What's the best way for a US citizen to tour Europe long term? (1 Viewer)

Originalsmoothie

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I am a UK citizen. My (new) wife is from the USA. We don't want to pay in excess of $4,000 to apply for a spousal visa to get her into the UK when there is no guarantee that the application will be successful. I know that if she is visiting a Shengen country she can stay a maximum of 90 days in every 180 day period. As we are married does she have the same rights as I do with regard to staying long term in Europe? If not, what's the best way for her to stay longer than 90 days? We hope to tour Spain for five months from November this year and then return to the UK for the six months maximum stay that she is currently allowed. We can't do it until we resolve this issue.
 
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I am a UK citizen. My (new) wife is from the USA. We don't want to pay in excess of $4,000 to apply for a spousal visa to get her into the UK when there is no guarantee that the application will be successful. I know that if she is visiting a Shengen country she can stay a maximum of 90 days in every 180 day period. As we are married does she have the same rights as I do with regard to staying long term in Europe? If not, what's the best way for her to stay longer than 90 days? We hope to tour Spain for five months from November this year and then return to the UK for the six months maximum stay that she is currently allowed. We can't do it until we resolve this issue.

Invasion.....

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Autowbars

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Just come over and tour, there are no passport checks in Shenzhen area, so in reality, how long does an individual country know how how long you have been there. The passport is not stamped, at least for EU citizens, don't know about US citizens.
I do hope you can get sorted, £4000 seems a LOT of dosh, who is that paid to? DOnald Trump!
 

DanielFord

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To the best of my knowledge, Schengen is a red herring here. US citizens will be afforded the same visiting rights that we are when we visit the US under the Visa Waiver programme, ie 90 days in 180. Any longer stay will require a visa of some description.
I do have a friend from Texas who has lived in the UK for 19 years (legally), she is married to an Englishman but retains her US citizenship, I will ask her what visa she had to get.

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Originalsmoothie

Originalsmoothie

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Just come over and tour, there are no passport checks in Shenzhen area, so in reality, how long does an individual country know how how long you have been there. The passport is not stamped, at least for EU citizens, don't know about US citizens.
I do hope you can get sorted, £4000 seems a LOT of dosh, who is that paid to? DOnald Trump!
The problem is not while you are in the country, but when you leave. I have read many accounts of people who overstay being caught at the point of exit. One even had "illegal alien" stamped into her passport. Overstaying is NOT an option (but it's very tempting!)
 

roadster55

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If you encounter any problems in mainland Europe just remind them that they'd be under German rule if it wasn't for the UK/Commonwealth and the USA. Oh heck they are....
 
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Autowbars

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The problem is not while you are in the country, but when you leave. I have read many accounts of people who overstay being caught at the point of exit. One even had "illegal alien" stamped into her passport. Overstaying is NOT an option (but it's very tempting!)

Blimey, that is a bit harsh eh!, but if the country of departure was different from entry, how would they, the border folk, know?

My son has lived under the radar all over the past few years, the numpty,EU, Morroco, Gib, and has been home a couple o times.
But as said, he is a numpty!

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Sorry I cant help the OP but would like to state that I find this situation both ridiculous and ironic.

Many of us on the forum have had discussions about doing this in the US. It seems they dont want us to either. Why on earth would you discourage long term tourism? why 3 months? why not a year? Its ridiculous!

Ironic because - the US & the UK & the shengen zone have actual properly dangerous people in them coming and going as they please.
 
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Originalsmoothie

Originalsmoothie

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Thanks for the replies so far. If Cynthia (my wife) doesn't have the same free travel entitlement as I do in Europe, there is a possible solution. She can apply for a long stay French visa which will allow her to travel through Europe for up to 12 months. Unfortunately we'll be separated for another month while she applies from the USA for the visa. Who would have thought that two solvent people from two different first world countries with a strong bond would have such problems motoring through Europe together? It's a real pain, but what can you do?
 

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