[Sabbo]

Hey everyone,

Me and two friends are planning a trip around Europe next year and are just wondering about Visa requirements.

I'm more asking for my two friends (who are both Australian Citizens). I still have my Austrian passsport/citizenship so it's easy for me [img]smile.gif[/img]

Would my friends have to go to every embassy of a country we plan on visiting and request a visa or is there a visa which covers all of Europe?

We plan on staying for about 3-4 months and move around Malta, Italy, Austria, France, Belgium and Uk (spending most time probably in Austria and Malta since we have relatives there)

Thanks in Advance

Sabbo (Sebastian)

[ 04. October 2004, 22:08: Message edited by: Sabbo ]

[Tim Uden]

If you're just visiting the countries you mention as a tourist you shouldn't have to worry about visas. This is mostly an issue in some Eastern European countries, particularly Russia.

[Sabbo]

Hey thanks for the quick reply,

Yeah I've just been reading some countrie's embassy websites.

Eg the Austrian one states "Australian or New Zealand citizens do not need a visa up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes."

Does that mean 90 days spent in one go or in total? Would it "reset" if you left and then re-entered the country?

Thanks

Sebastian

[ 04. October 2004, 22:50: Message edited by: Sabbo ]

[Tim Uden]

It depends on the country, but it is usually OK if you leave the country and then return for another three months. But this can be difficult to prove this as most countries don't have border controls so you don't have the stamp in your passport as proof.

[Sabbo]

Great, thanks a lot for you help

[musicdisciple]

Most of western Europe is part of the Schengen zone and you are limited to 90 days TOTAL. Check out http://www.eurovisa.info/SchengenCountries.htm to see which countries are included. If your trip is only 3 months total then you don't have to worry, but if you go for 4 months make sure that an entire month is spent in the UK, Switzerland or eastern Europe, or anywhere else that's outside. Overstaying is not strongly enforced but if you do happen to get caught you can be deported and barred from future entry to any Schengen country.

[Tim Uden]

Geez, so this means that I wasn't allowed to leave France after three months, spend a weekend in Belgium and return for another three months. Oh I've been a naughty boy.

I always thought that the three month Schengen rule applied only if you needed a visa for one of the Schengen countries. I wasn't aware that the Schengen zone applied to everyone, even those that didn't require a visa for a Schengen country. It is misleading when each country's immigration department says that you are allowed up to 90 days in that country.

After reading your post, I looked at theEU website and read that you are indeed limited to a three month visit to the Schengen Zone countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. However there is a proposed change to the law that will allow visits of up to six months as long as you stay no longer than three months in any one Schengen country.

From what I have read on individual embassy websites and on the European Union website the three month rule applies only per visit and there is nothing stopping you from spending a day in Switzerland before re-entering the Schengen zone for another visit. So from what I understand you do not have to spend a full month of a four month trip outside the Schengen zone, but each visit to the zone must not exceed three months.

Where did you find this information about not being able to spend a TOTAL time of any longer than three months? If it is true then I can never return to Europe again as I have already spent three months there!

[abalada]

If it comes to visas you have to think about the Schengen zone as one country. Thus travelling from France to Belgium makes no difference at all, as both are Schengen members and you're not leaving the Schengen area at all.

The rule is that you can stay (as an Australian citizen) 90 days in any period of 180 days without a visa in the Schengen zone.

Thus after staying 90 days inside the Schengen zone you have to leave the Schengen zone at least for another 90 days before you can return. Just one day in Switzerland is definitly not enough.

see e.g.

Holders of a valid New Zealand passport do not need VISA to enter Italy or any other Schengen countries for tourism (maximum stay of 90 days per half year)

source

[Tim Uden]

I was never really concerned with this in the past because I didn't need a Schengen visa so I didn't look into the details too much.

The websites I looked at didn't say anything about any time that you have to spend outside the country before re-entering, but the Italian embassy website is quite specific about this.

That really sucks! Three months is sufficient time to visit one country, but it really isn't enough time to properly visit all the Schengen countries. Being banned from visiting the region for three months sucks too. Oh well, I guess it could be longer.

In most countries you can just hop across the border for a few hours and then re-enter the country. I just assumed this would be the same here.

[blackbird05]

Whoa, whoa! Wait a sec - do you mean that if I'm planning to do a bike tour of europe for 4 months (3-4 weeks of which WON'T be through Schenden countries, but not consecutively), I have to apply to for this Schenden visa? We're spending 1 to 3 weeks in each country. This is definitely less than the 90 days required per country, but if we lump the Schended countries together as a whole, then we're staying for more than 90 days. I've never heard of this before! How much does the visa cost?

[musicdisciple]

Count up exactly how many days will be in the Schengen zone. If it's less than 90 in total you're fine. If not then change your plans. The days/weeks outside don't have to be consecutive. You just can't exceed 90 days inside, within a 180 day period. It sounds like you're probably okay or close to being okay. Changing your plans by a few days is probably easier than trying to get a visa.

[nzhighlander]

Hi there, I find that very little people I talk to about travelling in Schengen states have no idea about the combined 90 days maximum stay. Most dont give it a thought when planning a 3-4 month europe tour. My situation is...New Zealander on 2 yr working holiday visa for the Uk. Arrived Denmark late June..travelled till October through both schengen and non schengen states, Spent 87 days in total in schengen states alone., go back to germany on a 4 day trip on 27 october to see my girl in Hannover, who is german, and are told upon entering that I cannot return for another six months from when I leave, my last exit date being..31 october as i have used my 90 days. This supposedly means any of the schengen states. So no happy christmas for me with my girlfriend and family in Berlin. And for that matter no weekend trips to Amsterdam or perhaps Paris..Rome..or...you get my point, for the next six months. Must be noted that my passport was always stamped upon entering and exiting all countries, this is how German passport control counted my days. So if this is the way they do it and there is no computer system monitoring my stays, what is to stop me from losing my passport, getting issued with a new STAMP FREE passport allowing me to again travel the schengen states again?

[stupis]

WHAT? Ok, now I'm utterly confused. Just yesterday I booked my flights. I'm flying to Sweden in February. I was planning on spending my 90 days there, then going on to travel around Europe for a further 3 - 4 months. I was under the impression that this is permittable; that the 90 day stay applied to single countries, not the Schengen states as a whole entity. As a matter of fact, so was my travel egent. And every other person I've spoken to about the issue.

So, what is the truth?

[musicdisciple]

The info your travel agent gave you is about 2 years out of date.