I tried to find a way around the 90-day limit on tourist visas in the Schengen Area when planning my move to Sweden a few years ago. This is an issue experienced by a great many voyagers consistently and an inquiry that routinely (particularly this season) springs up in my inbox.
“How can I spend more than 90 days in Europe?”
It’s a straightforward inquiry with a very intricate response.
I’ve always known it was hard, but I didn’t realize how hard it was until I started looking into ways to stay longer there.
Thankfully, during this investigation, I discovered that there are a few ways to remain in Europe for more than 90 days; They are simply not well-known.
This post will teach you how to move to Europe and the options for staying in Europe for more than 90 days. However, a few things first:
It is essential to keep in mind that Europe is not a single region; each region of the continent has its own set of visa regulations. When people refer to the “90-day limit,” they are referring to restrictions that apply to the Schengen Area, which is the visa policy that applies to 27 European nations. It includes a few non-EU nations as well as the majority of the European Union.
Note: Although I refer to it as the “Schengen Visa,” you do not necessarily need to apply for it. If you have an American passport, you do not need to apply in advance for a Schengen Visa, but it may be necessary depending on your residency status and country of citizenship.
However, it should be noted that visitors from 60 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, will need to submit an online ETIAS application by the end of 2023 to enter the 23 EU member states and 4 non-EU Schengen countries. Within 180 days, it is valid for 90 days.
You can apply and pay online as long as 96 hours ahead of time. It is like the US variant of ESTA (or the estimated time of arrival in Canada). ETIAS is free for those under the age of 18 and those over 70, and it cost 7 EUR for those aged 18 to 70.
You won’t need to apply for ETIAS if you’re from a country that requires you to have a Schengen visa. One has to choose.
The Schengen visa: what is it?
In addition, several microstates are de facto members of the Schengen Area and are eligible for the 90-day tourist visa for the Schengen Area. Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City are these.
Furthermore, there are a few microstates that are true individuals from the Schengen Region. These are Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City.
For instance, if I visit the Schengen Area in January for 60 days and return in June for 10 days, that equates to 70 days out of 180 days. Only the days during the period that you are in the zone count. You must leave on January 1 and technically cannot return until July 1 if you arrive on January 1 and remain for 90 consecutive days.
Use the Schengen visa calculator provided by the EU if you move around a lot. Input all your movement dates and it’ll let you know how long you have to remain.
However, this freedom is not available to all travelers.
A Schengen visa must be applied for in advance by citizens of several nations. In advance, you will be required to complete paperwork and fly into and out of the nation for which your visa was issued.
Even then, it’s possible that you won’t get a visa. Warning: This is a spoiler: People from Asian and African nations suffer.
Having said that, how do you prolong your stay in Europe? How do you circumvent that restriction? Let me explain it to you.
