going over the 90 day limit ?

This 90/180 things is why we’re trying to sell our French house. It doesn’t work for us anymore. There’s no way we can work around it…. thank you Brexit.

We could have bought my in-laws place in Corsica & lived there for 9 months (rent out in the crazy busy & hot months) but Brexit ? shame my brother being a french citizen doesn’t count for anything

Well i’m going to try that UK-Ireland-France trick! Ive been Liverpool-Belfast and Stena line insisted on seeing my passport, although it’s all part of the UK. It always used to be the case if you turned up in a small yacht or private airfield, passport checking was pretty lax.

There’s a common travel area between the UK and Ireland which means you don’t need to show your passport or have it checked, though in practice I think they want ID.

I’d be surprised if when you roll off the ferry in e.g. Cherbourg you don’t have to go through some sort of passport check there where it will be stamped.

I think you need to cross the NI / Ireland land border to avoid a passport check.  so ferry Scotland / NI.  Maybe?

the Ireland / france border is not schengen but neither is it the external EU border so I think its just a cursory check / spot check

But only one way to know

So what are the travel restrictions for non-Schengen European countries or even Switzerland?

Could a “big European tour” be arranged so that the total time outside the UK was > 90 days but enough time is in non-Schengen countries for it to not be a problem??

I assume non-Schengen countries each have their own limits and visit time in other countries is irrelevant. Correct?

As said, the penalty depends where you are when you get found out. e.g. The Netherlands https://ind.nl/en/entry-ban

With the introduction of the ETIAS, I think a few days’ over would be a hand-slap, but an egregious and intentional overstay could be a black card for ETIAS going forward. As many have said, you become an illegal immigrant. You need to consider the cost if you were found and deported at your cost. You also need to read the T&C of your travel insurance very carefully and understand GHIC won’t count once you overstay.

When you travel from RoI into Schengen, your passport will be checked, and the passenger manifest will log when you’ve entered Schengen.

Honestly, I realise unpopular opinion, but the arrogance thinking it’s somehow justifiable boils my wee.

I want to travel around southern and East Africa for several months. I cannot re-enter South Africa after 90 days without returning to Europe. It means we’ll have to pick a route and timings based on visas and we’ll spend £ thousands more shipping a car in and out of different countries. But they are the rules and we’ll work around it. Spare a thought for most other human beings on the planet. We chose to have our freedoms removed. My Indian colleagues have to visit an Embassy in person for virtually every country, and Schengen might give them just 2 weeks even if they’ve asked for a month. Tough shit.

What about insurance?

Would you be invalidating that if you exceed the 90?

@tjagain We got the ferry to Caen about a month ago and everyone had to go through passport control. I assume if you’ve EU/EEA/CH then they do a cursory check, otherwise it’s a proper check and stamp.

Could a “big European tour” be arranged so that the total time outside the UK was > 90 days but enough time is in non-Schengen countries for it to not be a problem??

Possibly, which non-Schengen country? You’d have to get your passport stamped when passing out of the Schengen zone then stamped again coming in.

Its hard to think of anything that has ever been done to the citizens of the UK that is as egregious as brexit. All I can come up with is the Enclosure Acts and they were (mainly) in the 16th Century.

But hey, remoaners just get over it

We chose to have our freedoms removed.

Aha. At last, someone has owned up to it . Just need to find the other 24,375,421 muppets who also did…

lol. I’m also immensely annoyed at Brexit. It is devastating. But a load of retirees taking the piss isn’t going to do any favours to anyone. I’ll stand by my notion, it’s privilege that enables anyone to even contemplate overstaying their visa-free entry. We are still, even after Brexit, immensely lucky to be able to travel as freely as we can. Don’t do something stupid and affect the upcoming generations’ opportunities to do the same.

I checked a map of shengen countries. Basically there is a block round croatia and that’s it.

I think I’d just fly back from my furthest point and fly back 90 days later. Possibly finding some where to leave my bike

It’s not ideal but it’s where we are

You can do 90 days in Morocco from Spain if you want to do longer out of the UK. So do 90 round Europe short ferry to Morocco for 90 days then back to Europe for another 90 if you like.

