If I Got Rejected American Express Card Can I Apply Again After Incresing Credit Score in 10 Days

Last Updated: 9/13/21 | September 13th, 2021

When I planned my move to Sweden a few years ago, I tried to figure out how to get by the 90-day limit placed on tourist visas in the Schengen Area. This is a problem encountered by thousands of travelers every year and a question that regularly (particularly this time of twelvemonth) pops upward in my inbox.

"How tin can I stay in Europe for more ninety days?"

Information technology's a simple question with a very complicated answer.

I always knew information technology was complicated, only until I started researching how to stay in that location longer, I never knew just how complicated.

Fortunately, in the process of this research, I came to learn there are a few ways to stay in Europe longer than 90 days; they just aren't well known.

This post will teach you lot the options for staying in Europe over 90 days as well equally give y'all tips on how to move to Europe. Only first a few things:

It'due south important to note that Europe isn't just one identify — there are varying visa rules throughout the continent. When people talk about the "xc-day limit," they're talking virtually restrictions on the Schengen Area, which is the visa policy that governs 26 countries in Europe. It includes all of the European Wedlock — except Republic of ireland — as well as a few not-Eu countries.

Note: While I call it the "Schengen Visa," information technology's not an actual visa you necessarily demand to utilise for. Depending on your residency condition and country of citizenship, you lot may need to employ in advance for a Schengen Visa, however, those with an American passport exercise non need to utilize in accelerate.

What is the Schengen visa?

The Schengen visa is a 90-24-hour interval tourist visa for Schengen Expanse countries, which are:

• Republic of austria
• Kingdom of belgium
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Frg
• Greece
• Republic of hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Republic of lithuania
• Principality of liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Additionally, there are several microstates that are de facto members of the Schengen Area. These are Monaco, San Marino, and The holy see.

These Schengen countries have a border-costless visa agreement that lets residents move throughout the Surface area without needing to show their passport every time they cantankerous a border. Essentially, it's every bit if they're one country, and you can move as freely every bit you want.

Citizens of many countries are immune to enter the Schengen Area without having to get a visa beforehand. Your passport simply gets stamped upon your inflow and departure from Europe. You're allowed to enter and leave from any country you lot want — they don't accept to be the same.

Here is a map of the countries with visa waivers that can enter the Schengen without requiring a visa in advance.

Nearly visitors (including Americans) are immune to spend 90 days in the Schengen Area in every 180-solar day menstruum. The easiest mode to think of it is that you tin can visit for iii months and then you accept to go out for iii months before you lot tin return.

Even so, y'all can also bounciness dorsum and along between Schengen and non-Schengen countries — y'all just need to go on track of all your dates of entry/exit.

When I visit Europe, I fly in and out of different countries all the fourth dimension. Your first entry in the 180-solar day flow is when your ninety-twenty-four hour period counter starts. These days don't need to exist consecutive — the total is cumulative. Once mean solar day 181 hits, the count resets itself.

For example, if I come to the Schengen Area in January and stay for 60 days and and then come back in June for 10 days, that counts equally lxx days in 180 days. Only days yous are in the zone during the period count. If you go on January 1st and stay ninety straight days, you have to leave and technically tin can't come back until July 1st.

Withal, not all travelers are allowed such freedom.

Citizens from many countries need to apply for a Schengen visa alee of time. Yous'll be required to fill up out paperwork beforehand and fly in and out of the country for which your visa is issued.

Even then, you still might not exist granted a visa. Spoiler alert: citizens from African and Asian countries get screwed.

So, with that being said, how Exercise yous stay in Europe longer? How do y'all get around that rule? Let me intermission it down for you.

Part ane: Staying or Moving to Europe the Easy Way

With so many visa rules, it's easy to stay in Europe across 90 days as a tourist — you merely need to mix up the countries you visit. The United Kingdom has its own rules that allow you to stay 180 days in a calendar year.

Most non-Schengen countries such equally Ukraine, Moldova, Croatia, Ireland, and some Balkan countries allow you to stay for up to 60 or 90 days. Albania even lets American's stay up to a year!

