When I left to travel the globe, I’d never even heard of Schengen. I still haven’t visited the city in Luxembourg, but its main significance to travelers isn’t a cathedral to visit, but the treaty that was signed there in 1985.
Ten years later it was implemented with the creation of Europe’s modern borderless “Schengen Area”, which operates much like a single country (like crossing borders of different states in the United States) with external border controls for travelers coming in and out of the entire area, but with no internal border controls. The borderless zone created currently consists of 25 European countries.
What is the Schengen visa?
The Schengen visa is a single tourist visa (the stamp you get upon arrival) that you can use to visit 25 European countries without the need of separate visas for each country. This visa allows hassle free internal travel (air, road, train, etc.) between these countries. It allows visitors (at least from the U.S. and other similar privileged countries) to travel freely within the Schengen countries for a maximum stay of up to 90 days in a 6 month period.
In 2006, they implemented the right to move freely, meaning that passportless travel is allowed inside the entire European Union, if you have a national I.D. card from an EU country.
How does it affect my travel?
Although it’s easier to cross borders now, we, as foreigners (if, in fact, you are reading this and not a citizen of the EU), have even less time in Europe than we used to have.
Intended to eliminate border checks between countries, the treaty makes it easier to move from place to place, but limits the amount of time you can spend in the region as a whole. It’s not enough to hop across a border, get a stamp and come back, you have to spend 90 days outside of a Schengen nation.
Fortunately, the UK and Ireland (who have opted out), and Romania, Bulgaria (these two are on their way in), and Cyprus (who have yet to join), are not in the Schengen zone, so you can always head to those countries for the 3 month period before you can re-enter.
Okay, now follow this:
The rules state that a visitor must be outside the region for 90 days for every 90 days he or she is in it. In other words, you have three consecutive months to travel around all of the EU and then you must leave for at least the next three consecutive months before you can head back in.
This is a bit of a pain for the long-term traveler. Before the Schengen, each country had their own tourist visa…so I could hang around Germany for three months, then head to France for another three, and then maybe Italy for another three. Now I have just 90 days to see it all.
During my ‘round the world trip, I planned to get to Europe and spend quite a bit of time there…something I learned upon arrival that I couldn’t do as planned. Bummer. Did I overstay my welcome? Yes, by about a month. I
n scouring the internet and talking to other travelers, I heard urban legends of lock-up, being banned for life from the EU, and other various possible punishments. I also heard a short overstay could mean nothing, which is what happened to me….absolutely nothing. But it was a gamble and I was lucky (not trying to stay there and live illegally did help). So while it cuts down on border controls, and allows citizens, to travel freely and find work in other countries, it makes traveling for a foreigner more difficult.
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It is important to understand the laws when staying long term. Thanks for clearing this up!
Thanks Debbie! Sadly your comment got caught in spam..but I found it! 🙂
Hey, just wanted to add that much of the Balkans (Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia etc. are also outside of the Schengen area and are delightful to visit!
Great point Stephanie! Not sure how/why I overlooked that! I've spent some time in Croatia and loved it. Have you ever overstayed your time?
Never really explored this but having to leave for 90 days is pretty stupid.
Thanks for the comment Jeremy. One thing, I always felt when I was nearing my time to leave, was that I did not want to take advantage of a system put in place for good reason. In other words, since we, 'we' being white and American, are very privileged in so many ways, I did not want to act as if I was owed more because I was not. I am a tourist and an immigrant just like anyone else there on a Visa. Believe me I wanted to stay longer, but I tried to be very aware of the privileges i have and didn't in any way, want to act like I expected more or exceptions. We are truly lucky because we get so many already and I don't deny that and try not to take it for granted.
Never heard of this. Good to know!
Thanks Stephanie! I hadn't either when I first started traveling. It was interesting to try to understand it all. Glad I can spread the word.
Visitors with New Zealand passports are not restricted by the '90 days in a 6 month period' rule.
New Zealand citizens can spend up to 90 days in EACH of the following Schengen countries (regardless of the time they have already spent or will spend in other Schengen countries): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland (as well as Hungary if visiting it last in the Schengen zone).
However, New Zealand citizens travelling to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia can only spend 90 days in a 6 month period in these seven countries.
That is very interesting Matthew! And very good news for New Zealanders! I wonder how and why that agreement came about? Thanks for the info (as an aside..unfortunately, your hotlinks didn't work, but I was able to cut and paste the links into my browser).
(…) “We being white and American”?
I’m sorry, but just out of curiousity, how does being white (or any other race) affect your responsabilities as a tourist? I haven’t noticed any clause about that specifically.
Thanks.