With an appeal you get an opportunity to put your side, and maybe roll out some sort of excuse that you hit mechanical problems and there was a delay on getting spare parts and thats why you were held up(obviously depending on how long an overstayer you are.

The EU are pretty pro cycling, so they would have more understanding and perhaps more sympathy for such a situation.

Personally I don’t fancy trying your or my luck on them being that understanding.

The other thoughts, when you enter the EU do you have documentation for when you are leaving? Can you prove you have sufficient funds. If you don’t have a ticket out you might be refused entry on day 1. I

They’re legally obliged to let you in whether you have a ticket for your return or not.

Same as the GF can travel to the UK without a return ticket/leave date. (was fun going through UK customs at the Tunnel last time…. “how long do you plan to stay?”

“no idea”

“when are you leaving?”

“no idea”

“what’s the purpose of the visit?”

“ask him” (me)

“drive over to the left, please….”)

https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/images/schengen/schengen_en.jpg

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TkEL_d_hVNM/Xn7xQGS-DKI/AAAAAAAADCQ/82VEoDQNM2EU0LA0cf3U38ozSNWS2zdZACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/schengen-countries-map-2020.png

If you fancy a three month tour of the Balkans, Türkiye or Morocco every three months it’s doable. I guess you could go to Gibraltar, but, tbh, a day is enough there.

Met a couple in a van a few months back and they were on their way to Ancona, ferry to Greece and then onto Türkiye for three months, but they had to hurry because getting to Türkiye meant travelling through Greece and they only had two weeks. (met them near Florence. They had been to France, a bit of Spain and northern Italy in about 2,5 months…. Sounded like a really shitty way to travel dashing from one place to another.)

Why do you think they are obliged to let you in? If  they think you are seeking work illegally, for example, do you think they will let you in?

Managing the Schengen Shuffle

There could be a ban from returning to the EU, but with everything there is a chance to appeal.

With an appeal you get an opportunity to put your side, and maybe roll out some sort of excuse that you hit mechanical problems and there was a delay on getting spare parts and thats why you were held up(obviously depending on how long an overstayer you are.

The EU are pretty pro cycling, so they would have more understanding and perhaps more sympathy for such a situation.

Errrrr, the two most recent cases I know of, both of them appealed based on them having *entire families, jobs/companies and houses* in the EU.

One is still in progress, he had to jump through loads of hoops to just get his travel ban overturned. So he’s on the 90/180 at the moment. And not allowed to work here, while he tries to get some sort of residency sorted.

The other tried to sneak in over a land border and is now having to move his entire family to the UK. Which is another disaster area that I’m glad i know very little about. I suspect that he’ll end up divorced, as the whole thing was stupidity based.

Both of them could have filled in a simple form and applied for residency in the aftermath of Brexit and none of this would have happened.

Depends on the country (and to some extent the political climate there), and how long you overstay. You become an “illegal immigrant”, which in some countries can mean a fine, in others forced deportation at your expense.

I have heard of countries where the locals go utterly insane and try to torch your hotel along with their own Library’s and Police cars when they hear about “illegal immigrants”…

Apparently you can apply for an extended Visa in the Schengen area, but it has to be based on exceptional circumstances such as unexpected, prolonged medical treatment, a natural disaster or a War breaking out in your country of origin. Mostly things outside of your control that you don’t really want to be the reason for an extended stay.

TBH I’m not rich and/or retired enough for this to really be a problem for me any time soon, hopefully all the buffers that voted us out will have carked it and we’ll be asking (politely) to re-join the EU by the time I’m approaching retirement or dreaming of a second home in Provence and/or pedalling around Europe for more than 3 consecutive months…

BTW that map is out of date. Croatia is now in the Schengen zone.

Why do you think they are obliged to let you in? If they think you are seeking work illegally, for example, do you think they will let you in?

They are absolutley not obliged to let you in…

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-holidaymakers-refused-entry-spain-28980101

If you are obviously a tourist, can show accomodation, return flight,have travel cash, etc. your unlikely to have a problem as long as you have enough time on your passport.

if you rock up travveling alone, with a one way ticket, no bagage, no proof of accomdation etc, you are more likley to have a problem… it is rare, but it’s something to be mindful of.