So, all you need to do to stay in Europe longer than three months is spend ninety days in the Schengen Surface area and then visit the Britain, get to the Balkans, hang out in Ukraine, drink wine in Moldova, and accept a pint in Ireland. If y'all align your schedule correct, yous can hands be out of the Schengen Area for xc days and then head dorsum into the Schengen Area with a brand new Schengen visa.

Years ago, to get around this limit, I spent iii months in Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and England as I waited for my clock to reset. After that, I headed back into the Shengen area for Oktoberfest.

If you want to travel the continent for a long time without having to go through the various visa processes described below, vary your travel by visiting non-Schengen countries. There'due south enough of countries to cull from while you lot wait for your Schengen Visa clock to reset. This is the like shooting fish in a barrel, hassle-gratuitous way of doing things.

—-> Need more tips for Europe? Visit my destination guide and become in-depth information on what to see and exercise and how to salve coin.

Part 2: Staying in the Schengen Expanse Past 90 Days

Merely what if you practice want to stay longer in the Schengen Surface area? What if the vi months you want to exist in Europe is all in Schengen Expanse countries? What if you want to alive and piece of work in Europe?

Later on all, the Schengen Area spans 26 countries and visiting and then many destinations in 90 days can be a picayune rushed (yous would accept an average of just 3.5 days per state).

If you lot want to stay longer to travel, alive, larn a language, or fall in love, and then the "motility around" option suggested to a higher place isn't going to work for you. You lot need something else.

Luckily, there are a few ways to do this — and I tin can't stress plenty the importance of the word "few." Considering staying more than than 90 days in the Schengen Area isn't easy.

Beginning, allow's understand the rule:

The Schengen constabulary states that you lot tin can't stay in the Surface area for more than 90 days. If you do, you're subject to a fine and perhaps deportation and existence banned from re-inbound the Schengen Area. How that dominion is enforced, though, varies greatly from one state to some other. Overstaying by a day might not be the end of the world, however, some countries practise non mess around with visitors overstaying.

For example, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries are all very strict about entry and exit rules. If yous overstay your tourist visit, there's a adept chance they'll pull you aside. 2 Australians I know were detained leaving Switzerland due to overstaying their visa by two weeks. They were allowed to become with merely a warning, merely they missed their flights and had to book new flights.

I know of someone who overstayed past six months, tried to leave from Amsterdam, and at present has an "illegal immigrant" stamp on her passport. In order to enter Europe over again, she must apply for a visa at an diplomatic mission and be preapproved:

I made the fault of attempting to leave from the netherlands after overstaying a Schengen visa and was caught. I overstayed by most a month, and they hand-drew some sort of insignia in my passport to note my overstay. They told me I'd have to contact the IND and find out if I would be able to enter the Schengen states over again.

Some other blogger told me this happened to them too and then don't overstay your visa!

That being said, if you get out from Greece, France, Italian republic, or Spain you may be less likely to see an issue, provided you (a) oasis't stayed over too long and (b) didn't catch the clearing officer on a bad day.

When I left Greece, no one even looked at my passport. Ane of my friends met a guy in French republic, fell in dear, and decided not to go out. A year afterwards, when she finally did, the French officials didn't even look twice. Another friend flew into France and didn't even become an entry postage stamp. Spain is another place notorious for non caring and Americans who decide to overstay for months mention that equally the easiest country to leave from.

Of form, I don't recollect it'due south wise to overstay. A day or two? Probable not the stop of the globe. But, Matt, can I extend just extend my Schengen visa/stamp?
Unfortunately not. Only put, yous cannot extend your tourist visa or entry stamp. There'southward a xc-day limit, and that's that.

Then what'south a tourist to do?

1. Get a Working Holiday Visa

Working holiday visas are easy to go and the best way to extend your stay — even if you lot don't want to work. These visas are designed for young travelers who want to work and travel abroad. Citizens of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (and oftentimes South Korea, Israel, Hong Kong, and Nihon) are eligible for one- to two-year working vacation visas from most of the Schengen countries.

