microstates – Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City – that maintain open borders for passenger traffic with other Schengen member countries.

There are territories of Schengen member states that are exempted from the Schengen Agreement. Areas located outside Europe are not part of the Schengen Area. The only areas of Schengen member states located in Europe but excluded are the Faroe Islands and Svalbard.




Citizenship is one factor as to travel restrictions but your individual residency is also a consideration.

Okay, so you are spouses:

As to Ireland:

https://www.migrantproject.ie/immigr...rish-citizens/

Residency Information for non-EU family members of Irish citizens
if you have non-EEA family members, depending on their citizenship and their relationship to you, they may need to apply for permission to live and work in Ireland. They may even need a visa before they can enter the country. In this section you will find information to make it easier for you to find your way through the immigration process.

Spouse or Civil Partner of an Irish citizen
If your spouse or civil partner is a citizen of an EEA country, they do not need a visa or permission to live or work Ireland.

If your spouse or civil partner is a citizen of a non-EEA country, they will need to apply for immigration permission to live in Ireland.



https://www.gov.uk/eu-eea

Countries in the EU and EEA
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 countries. It operates an internal (or single) market which allows free movement of goods, capital, services and people between member states.

EU countries
The EU countries are:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

The European Economic Area (EEA)
The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It allows them to be part of the EU’s single market.

Switzerland is not an EU or EEA member but is part of the single market. This means Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EEA nationals.



Citizens’ residence rights after the UK leaves the EU

If you’re an EU citizen and you were living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living here after 30 June 2021.
https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status)


If you want to move to the UK from 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa.

All the best.

[Paradoxus]

Possible solution example for those with US and UK passports who want to spend a half year in the Med: enter the Schengen area on a two days’ trip 90 days before your cruise starts in Schengen and leave. Come back three months later and sail the remaining 88 days, then leave Schengen just before the 180 run out. Once that’s been done, you would be free to enter again on a new 90/180 and spend another 90 days, a good half year near consecutively in the Med, with a few inconveniences.
I am Dutch, my wife British and plan to do this next year.
Any views?

[conway]

Originally Posted by Paradoxus

Possible solution example for those with US and UK passports who want to spend a half year in the Med: enter the Schengen area on a two days’ trip 90 days before your cruise starts in Schengen and leave. Come back three months later and sail the remaining 88 days, then leave Schengen just before the 180 run out. Once that’s been done, you would be free to enter again on a new 90/180 and spend another 90 days, a good half year near consecutively in the Med, with a few inconveniences.
I am Dutch, my wife British and plan to do this next year.
Any views?

This doesn't work (legally). The rule is maximum 90 days in any 180 day period. Once you've completed the 88 days you'll have a maximum of 2 days remaining until another 90 days have passed.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by conway

This doesn't work (legally). The rule is maximum 90 days in any 180 day period. Once you've completed the 88 days you'll have a maximum of 2 days remaining until another 90 days have passed.

If you wish to stay longer than a cumulative 90 days in any rolling 180 day period you will need to obtain a non-short stay visa which are not available for tourist / cruising purposes.

There are no loopholes to Schengen entry and if one overstays their short stay visa one can be subject to fines, deportation and prohibition of entry in the future [i.e., blacklisted]. Albeit there is an exemption for longer than 3 month stays for non-EU citizens that are family members of an EU citizen [e.g., a spouse] if the non-EU citizens are traveling or residing together in the EU.

Reference: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ...77:0123:en:PDF

[Anders]

Originally Posted by goeasy123

I have an Irish passport. My wife has British.

Your non EU wife can travel with you or to you in Schengen without having to bother with the 90/180 days! Travel for as long as you want.

[Paradoxus]

Originally Posted by conway

This doesn't work (legally). The rule is maximum 90 days in any 180 day period. Once you've completed the 88 days you'll have a maximum of 2 days remaining until another 90 days have passed.

You are right. Thanks

[Paradoxus]

Originally Posted by Anders

Your non EU wife can travel with you or to you in Schengen without having to bother with the 90/180 days! Travel for as long as you want.

That would be good. However, I have yet to spot that on an immigration website of any of the Schengen countries. You have a reference?

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by Paradoxus

That would be good. However, I have yet to spot that on an immigration website of any of the Schengen countries. You have a reference?

You'll find the evidence here.... https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/j...d-residence_en


If you ever have a problem with the local authorities contact SOLVIT.... here.... https://ec.europa.eu/solvit/index_en.htm

Make sure it's the EU partner in your relationship as they can only help EU citizens.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Paradoxus

That would be good. However, I have yet to spot that on an immigration website of any of the Schengen countries. You have a reference?

I have no reference but after I've seen it mentioned on another website I decided to ask at https://europa.eu/european-union/contact_en. Took a lot longer than the promised three days to get a response but the response was that my wife who is UK citizen can travel with me for as long as she wants. If you or your wife is an EU citizen I suggest you ask them with your details but im quite certain you will get a response that you like.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Paradoxus

That would be good. However, I have yet to spot that on an immigration website of any of the Schengen countries. You have a reference?

http://www.mzv.cz/file/547369/Handbook1_en.pdf

Page 15

Family Members of EU/EEA citizens and of Swiss citizens..................................... 15

[donradcliffe]

It was so much easier in the days before computers. When I was cruising the Med, no one ever stamped my passport. On the boat, I insisted on a stamp in Venice, and they stamped a separate sheet of paper. Flying in to Italy, France, and Spain, I never got a stamp. Their attitude was as long I was spending money and not causing problems, I could stay in their country as long as I wanted.

OTOH, Greece, Portugal, and Germany were potential problems. On the train from Germany to Austria, the German border guard asked me when we had entered the EU (we had been there 18 months). I did some quick math and gave him a date 60 days ago. He shrugged and handed back the passport.

I remember the 'magic rooms' in Venezuela and Thailand, where $20 cash got your entry status updated and everyone walked away happy. I never visited Portugal, but I heard they had an equivalent deal.