If I arrive in the UK, and then head to mainland Europe, does my Schengen visa 90 day limit start when I arrived in the UK, or mainland Europe?

If I arrive in the UK, and then head to mainland Europe, does my Schengen visa 90 day limit start when I arrived in the UK, or mainland Europe? - Aerial View Photography of High-rise Building

As the UK is technically still a member of the EU, I just wanted to be sure of this before booking travel arrangements.

The idea is to arrive in the UK and stay there for 2-4 weeks, and then afterwards relocate to and stay in mainland Europe for another 80-90 days. Is this possible? Or would I be effectively limited to 70 days in the EU after staying for example 20 days in the UK?



Best Answer

Your stay in the U.K. does not count towards your Schengen stay limits. They are completely separate visa regimes.

Even if you stay for a whole 6 months in the U.K., it still is 0 days in the Schengen area.

Your proposed plan is perfectly fine. Your 90 day Schengen limit will start when you enter the Schengen zone, not when you enter the U.K.




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If I arrive in the UK, and then head to mainland Europe, does my Schengen visa 90 day limit start when I arrived in the UK, or mainland Europe? - Cityscape of river with ship near buildings in foggy weather
If I arrive in the UK, and then head to mainland Europe, does my Schengen visa 90 day limit start when I arrived in the UK, or mainland Europe? - Crowd of people standing on platform of railway station and waiting train in busy day
If I arrive in the UK, and then head to mainland Europe, does my Schengen visa 90 day limit start when I arrived in the UK, or mainland Europe? - Black and white of young man in black clothes siting on seat in train in sunny day



Does Schengen visa cover UK before Brexit?

No. After Brexit - the EU consists of 27 member states - while the Schengen Area contains 26 countries - not all of whom are in the EU. Ireland is not in the Schengen Area - while Norway Switzerland Iceland and Liechtenstein are all in the Schengen Area - but not in the EU. Britain is not in either group as of 2021.

What is the Schengen 90 day rule?

Under the terms of Schengen, non-EEA nationals cannot spend more than a total of 90 days within a total period of 180 days without a visa. Furthermore, once you've used up your quota of 90 days, you cannot return to Schengen until 90 more days have passed.

Can I enter and or exit the Schengen Area via a country other than the one for which I have a visa?

As a general rule, you may cross any Schengen border with visa issued by any Schengen country. However, you should try and stick to your itinerary as filed when applying for your Schengen Visa.

What is the 180-day rule UK?

If you've spent time outside the UKYou must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. If you think you're affected by this rule, the Home Office has guidance about how to calculate your time in the UK ('continuous residence').



How To Stay In Europe Over 90 Days (Schengen Zone Visa)




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