Options for extending my stay?

[browneyedgirl36]

Has anyone ever gotten a longer-stay visa to remain in the EU (specifically the Schengen countries such as Italy, Germany, Greece, etc.) for longer than the 90-day "free" period granted to citizens of certain countries (U.S., Canada, Australia, etc.) If so, how long did it take? Does it have to be done in your home country? Is there any way to do it once you arrive at your destination?

 

I ask because I am travelling to one of the Schengen territories, and I wanted to stay for 30 days past the 90-day maximum period allowable without a visa. I stupidly got a plane ticket for 120 days after my arrival instead of 90 days, not being aware of the 90-day limit and the penalties for over-staying in the Schengen territories. I am not a lawbreaker by nature, but I admit I DID do some research into the likelihood of getting caught overstaying the 90-day period. I understand that it is the law, and I respect the law, but I was really excited about the prospect of staying a bit longer than 90 days, and to change my plane ticket will be a hassle AND expensive for me. After reading a number of blogs, information sites, travel sites, etc., I am concerned about the potential penalties for staying even one day longer! My biggest concern is that, when I am leaving the EU, via Germany, to fly back to the U.S., immigration might detain me when (if?) they notice that I have been there too long. So, I do not plan to overstay, obviously. I've had a lot of people tell me that I probably wouldn't get caught, or that if I did, not much would happen, but....eh....it's not in my nature to break laws, and I'm a big wuss anyway -- the potential penalties/consequences are too dire for me.

 

So, any suggestions? Has anyone ever obtained a longer-stay visa AFTER leaving their home country? Can this even be done? Or, have you obtained one before leaving your country in a VERY short period of time? I could drive down to the Consulate, which is about two hours away, but it is only open Mondays and Thursdays from 1:00-3:30 p.m., and you have to get in line hours before it opens because so many people show up. I can't go tomorrow, and Monday is a holiday here (Martin Luther King Day) so I'd have to go next Thursday, which is only a little over a week before I would be leaving -- not enough time to get this processed.

 

Anyway...I realize it's my own fault for not getting my act together in time and not reading up on all of this stuff months ago. Most likely, I'll have to pay the $200 to change my plane ticket and just come home earlier. I just thought that someone might have a suggestion.

[renaissancewoman101]

Are the penalties THAT severe for overstaying your visa?

 

I know many people come to the US on a travel visa and then overstay it and become illegals and work under the table, and never seem to get caught.

[browneyedgirl36]

Are the penalties THAT severe for overstaying your visa?

 

I know many people come to the US on a travel visa and then overstay it and become illegals and work under the table, and never seem to get caught.

 

Well, Ren, I researched potential consequences, and while I won't be thrown in a Turkish prison or anything, if they stop me, I CAN be detained and/or fined a fairly large sum of money (somewhere around $1800, depending on how long I overstay) and/or be barred from entering certain countries for a period of several years. I'm just not sure it's worth the risk. I know I could get away with living there for another 30 days -- no one would catch me and deport me unless I committed a crime and they figured out I was there illegally -- my concern is that, on exiting the EU via Germany, I would be caught overstaying (the stamps in my passport would give the date I had entered the EU, AND the records of these things are mostly computerized now, so my passport could just be scanned and the immigration people would know). I am not worried about getting caught living there and deported so much as I am worried about being barred from coming back for a long time. I'm definitely not worried about jail becuase in most of the western EU countries, that's not likely at all.

 

I am a worrywart by nature, and I tend to try to look at all the worst case scenarios. Plus, I hate the idea of breaking a pretty major law. On the message boards I looked at regarding this topic, there were a lot of Americans posting asking how they could overstay and not get "caught" and a LOT of Europeans posting about how Americans think they are above the rules, that the rules don't apply to them, that they should get special treatment because they are American, etc. Of course, it's not just Americans who do these things, but reading about it made me feel bad, that in overstaying I'd be disrespecting the laws of another country. I am way, way too conscientious for my own good.

 

On another note, I think I will change my plane ticket and continue my trip in another country, one that is not part of the Schengen territories, so that I will not be over-staying the 90-day limit. That way, I can still travel but not feel guilty about breaking laws or worry about penalities.

[renaissancewoman101]

If you continue your trip in another country, I hope it doesn't cost you too much in change fees.

 

I never knew there was a limit on how many months we can visit a country? But then I am clueless when it comes to that. I haven't gone overseas in a long while and I usually go for 1-2 weeks.

 

My mom, on the other hand, has gone and stayed overseas with relatives for months at a time and she has a US passport.

[browneyedgirl36]

If you continue your trip in another country, I hope it doesn't cost you too much in change fees.

 

I never knew there was a limit on how many months we can visit a country? But then I am clueless when it comes to that. I haven't gone overseas in a long while and I usually go for 1-2 weeks.

 

My mom, on the other hand, has gone and stayed overseas with relatives for months at a time and she has a US passport.

 

Well, I'm freaking out right now. I just called the airline to see if I could cancel or change my return flight, and I was told that no changes can be made on my return flight prior to my departure, so I could make changes once I got to Europe, but not before. And, I may be denied boarding if it is noted that my return flight date exceeds the 90-day tourist waiver period! I am totally freaked out. I leave in a little over 2 weeks, and I don't know what's going to happen. The airline told me that I have to contact the agency that made my reservations. Well, of course, that agency is on the east coast, and they are closed. So...I found the phone number of the woman who booked my flight and left her a long, rambling, frantic voicemail about my situation AND sent her an e-mail. I hope that she can change my ticket or cancel it and get me a new one. If not, I am screwed. I can get my own new ticket, probably, but I am not sure if this close to departure there will be anything available! I can't do anything about anything until I hear from someone tomorrow.

 

Ugh. I hate myself for screwing up. I should have been better informed from the start.

[renaissancewoman101]

When you say "denied boarding" do you mean on your flight to Europe or your return flight? I just can't believe they can do that to you. I know people who have gone overseas to other countries and stayed past 90 days before returning to the US.

[browneyedgirl36]

When you say "denied boarding" do you mean on your flight to Europe or your return flight? I just can't believe they can do that to you. I know people who have gone overseas to other countries and stayed past 90 days before returning to the US.

 

The ticket agent I spoke to on the phone said that they may not allow me to even board the plane in San Francisco to head to Europe! She said that if they look at my itinerary and note that I have a return flight that is more than 90 days out, and if I can't show them the proper visa (the one for longer than 90-day stays, which I don't have), they might not let me get on the plane.

 

I didn't even think of this, honestly, and now I am totally freaking out. There's no way I will hear from anyone involved with my program until tomorrow because they're all etiher in London (where it is the middle of the night) or back east, where it's almost 9 p.m. and the offices are all closed.

 

Worst case scenario, they will have to cancel my ticket (according to the airline, I can't cancel it because it was part of a group reservation) and I will have to try to get another one, but I'm freaking out that there may be no flights available this close to the departure date.

 

I am very prone to anxiety -- I am a chronic worrier -- and I haven't been this worried about anything in a long time. I THINK it can be fixed, but until I know for sure, I'm freaking out.