Overstaying 90 day limit in Norway with long-term residence from EU country

Overstaying 90 day limit in Norway with long-term residence from EU country - Flag of Norway with white blue and red stripes waving on flagstaff against building

I'm a citizen of a third world country with long-term residence in EU country (Czech Republic). I'm currently spending some time in Norway, where I'm allowed to stay up to 90 days withing 180 days. But when I was buying return ticket I seem to have made a mistake in my calculations and I'm flying back on 97th day.

What are the chances of getting caught? Should I ditch the return ticket and buy an earlier one? (Do airlines pass flight information to local authorities, who follow every persons' ins and outs?)



Best Answer

No, airlines don't generally pass this information to the authorities. Some countries might still have more specific records but there is no general framework or legal basis to track people's movements within the Schengen area. It does however happen in other situations, including for flights in and out of the Schengen area.

Very often, for internal Schengen flights, you don't have to provide anything else than your full name (i.e. no passport number, date of birth, etc.) which is not enough to uniquely identify you. A number of cross-border roads are also fully open. All this means the chances of getting caught are generally pretty low.

However, the lack of stamps or systematic controls does not mean it's absolutely impossible to be found out. Border checks do still occasionally take place and if all you have is a return ticket with 97 days between the two legs, there is a strong presumption that you overstayed, which could be enough to prompt further investigations.

Also, you mentioned in a comment that you regularly go to Norway. What you are doing there is none of my business but note that many people residing illegally in a country do get caught, not at the border or by a fancy database, but during some old-school police raid/inspection of their workplace. That's not relevant if you do not work but it's just one example of the way the rule is intended to work and how people get found out.

I know absolutely nothing about Norwegian procedural rules in this area but if it comes to it, entry/exit records are not the only type of evidence that could be used against you (think shopping receipts, student registration, phone contract…). If the presumption is strong enough it might even be up to you to prove you haven't stayed too long in the country by producing evidence of your travels or presence abroad (that's certainly how it works for short-stay visa holders who miss a stamp).




Pictures about "Overstaying 90 day limit in Norway with long-term residence from EU country"

Overstaying 90 day limit in Norway with long-term residence from EU country - Modern geometric glass building with balconies
Overstaying 90 day limit in Norway with long-term residence from EU country - Facade of traditional wooden house decorated with colorful potted flowers located in quiet valley with forested mountains in cloudy weather
Overstaying 90 day limit in Norway with long-term residence from EU country - Low angle brick facade of old residential building with balconies and tile roof against blue sky on sunny day



Does the 90 day rule apply to Norway?

If you're a tourist, you do not need a visa for short trips to EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You can stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Can I stay in Norway for more than 90 days?

You can stay in Norway and the rest of the Schengen area for up to 90 days during a period of 180 days. You can divide the 90 days over several visits and travel freely in and out of Norway. If you have had a residence permit in Norway which has expired, you must travel out of Norway and the Schengen area.

How long can EU citizen stay in Norway?

Citizens from EU/EEA countries If you are not a Nordic citizen, but are a citizen in another EU/EEA country, you may freely travel into Norway and stay in the country for up to three months. If you are staying in Norway for longer than three months, you must register.

What happens if I overstay Schengen 90 days?

The Schengen law states that you can't stay in the Area for more than 90 days. If you do, you're subject to a fine and possibly deportation and being banned from re-entering the Schengen Area. How that rule is enforced, though, varies greatly from one country to another.



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: Andreea Ch, Andreea Ch, Tatiana Syrikova, Adrien Olichon