There is no single "working holiday" program for the Schengen or EU so applicants must employ for this visa from a specific country. Applicants must likewise exist younger than 30 (though, in some cases, like for Canadians working in Switzerland or Ireland, you lot tin can be equally former as 35).

Additionally, you can get sequent working holiday visas. An Australian reader of mine got a 2-yr Dutch working holiday visa and then got one from Norway to stay two more years. While she and her boyfriend (who also got 1) did odd jobs in The netherlands for a bit, they mostly used it as a way to travel around the continent.

Annotation: This type of visa won't allow you lot to work in whatever other country than the one that issued it.

For Americans, there are merely two options for working holidays in Europe: Republic of ireland (non-Schengen country) and Portugal (Schengen country). The Portuguese working vacation visa is for travelers anile xviii-30 and lasts two years. The Irish gaelic ane also lasts two years and is good for those anile 18-xxx, however, you must have graduated within 12 months of applying (or be a student).

2. Go a Long-Term-Stay Visa

Unfortunately, the majority of Schengen countries exercise not offer long-term-stay visas for tourists/visitors. Generally speaking, if you want a long-stay visa, you lot'd have to utilise for residency.

Schengen allows for a C- or D-class visa (the alphabetic character varies on the country), which is a temporary residence visa for up to one yr. But the specific visa and requirements vary from country to country. Some countries are harder, some are easier, and others are nearly impossible despite being in the aforementioned visa treaty zone.

Still, there are a few countries that do offer long-term visas that aren't likewise hard to get:

France

French republic offers a long-term visitor visa for a catamenia of upwardly to i year. The application process takes upward to 1 month. According to the French Embassy, "The 'company' visa (or visa 'D') allows you to enter France and stay for more than than 3 months. Long-stay visa holders will be allowed to reside in France for upwards to 12 months according to the validity of their visa and purpose of stay."

To get this visa, you must ready an appointment at the French consulate nearly you. Yous can't walk in — you must make an engagement.

At this appointment, you lot'll need the following documents:

• Ane application form filled out completely and signed
• Three passport photos
• Your original passport, which must have been issued less than 10 years ago, be valid for three months after your render, and accept at least two blank pages left
• A letter certified by a notary public that promises you won't engage in work
• A letter of employment stating current occupation and earnings
• Proof of income (yous'll need bank statements or copies of your investment portfolio)
• Proof of medical insurance that includes evacuation insurance
• Proof of accommodation in France. (The French consulate never returned my emails, so I was unsure how you could have this before you even get to French republic. 1 could apply a friend's address or, lacking that, rent a place (i where you lot can go a refund) for the purposes of the interview. It's a piddling fuzzy.)

Note: Yous can't employ for this visa more than than iii months earlier your arrival engagement.

You lot tin can visit the French Embassy website for links to local embassies and consulates for more information. This post also has some helpful data to go you started.

Sweden

Sweden also offers a long-term stay tourist visa for a maximum period of one year. The procedure is easy normally takes around two weeks to process when applied for in Sweden. Here's a brief overview of what you lot need:

• Residence let for visitor's application form
• Notarized copies of the pages of your passport that show your identity and the validity of your passport, as well every bit copies of all the other visas/stamps you lot take. Your passport besides needs to be valid for 3 months subsequently your stay.
• A bank argument showing your ways of supporting yourself for the duration of your stay (you need at to the lowest degree $52 USD per day for each day saved in your account)
• A return airplane ticket
• A letter from your insurance visitor stating you're covered overseas

Applications can exist delivered in person during visiting hours (no appointment needed) or mailed to a Swedish consulate.

After your documents are received, you'll be required to accept an interview with ane of the clearing officers. Nearly people who apply for this visa have family in Sweden. If you don't, y'all'll demand to have clear reasons as to why you need to stay longer and show ample proof that you can support yourself (i.eastward., "I want to run into Swedish guys/girls" won't cut information technology!). If you lot're applying in Sweden, you'll need to put a local'southward address on your application form, and that person will have to accompany you to your interview.

