Is it possible to extend a tourist Schengen visa (12 more days)?

My daughter applied at the Italian Consulate in Philadelphia, and they gave her two entries for 20 days (we thought it was for 20 days each entry). She was in Italy 12 days, then went to England for 1 week and flew to Venice to take a 10-day cruise. She couldn't make it because they said she has only 8 remaining days, but she still has a land tour already paid this week.

What can she do? Can she extend the Schengen visa for 12 more days? Right now, she is in Madrid, but next week she has to fly from Barcelona to Paris to start with the tour. What would happen if she decides to take the tour with the expired visa? She is a US permanent resident.

Best Answer

There is no easy way to extend a Schengen visa. Article 33 of the Schengen Visa code only allows an extension if you cannot leave the Schengen area (force majeure) or you can provide “proof of serious personal reasons”. Otherwise you have to apply for another visa and you can only do that from your place of residence.

The only solution around that would be a national visitor visa (if the country allows you to apply for it after entering the Schengen area, which is not always the case), see our related question #1 or question #2.

If she decides to stay anyway, she will mostly risk a fine upon exiting the Schengen area. Having overstayed will also possibly compromise her ability to get a Schengen visa in the future.

Pictures about "Is it possible to extend a tourist Schengen visa (12 more days)?"

Is it possible to extend a tourist Schengen visa (12 more days)? - Yellow Pikachu Plushmascot

Is it possible to extend a tourist Schengen visa (12 more days)? - Brown Coconut on Sand

Is it possible to extend a tourist Schengen visa (12 more days)? - People Standing Across Glass Building

Can Schengen tourist visa be extended?

Generally speaking, you cannot extend a Schengen Visa during your trip, apart from in exceptional circumstances. If you want to extend your trip you will have to exit the Schengen Area and apply for a new visa to return and continue your visit.

How long can a tourist visa be extended?

B1 Visa Extension and B2 Visa Extension You are allowed to extend tourist visa and extend your business date if you are B1 or B2 holder. The typical amount of time granted to a B visa holder is one to six months. The maximum amount of time you can extend on a B-1 visa is up to 6 months, for a total of 1 year.

How do I get the longest Schengen Visa?

1 year multiple-entry Schengen visa

You can obtain this visa provided that you have obtained and lawfully used three visas within the previous two years. ...

The 1-year MEV visa gives you the right to enter in the Schengen Zone as many times as you want, as long as you do not remain more than 90 days within this period.

How can I stay in Schengen Area longer than 90 days?

What you can do though is to get a Schengen Tourist Visa for 90 days (3 months) and then get another 180 days (6 months) tourist visa for the UK or through other European countries and that would technically enable you to stay in the European area for a long time.

Overstaying in the Schengen Zone - How to Extend Your Stay in Europe UPDATED

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Erik Mclean, mentatdgt, Craig Adderley, Roberto Lee Cortes