Flying from Scotland to Dublin involves passport checks at both ends, each way.

The Europe…. Spain….. Morocco….Europe idea looks good.

Is that a legal way for 270 days out of this shitehole ?

Yes i think so

There were no checks (beyond a glance at the photo) or stamps on our passports in or out of the UK on a recent trip. But we’d filled in the on-line forms for the ferry companies before travelling so the authorities know exactly which side of the border we are and for how long.

Nothing for hotels etc to see though so I wouldn’t worry about that.

Dutch customs pulled about 3 cars out of the queue for cursory checks. French customs worked non-stop for an hour. Everything in our car except the bikes got pullled out and X-rayed.

Yes Ton. It’s something the motorhomers do.

Does anyone know how this shakes out if you’re a resident in an EU country (Spain, in my case)?

My dream was to sail around Europe in a (cheap) yacht but that’s probably unrealistic now even with my Spanish residency unless I, of course, stick to Spanish waters (not too bad, although the 3k I spent on my tickets is worthless now as they’re no longer recognised in the EU).

However, I was thinking of buying a van, so presumably no one really knows how long I’ve been in France if I drive there from Spain? I think I’d mostly reside in Spain anyway because I love it there, but always wondered if being an EU resident afforded me any additional rights beyond those I’m entitled to in my host country.

Fatmountain, you get 90 days in the rest of Shengen outside your host country. Odds of being caught low.

However, you might want to apply for Spanish nationality. While the process is going on it’s best to stay in your host country and be easy to find when the police do their checks.

Dutch customs into ijmuden two years ago checked every car.

Fatmountain, you get 90 days in the rest of Shengen outside your host country. Odds of being caught low.

We also don’t have the 180 day bit so pop back into spain or it’s territory to grab some petrol and a receipt and your 90 days is reset or a quick cheap flight 🙂  if you want to adhere to the letter of the law.

Even with a full EU passport there’s that countries requirements if you want to stay in another country for over 90 days.

May be no borders but there’s anpr so you can’t assume that they don’t  know.

The Europe…. Spain….. Morocco….Europe idea looks good.

@ton also consider 90 days in Turkiye…. Really cheap right now, too.

However, you might want to apply for Spanish nationality

This is what I would do.

If I hadn’t got German citizenship and went with residency, then I would not be able to travel like I can now. And the idea of being “trapped” in Germany wasn’t an idea I wanted to entertain.

They should determine whether you voted Tory or reform, and if so send you to Rwanda at your own expense (= about £250 million based on the costs the Tory gov pissed away to ship 4 people there)

Just to expand on my previous comment quoting my sources 🙂

We also don’t have the 180 day bit so pop back into spain or it’s territory to grab some petrol and a receipt and your 90 days is reset or a quick cheap flight 🙂  if you want to adhere to the letter of the law.

From the EU
https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/networks/european-migration-network-emn/emn-asylum-and-migration-glossary/glossary/right-free-movement_en#:~:text=Whilst%20third%2Dcountry%20nationals%20who,are%20covered%20by%20specific%20legal

4. Freedom of movement and residence are granted, in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community, only for certain categories of third-country nationals, i.e. long-term residents, highly-skilled workers, researchers and students. Whilst third-country nationals who hold a valid residence permit or visa have the right to move freely within the Schengen area for up to three months within a six-month period, the rights in relation to taking up residence for a period exceeding three months in another EU Member State are covered by specific legal instruments, depending on their status, and subject to conditions in national legislation.

A mate did a ski season a few years ago. Not working but did have a visa to stay over 90 days. He had to go to the French embassy in London. Prove he had the funds and told them where he was planning on staying. He did have to go back in person to collect the visa and pp a few weeks later as they refused to post it but hey, he did December to April. Nobody checked where he was in that time.

Yup, the French love in person interviews. Back to the OP though… if doing a tour, which countries would you have to apply to, and how cumbersome are all their processes?

My cousin is currently looking into getting herself a digital nomad visa to aid her travels. She recently retired from teaching and bought herself a camper and plans to take off around Europe. She still does a bit of some sort of online teaching in Japan that provides a small income and should apparently let her qualify for a digital nomad visa in some countries and help her bypass the 90 day rule.