Schengen visa: Interrupted stay
We have a Schengen visa for two years which states “multi entry” max stay 90 days, and UK visa for 10 years. My question is that we wish to go to AMS stay there for a month and later on go to UK for about a month and then return back to AMS and to stay there for two months, i.e. balance of the ninety days' stay. We are having return ticekts from New Delhi to Amsterdam and back. We wish to buy tickt to UK and back from Amsterdam only.
Kindly advise on the issue as travel agents have different views about the subject.
Best Answer
What you are planning to do is perfectly legal. There is no requirement to buy any ticket before entering the Schengen area and nothing in the official regulation that would forbid buying tickets in Amsterdam and staying in the UK in the middle of a 90-day Schengen stay. Only the days during which you are present in the Schengen area (based on entry/exit stamps) count toward the 90-day limit so as long as you are not staying longer than 90 days in any 180-day period, splitting the stay in two is not a problem.
At the same time, having all the relevant tickets when boarding the flight and crossing the border would help alleviate any concern that you are planning to break the rules. Border guards might ask about that but if you have a credible plan, it should be fine. The airline will also want to check your visa back in India, before you even reach Amsterdam, and it's likely that airline personnel (or, as you found out, travel agents) would not be familiar with the fine points of the rules. So if you can help it at all, I would recommend buying some tickets to the UK in advance to make things simpler.
Also note that the maximum stay is now ninety days, not “three months” so make sure you got the calculations right and you will be leaving the Schengen area in time. It would seem prudent to have a short buffer at the end (i.e. leave after 80-85 days) in case something goes wrong (a cancelled flight is not an excuse, you could still be fined or possibly even lose your visa if you find yourself stuck in Amsterdam on the last day of your authorized stay).
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What happens if I overstay my 90 days in Europe?
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.What happens if you overstay in the Schengen Zone?
You could receive a fine, immediate deportation or even get banned from entering the Schengen Area for a period. It is also important to remember that the 90/180 day rule also applies to countries with a visa waiver agreement with the Schengen Area.Can I change my hotel after getting Schengen visa?
The Schengen visa means the visa is for the Schengen area; otherwise it will be called a country-specific visa. There is no requirement to enter first to the country who issued you visa and hence no hotel change issue.Can I stay in Schengen area after my visa expires?
If you apply after your visa expires, even just a day later, then you will be deported for overstaying your visa, despite of your reasons. Therefore, take care to apply at least a week before your current Schengen short-stay visa expires.Overstaying in the Schengen Zone - How to Extend Your Stay in Europe UPDATED
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