You can learn more nigh the process on this government page.

Spain

Spain offers a long-term visa targeting retirees called the Not-Lucrative Residence Visa. It requires that you spend at to the lowest degree 183 days in Kingdom of spain, which would make you a legal resident for tax purposes here. During this time, you lot are unable to work in Spain (so you'll need to have plenty savings to get you by). However, studying and unpaid internships are permitted.

The big catch for this visa is that you need to accept over 27,000 EUR in your bank account. That'due south around $32,000 USD. Since the visa is designed for retirees, the supposition is that y'all're coming here to residue on your financial honor after a lifetime of saving up — hence the sizeable requirement.

The visa has been denied to people who are remote workers so I wouldn't recommend this visa if you lot're a digital nomad (Spain is currently working on a visa specifically for digital nomads, though information technology's not currently available).

In addition to having sizable savings, you'll also demand to fill out the application, submit your passport and boosted photos, pay a fee, and provide the post-obit:

• Proof of private wellness insurance (from an authorized company in Spain)
• A doctor's notation certifying that you're salubrious
• A criminal background cheque translated into Castilian

Y'all must utilise for this visa in your country of residency as you will exist interviewed as part of the process. The application varies per country, usually between 120-520 EUR (it's around 125 EUR for Americans and simply over 500 EUR for Canadians).

This consulate page has all the specific details yous need regarding the awarding.

Portugal

Portugal has multiple long term stay visas. First, there is a Golden Visa, which requires a minimum investment in the country of $300,000 USD. The D7 visa, which is like to Spain's retirement visa, is more realistic for most people.

It requires proof of insurance, a background bank check, an application and interview, etc. The main divergence, all the same, is that you lot only demand an income of around $ix,000 USD instead of the $32,000 USD in savings the Spanish visa required. You even so cannot work on this visa, so your income must be passive (investments, pension, rental belongings, etc.).

The D7 visa can piece of work for digital nomads, though at that place is a split visa that might work amend: the D2 visa.

This visa, known every bit the Immigrant Entrepreneur visa, isn't designed specifically for digital nomads. You'll need to submit a business plan and demonstrate you have enough upper-case letter to get started. You'll likewise need to explain why you want to start (or move) your concern to Portugal. You'll have a much higher take a chance of getting approved if you have invested upwards of v,000 EUR in your business and speak some Portuguese every bit well (it's not required, but these visas are regularly rejected so it will requite you lot a leg upwards).

In brusque, at that place are a lot of steps for a temporary visa that but lasts 1 year. Notwithstanding, you can go this extended and eventually apply for permanent residency or citizenship after v years.

Y'all'll need to apply for both of these visas in your state of residency.

A annotation of long-term visas: Proceed in mind that the information above is just for reference. There may be more requirements needed for your awarding and non all visas are open up to everyone. Y'all'll want to contact your local embassy for specifics and additional information.

The Bilateral Agreement Hack

In addition to the standard Schengen visa, most countries have numerous bilateral agreements contained of the Schengen visa. These agreements let travelers stay in a specific country for an additional period of time beyond the 90-solar day Schengen limit. The only caveat is that can't go out that country during that time.

For case, French republic has a bilateral agreement that allows U.Southward. citizens to stay an additional 90 days across the Schengen limit. Y'all can enter from whatsoever Schengen land, stay 90 days in France, and so fly home. Only the take hold of is you have to get domicile — yous can't get elsewhere. You take to get out Europe so you can't use your time in French republic every bit a sneaky way to reset your Schengen clock.

Now, the French republic/U.S. dominion is tricky. It'due south based on a postal service-WW2 agreement that never was cancelled. Multiple French consulates told me yes, they thought this law existed but couldn't tell me where to observe it. A few visa services told me I was crazy. Ane consulate told me it was possible simply simply with a long-term visa.

