Schengen Allowance
Discussion
Basically, I’ve been an idiot…
90 days in 180 is allowed. I knew this, but thought if I came into Europe for a period of up to 90 days, then left for the same amount of time, then I’d never be in it too long. Incorrect, obviously, as the very helpful French passport guy pointed out to me today. (Would only work if up to 45 days at a time I’ve since worked out). I’d been in Europe for 30 days mid sept to mid oct, left for a couple of months, then came back mid dec to today. Adds up to 101 doesn’t it… luckily my wife is Irish (not in the car with me at the time), so the guy said to always carry a copy of her citizenship and marriage certificate if not travelling with her then all will be well.
Just thought I’d share my stupidity and luck at having a friendly border guard!
90 days in 180 is allowed. I knew this, but thought if I came into Europe for a period of up to 90 days, then left for the same amount of time, then I’d never be in it too long. Incorrect, obviously, as the very helpful French passport guy pointed out to me today. (Would only work if up to 45 days at a time I’ve since worked out). I’d been in Europe for 30 days mid sept to mid oct, left for a couple of months, then came back mid dec to today. Adds up to 101 doesn’t it… luckily my wife is Irish (not in the car with me at the time), so the guy said to always carry a copy of her citizenship and marriage certificate if not travelling with her then all will be well.
Just thought I’d share my stupidity and luck at having a friendly border guard!
POIDH said:
I bet you would not have had the same leniency if the border guard or police were in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland.....
I’m sure. Although, I was stopped at the Austria/German border (as they’re doing random border checks). Asked for passport. When I said it was in the boot, he said don’t worry just go! More friendly than the usual German guards!I was told by an Italian customs agent that there was no mechanism for recording the dates in and out beyond the official holding your passport mentally tallying up the days. This was a couple of years ago, but nothing moves quickly with these bureaucracies, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was still the same.
GreatGranny said:
I thought to take advantage of a spouses EU citizenship (free movement in the EU) you had to travel together.
The days that an EU spouse are in the Schengen area with a non-EU spouse get excluded from the calculation of 90/180. However you don't have to physically travel together and there's no current effective way of recording this, so it would probably be advisable to travel with proof of the relevant days if the limit is going to be exceeded without claiming the exemption.
I'm assuming the new EU system (ETIAS?) will somehow start to take account of this.
GreatGranny said:
I thought to take advantage of a spouses EU citizenship (free movement in the EU) you had to travel together.
Yes. Although, to confuse issues, we were travelling to and from the same place at the same time, just by different methods- me and cat in car. Wife and toddler flying LimaDelta said:
I was told by an Italian customs agent that there was no mechanism for recording the dates in and out beyond the official holding your passport mentally tallying up the days. This was a couple of years ago, but nothing moves quickly with these bureaucracies, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was still the same.
Yes that’s what he was doing elise2000 said:
Basically, I’ve been an idiot…
90 days in 180 is allowed. I knew this, but thought if I came into Europe for a period of up to 90 days, then left for the same amount of time, then I’d never be in it too long. Incorrect, obviously, as the very helpful French passport guy pointed out to me today. (Would only work if up to 45 days at a time I’ve since worked out). I’d been in Europe for 30 days mid sept to mid oct, left for a couple of months, then came back mid dec to today. Adds up to 101 doesn’t it… luckily my wife is Irish (not in the car with me at the time), so the guy said to always carry a copy of her citizenship and marriage certificate if not travelling with her then all will be well.
Just thought I’d share my stupidity and luck at having a friendly border guard!
Not sure why you think 90 days in 90 days out will not work. I would recommend say 95 days out as they count arrive and leave days as in. However, it definitely works.90 days in 180 is allowed. I knew this, but thought if I came into Europe for a period of up to 90 days, then left for the same amount of time, then I’d never be in it too long. Incorrect, obviously, as the very helpful French passport guy pointed out to me today. (Would only work if up to 45 days at a time I’ve since worked out). I’d been in Europe for 30 days mid sept to mid oct, left for a couple of months, then came back mid dec to today. Adds up to 101 doesn’t it… luckily my wife is Irish (not in the car with me at the time), so the guy said to always carry a copy of her citizenship and marriage certificate if not travelling with her then all will be well.
Just thought I’d share my stupidity and luck at having a friendly border guard!
Mrr T said:
Not sure why you think 90 days in 90 days out will not work.
Indeed. I think the OP's fundamental error was thinking '30 in - 30 out' (or whatever number of days you pick) equals zero, whereas for his September- October trip you don't start burning those days off until March 2025 (which is when he can next return).elise2000 said:
LimaDelta said:
I was told by an Italian customs agent that there was no mechanism for recording the dates in and out beyond the official holding your passport mentally tallying up the days. This was a couple of years ago, but nothing moves quickly with these bureaucracies, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was still the same.
Yes that’s what he was doing Mrr T said:
elise2000 said:
Basically, I’ve been an idiot…
90 days in 180 is allowed. I knew this, but thought if I came into Europe for a period of up to 90 days, then left for the same amount of time, then I’d never be in it too long. Incorrect, obviously, as the very helpful French passport guy pointed out to me today. (Would only work if up to 45 days at a time I’ve since worked out). I’d been in Europe for 30 days mid sept to mid oct, left for a couple of months, then came back mid dec to today. Adds up to 101 doesn’t it… luckily my wife is Irish (not in the car with me at the time), so the guy said to always carry a copy of her citizenship and marriage certificate if not travelling with her then all will be well.
Just thought I’d share my stupidity and luck at having a friendly border guard!
Not sure why you think 90 days in 90 days out will not work. I would recommend say 95 days out as they count arrive and leave days as in. However, it definitely works.90 days in 180 is allowed. I knew this, but thought if I came into Europe for a period of up to 90 days, then left for the same amount of time, then I’d never be in it too long. Incorrect, obviously, as the very helpful French passport guy pointed out to me today. (Would only work if up to 45 days at a time I’ve since worked out). I’d been in Europe for 30 days mid sept to mid oct, left for a couple of months, then came back mid dec to today. Adds up to 101 doesn’t it… luckily my wife is Irish (not in the car with me at the time), so the guy said to always carry a copy of her citizenship and marriage certificate if not travelling with her then all will be well.
Just thought I’d share my stupidity and luck at having a friendly border guard!
Edited by elise2000 on Thursday 20th February 17:36
Truckosaurus said:
Mrr T said:
Not sure why you think 90 days in 90 days out will not work.
Indeed. I think the OP's fundamental error was thinking '30 in - 30 out' (or whatever number of days you pick) equals zero, whereas for his September- October trip you don't start burning those days off until March 2025 (which is when he can next return).Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff