Maximum length of stay? (1 Viewer)

[klaatu]

In a few weeks we will be at the end of our 6-month stay in SW Scotland, with occasional trips to other parts of the British Isles. Currently sitting here in Ireland and planning a trip to France starting in September.

Not sure how long we will be in France, but it could be 8 months. I have found information on the web that I can only take a UK registered vehicle to France for six months in any twelve month period, but the information is all quite old and I am wondering if it is now out of date? Or would we have to go to Spain or wherever for 2 months in the middle of the 8 months?

 

[pappajohn]

I believe the 6 month rule applies to all EU countries.
After 6 months the vehicle must be registered in that country and wear foreign plates.

 

[klaatu]

Thanks - well I guess staying within the rules and having to spend a couple of months in some other countries won't be a hardship.

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[EX51SSS]

Thinking of @pappajohn reply. Does it mean any country individually or EU in general? Meaning, would splitting the trip by going into Spain or another EU country for a short time cancel the 6 months rule or because it's still an EU country would it mean 6 months irrespective which EU country you are in?

 

[2657]

Once you are in France how will they know where you have been, no border checks in the Schengen area and I doubt very much that anybody would be bothered to check anyway.

 

[klaatu]

Once you are in France how will they know where you have been, no border checks in the Schengen area and I doubt very much that anybody would be bothered to check anyway.

Yes, this had occurred to me. I guess that as long as you don't try to stay in one spot for more than 6 months, no-one will know or care how long you have been in the country.

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[WillH]

Best check what your insurance company has to say about your intended travels, both vehicle insurance and health insurance.

 

[Emmit]

It's not a "Six Months", one size fits all so, you can't go to France say and spend 5 months there, nip over the border to say Spain for a couple of months and then resume your travels back in France for another long period.
You are only allowed Six Months in a 12 month period so it the above circs, you would only be allowed to return to France for a month.
This is what the Gov site says for the UK. I presume??? that this is a mirror for other EC States.

"You can usually use a vehicle with foreign number plates without registering or taxing it in the UK if all of the following apply:

• you’re visiting and don’t plan to live here
• the vehicle is registered and taxed in its home country
• you only use the vehicle for up to 6 months in total - this can be a single visit, or several shorter visits over 12 months."

There are exceptions to the rules for Students etc. but I assume you don't fall into this category.

 

[magicsurfbus]

You may need to leave Ireland a tiny bit earlier than planned if 6 months is the limit

Best guess is there's CCTV monitoring at the EU's internal borders even if they don't look at your passport.

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[2657]

In the past I have seen UK registered vehicles in Spain that have not seen the UK in many years, totally illegal of course but some people risked it. The last I heard was that the Guardia were cracking down but the local police just seemed to turn a blind eye.

Not condoning this practice in any way but I think it highly unlikely that the authorities on the Continent will use much of their resources on enforcing this rule unless the owner takes up residence or the vehicle is illegal.

I know of people whose vehicles are out of the UK for 10/11 months and only return to the UK for MOT's etc and have been doing this for many years.

 

[jockaneezer]

A guy from work retired to Portugal 4 or 5 years ago, he made trips back to the UK every few months in his car then thought it wouldn't affect him as he'd been there a couple of years. He ended up with I think about a €6000 fine.

 

[2657]

A guy from work retired to Portugal 4 or 5 years ago, he made trips back to the UK every few months in his car then thought it wouldn't affect him as he'd been there a couple of years. He ended up with I think about a €6000 fine.

Presumably he became a Portuguese resident and in the Portuguese Fiscal system, different case to being a visitor.

I do realise that staying in a country longer than 6 months means that technically you are no longer a visitor but as I said before I do not think that chasing visitors that overstay for a few months will be high on the priority list of most countries, especially in areas that rely heavily on tourism.

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[maison]

I don't think you have much to worry about. We spend six months each year at our base in France.

We travel into the local villages and are recognised by the Police Locale and some of the Gendarmes, who all say "Bonjour". Many of them like to pet and stroke our dog so they know we are there for extended periods. They see us driving on U.K. Plates and no-one has ever asked how long we gave been there.

Some years ago a French owned lorry reversed into our car and the Police attended. Once again, no questions were asked as to how long we had been in the Country.

 

[nicholsong]

I go along with Metamoros and Maison's way of thinking.

I think these rules were made up for two possible reasons

1.To ensure new 'Residents' registered for tax

2. To ensure vehicles were safe -prior to Standard CofC European Rules.

I am sure there are many commercial vehicles which are criss-crossing the EU and a lot(especially owner-drivers who have only one) may breach the 183 day rule. How many resources would the authorities need to account for their days in a country - and then prosecute them across borders?

Get real.

Geoff

 

[Langtoftlad]

How does this six month "limit" fit in with the EU's cherished mantra of 'free movement' ?
I'm sure we've got loads of EU 'visitors' from Eastern Europe who are here for a lot longer than 6 months without registering .

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[Boringfrog]

I believe the 6 month rule applies to all EU countries.
After 6 months the vehicle must be registered in that country and wear foreign plates.

Where you gonna register it to if you don't have an address there?

 

[busby]

Once you are in France how will they know where you have been, no border checks in the Schengen area and I doubt very much that anybody would be bothered to check anyway.

Exactly,,we have a friend who owns a site near Limoges,,she bought a 2007 Citroen new in the Uk and has used it in France ever since,,,she pops back to uk for a couple of weeks a year and gets it MOT d,,BUSBY.

 

[nicholsong]

Where you gonna register it to if you don't have an address there?

Some people get a friend to allow them at N0. 12 Badluckstrasse to put up a post box labelled No. 12A - do you think Civil Servants check?

Alternatively keep writing to the authorities in different towns, saying you have just moved there, and then move again - sure it would work in France. By this time you are long gone.

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