BUT, after many calls, the US, Canada, and UK French embassies told me that yes, this law does exist and that yep, this is however valid. And then they referenced me to the French national athenaeum.

Well, nosotros institute the actual diplomatic papers that spell this out. It took united states close to a year to find it simply nosotros did.

This is the annotation from the French authorities about it:

Hi,

In that location is a bilateral agreement betwixt French and the U.Southward. by exchange messages (March sixteen-31 mars 1949), which allows American citizens to stay in French republic xc days over 180 days, irrespective of the stays already made in other Schengen countries.

However, this understanding has been made before the Schengen understanding. Today, as there is no more edge command between the Schengen countries, it is very difficult to determine how long a person has stayed in France and we heard that some people had troubles with the clearing police while leaving France.

Therefore, we recommend American citizens to respect the Schengen regulation which allows a maximum of 90 days on 180 days in the whole Schengen area.

Consulat général de France, Service des visas
4101 Reservoir Route, Washington DC, 20007

A follow to the London embassy gave me this response:

"Whilst the bilateral understanding you lot refer to has not officially been revoked, the French Edge Law has sole say-so on deciding whether to utilise it or non, at the fourth dimension of inbound or exiting the Schengen surface area."

So this is really a thing. And, while they don't like you using it, information technology's still the law. Just bring proof you lot stayed in French republic for 90 days! If you programme to use this dominion, bring documentation as border guards my not be aware of it.

Additionally, Denmark and Poland also take bilateral agreements with the United states that let citizens stay an additional 90 days in each country divide from the regular Schengen Zone visa. The Denmark dominion applies exactly the same way as the French i. Denmark also has a bilteral agreemnt that is applicable for citizens of Australia, Canada, Chile, Israel, Nippon, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Korea.

For Poland, you lot must enter and leave Poland via a non-Schengen country where you will be stamped again (i.e., direct flight from NYC). So you could exercise 90 days in the Schengen, fly to the UK, and then fly to Poland. Poland's rules are simply laid out in an agreement alphabetic character the U.Southward. and Poland signed in 1991. (Hither's a re-create of the letter from the Polish government).

In theory, there are besides other bilateral agreements between the U.Due south. and Schengen countries. I've been told past multiple sources that Kingdom of belgium, Italy, Hungary, Norway, Kingdom of spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands all take their own bilateral agreements with the U.S. as well. This page outlines the existing bilateral agreements.

However, I reached out to each country's consulate and none of them replied (relieve Portugal) in any meaningful manner. They simply directed me to the standard visa FAQ page.

Regarding Portugal, a representative from the Portuguese consulate said this regarding their bilateral threescore-day visa:

Delight note that those sixty days are an exceptional extension that needs to be requested within Portugal at SEF office near your temporary address in Portugal.

Now, in theory, ane could say thanks to borderless travel you could get your "extra ninety days in Denmark" and and so merely travel around, fly out of Denmark, and no one would be the wiser. I could say that. But I've noticed a lot more than intra-Europe passport checks in recent years. I got yelled at in French republic for not having my passport with me while on a train to see a chateau. So, I wouldn't recommend doing this.

Notation: Almost counties have bilateral agreements with other countries. Telephone call the local embassy for more information (you'll have better luck calling than emailing).

3. Go a Student Visa

All Schengen Expanse countries offer educatee visas that are easy to obtain so long as you're enrolled in a recognized academy plan. This would crave you to pay for the course, merely it will virtually guarantee you a visa if you are accustomed.

One of the best countries to practice this in is Spain, where a whole industry has sprung up to help students written report Spanish. In that location are tons of schools that will allow you to enroll and write letters stating you're a student there. You'll demand to apply in your abode land but the procedure is relatively straightforward. This post details the requirements.

Deutschland is another pop choice, equally postal service-secondary schools at that place are essentially free. While there may be more contest, the costs are much lower. You tin learn about the awarding process hither.

While well-nigh pupil visas allow y'all to stay in a country for one year, I would only consider getting one if yous actually plan on studying. If yous're just getting a student visa to travel and play tourist, it's not going to be worth the cost and paperwork since you lot'll need to set up up everything from a residential address to a banking concern account to a local phone number and more.

