Returning to Schengen Area Visa Questions
I have a question about the 90 Day Rule for going to the Schengen Area (I'm an American). Last June around the 20th I entered Germany as a tourist, and around the 30th of June I got an Au Pair visa that allowed me to stay for 6 months. I left Germany around the 10th of December. I am planning to go to Italy in the first week of June this year (just to travel), and am wondering about this whole 90 day within a 180 day period thing. It will not have been 180 days since I left Germany, but if I had a long term visa while I was there, rather than just a tourist visa, will I be allowed to enter and stay for a full 90 days? Does the 180 day period start from when I first entered Germany, thus I really only used 10 "tourist visa days" before leaving?
I realize this is a super specific question, so if anyone can even just point me in the right direction as to where to find more info on this that would be great!
Best Answer
As far as the maximum stay rule is concerned, you should be fine, for two reasons:
The rule is such that you only need 90 days (and not 180 days) between stays. It's a bit counterintuitive but if you left 91 days ago, the first day of your first 90-day stay is now exactly 181 days in the past and does not count anymore. So you have the right to stay for one day. The day after, the second day of your first stay is now out of the sliding window too (but the first day of your second stay counts!), so you still have exactly one day left. And so on until you reach 90 days again. With multiple stays, the whole thing can get confusing but fortunately there are calculators to help, see How does the Schengen 90/180 rule work?
The time spent under a long-stay visa (like your au-pair visa) is indeed excluded from the count. For more on that, see e.g. Does tourist visa (90 days) apply after a long-term visa ends in Schengen countries? You could even stay for 90 days immediately after the end of your long-stay visa or leave and re-enter the Schengen area during this time. Do carry any relevant documentation with you (au-pair visa, proof that you left the country, things about your status in the US or what you plan to do in Italy, etc.) in case there are questions but I would not expect any problem (don't volunteer anything, just have it ready if needed).
Pictures about "Returning to Schengen Area Visa Questions"
Can I leaving Schengen Area and returning?
Once you leave, you cannot return to Spain (or Schengen) without a visa until a further 90 days have gone by. For example, if you have spent 90 days in total in Spain and leave on June 29th, you cannot go back without a visa until at least September 28th.How long do you have to stay out of the Schengen Area?
For example, France has a bilateral agreement that allows U.S. citizens to stay an additional 90 days beyond the Schengen limit. You can enter from any Schengen country, stay 90 days in France, and then fly home. But the catch is you have to go home \u2014 you can't go elsewhere.What questions do they ask for Schengen Visa?
Sample Interview Questions- What is the purpose of your trip?
- Why do you want to visit this country?
- For how long will be traveling to Europe?
- What Schengen countries are you planning to visit?
- When you will be traveling?
- Where will you stay?
- How will you travel from one place to another?
Can you stay in Europe for more than 3 months after Brexit?
Now that the UK is outside the EU, British passport holders can stay for a maximum of 90 days per 180-day period. UK passport holders can cross an external EU border using just a valid passport and stay anywhere in the Schengen Area for up to 3 months.Schengen Visa - Top 5 Interview Questions and Answers
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: John De Leon, Max Vakhtbovych, Pixabay, Andrea Piacquadio