4. Get a Freelancer Visa

At that place are several countries that offering freelancer visas. This process is a fiddling more complicated and not for the casual tourist. These visas are meant for people who actually desire to live and work in Europe. If you're only a coincidental tourist, expect to be denied. But if you're a digital nomad, this is the visa for y'all.

Schengen countries that offering freelancer visas include Frg, Estonia, Spain, Czech republic, Portugal, Greece, and Malta. Non-Schengen countries that have them include Republic of croatia, Romania, Georgia, and Iceland.

Germany is the land most used by people who desire to reside in Europe. If you're a freelancer, digital nomad, creative person, or have some grade of income, this is the visa to get (and it'due south quite piece of cake to go). If yous are from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.South., Israel, South korea, or Japan you can use after you arrive in Germany (anybody else needs to use in advance).

The visa but lasts for three months, however, it is designed to be extended into a residency visa which would then last for iii years. I have many friends who take gotten this visa. Every bit long as you follow the steps, y'all should be fine. This post has more data nigh the process.

Most freelancer visas follow a similar format: apply, pay a fee, submit proof that your business organisation can stay adrift, and so look to be accepted. However, some have more stringent requirements.

For example, Republic of estonia's freelancer visa requires a monthly income of at least 3,500 EUR per calendar month leading upwards to your awarding. For the Czech republic visa, you need to have at least $6,000 USD in your bank business relationship (the lovely folks at Wandertooth, who did this procedure a couple of years ago, tin can walk yous through the steps).

In contempo years, Spain has too created freelancer visa called the "autonomo" that also follows a similar process. You can read more than hither.

If yous are a digital nomad and are considering working remotely from the European union you tin can compare these programs to encounter which ane bests suits your goals (though Deutschland is likely the all-time identify to get-go since it'south ane of the easiest to get).

five. Get Married to a European

Autumn in dearest with a European (or at least a friend) and use for a marriage visa! You'll get to stay there while the awarding process goes through then yous tin move to Europe and stay there forever with the beloved of your life! That'south a win-win! (This is a joke. Don't get married just for a visa to stay in Europe!)

***

The best, easiest, and virtually constructive mode to stay in Europe long-term is to increase the number of countries you lot visit so you're in the Schengen Surface area for but xc days. As I said, there are a lot of countries not in the Expanse so this is piece of cake to do.

If you lot're like me and want to stay in the Schengen Area longer than 90 days (or merely want to move to Europe because information technology'due south awesome), be prepared to work the system. It's not incommunicable to stay long-term in the Schengen Area. By understanding the organisation and using the few loopholes that exercise be, 1 can legally stay past ninety days and savor all Europe has to offer without worrying near being barred for life.

Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!

My detailed 200+ page guidebook is fabricated for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff institute in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you demand to travel while in Europe. It has suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the browbeaten path things to encounter and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, safety tips, and much more than! Click here to learn more and get your re-create today.

Book Your Trip to Europe: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my ii favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you e'er know no stone is left unturned. Outset with Skyscanner starting time though considering they have the biggest reach!

Volume Your Adaptation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld every bit they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If yous want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, employ Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

For suggestions on where to stay during your trip, here is a list of my favorite hostels in Europe.

Don't Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you confronting illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It'south comprehensive protection in case anything goes incorrect. I never keep a trip without information technology as I've had to utilize information technology many times in the by. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (for anybody below lxx)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)

Looking for the All-time Companies to Salve Money With?
Bank check out my resources page for the best companies to use when yous travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I'chiliad on the road. They volition save you money when you travel too.

Desire More Data on Europe?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!

Notation: Due to the complexities of visas and the uniqueness of everyone's state of affairs, nosotros do not respond any visa related questions in the comments or via email. Thank you.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please notation that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I employ and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and advertisement free.

milleronsing.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/how-to-legally-stay-in-europe-for-more-than-90-days/

Share this post