Does anyone go to Spain for six months at a time

BONZO

BONZO

Free Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Posts
436
Likes collected
310
Location
Rotherham
Funster No
20,010
MH
Kon tiki 30ft
Exp
20011
if so what do we need . As we are thinking of going for six months John
 
Check the van insurance - some insurers don't do six months, single trip.

Else enjoy yourself. :D(y)
 
There will be a problem with max 90 day in every 180 rule when or if we leave EU.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Have been doing Spain for 6 months in Winter for the last 10 years or so.
The main things are van, house and medical insurance and van mot.
Every thing else you can buy there.
At the moment you need EHIC card and hopefully that will continue to be acceptable by Spain in the future, that is of course subject to how and when we leave the EU.
 
Tanya_and_Mick said:
Is this not the case now?
Click to expand...
Yes but we seem to be able to get away with it, but will we be able to in the future? I don’t think anyone knows but as @nicholsong says could be clamped down on.(y) From the look of it the French will.
 
Speve said:
Yes but we seem to be able to get away with it, but will we be able to in the future? I don’t think anyone knows but as @nicholsong says could be clamped down on.(y) From the look of it the French will.
Click to expand...
The rule already exists and is applied to people from countries like the US, Australia etc. This link (below) covers what happens if you overstay and it is very clear you will be picked up. What happens to you depends very much on what you have been doing. If you have overstayed because you have been working then being locked up is a distinct possibility. It is possible to apply for a visa extension (there's a link on the page) but it isn't straightforward and is best done it says from the country where you intend to stay. But it would be the only way to stay longer than 90 days. I guess you would need an address or addresses where you are staying and show proof of income and medical cover etc.

Will the 90 days rule apply to UK tourists? As the Government is making a big thing about ending of Freedom of Movement of EU citizens then I think it will. I guess we won't know until some Funster gets picked up leaving from Calais or boarding the Chunnel. :)

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/consequences-of-overstaying-in-schengen-area/

And remember the 90 days is accumulated and the clock is not reset until you stay out of the area for a full 90 days. So if you spent 60 days there in say May and June then came back to the UK for July and August and then returned in September you would have to come back after 30 days because being away for just July and August isn't long enough. You would have had to stay out until the end of October then you could return for another 90 days.
 
DBK said:
The rule already exists and is applied to people from countries like the US, Australia etc. This link (below) covers what happens if you overstay and it is very clear you will be picked up. What happens to you depends very much on what you have been doing. If you have overstayed because you have been working then being locked up is a distinct possibility. It is possible to apply for a visa extension (there's a link on the page) but it isn't straightforward and is best done it says from the country where you intend to stay. But it would be the only way to stay longer than 90 days. I guess you would need an address or addresses where you are staying and show proof of income and medical cover etc.

Will the 90 days rule apply to UK tourists? As the Government is making a big thing about ending of Freedom of Movement of EU citizens then I think it will. I guess we won't know until some Funster gets picked up leaving from Calais or boarding the Chunnel. :)

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/consequences-of-overstaying-in-schengen-area/

And remember the 90 days is accumulated and the clock is not reset until you stay out of the area for a full 90 days. So if you spent 60 days there in say May and June then came back to the UK for July and August and then returned in September you would have to come back after 30 days because being away for just July and August isn't long enough. You would have had to stay out until the end of October then you could return for another 90 days.
Click to expand...
So is it possible to stay in France for a month and go into Spain for 3 months and come back. Do they cheque when you pass over into Spain .
 
BONZO said:
So is it possible to stay in France for a month and go into Spain for 3 months and come back. Do they cheque when you pass over into Spain .
Click to expand...
France and Spain will still be in schengen area so the same rule applies, the problem for us when we leave EU is that our passports will probably be checked in when leaving Uk so they have date of entry to schengen and can keep track of how long you have been over there as it will be 90 days in any of the schengen countries total AFAIK.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
BONZO said:
So is it possible to stay in France for a month and go into Spain for 3 months and come back. Do they cheque when you pass over into Spain .
Click to expand...
No but they will check when you arrived in France and check when you leave regardless of which country you leave from . In your example Spain . I would suspect that the simple way of tracking is a stamp in your passport on arrival in any Schengen country .
 
BONZO said:
So is it possible to stay in France for a month and go into Spain for 3 months and come back. Do they cheque when you pass over into Spain .
Click to expand...
As already mentioned the whole of the Schengen area (which includes Switzerland and Norway) is treated as one, so moving about between individual countries makes no difference - they don't have borders anyway on most crossings. The only way to stop the clock is to leave the Schengen area, which means in practical terms, somewhere like Morocco, Turkey or of course back to the UK. The clock starts again as soon as you return and if you haven't been out for 90 consecutive days the count is just added to the score you have already. Hence my original example coming back to the UK for a couple of months in say July and August isn't enough.
 
I think my next postings may be direct from the Bastille.
 
I entered Spain January 18 I left Spain in to Portugal around the end of June, left Portugal back in to Spain in August from Spain in to France September and back to the UK 4th October via Calais

No one batted an eye.

I returned to France via Calais 17th January 19 and again no one batted an eye.

I've never had a stamp in my passport but of course it was looked at.

I've no doubt entry and leaving is recorded somewhere but at the minute they don't seem to concerned , there's lots of folk Ben in Spain for a lot longer.


I think if and when brexit happens that will come to an end ....And probably quite quickly.


Which is a shame really , I'm of the belief if you are supporting yourself and commiting no crime then what is the harm.

I'm against restrictiions on freedom of movement ...I think there's way more serious stuff the world should be bothered about.


Like the damage being done to it

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
It’s all such an unknown entity. We are planning to pop to Croatia slowly via whichever route we fancy.Spend 30 days in Croatia, then head home, slowly via a different inbound route just so we only spend the 90 days in schengen.
 
After three months you are no longer covered by the NHS. An interesting point is whether your EHIC card is still valid, as this is a reciprocal agreement between our healthcare system and Europe.

Mrs QFour
 
We kept the van garaged at Alicante Airport for 6 months, and flew backwards and forwards to the UK throughout the winter. So no need to register, as we were only in the country for a few weeks at a time.

We are planning to do exactly the same again this coming winter, and have already booked flights on easyJet. The cheapest return fare was £36.50, and even flying down for Christmas and New Year and back again was only £76 each.

Keeps the whole thing legal, and the van is stored indoors, away from the British winter. :)
 
Last edited:
mikebeaches said:
We kept the van garaged at Alicante Airport for 6 months, and flew backwards and forwards to the UK throughout the winter. So no need to register, as we were only in the country for a few weeks at a time.

We are planning to do exactly the same again this coming winter, and have already booked flights on easyJet. The cheapest return fare was £36.50, and even flying down for Christmas and New Year and back again was only £76 each.

Keeps the whole thing legal, and the van is stored indoors, away from the British winter. :)
Click to expand...
Flying or ferry the rules still apply .
 
spitfire said:
Flying or ferry the rules still apply .
Click to expand...
How so, if we are regularly returning to the UK during the six-month period?

We spent circa 90 days in Spain and the same in the UK during the period. And then no return to Spain until next winter.

The van is in Spain for 180 days in the 12-month period, and we are there for no more than 90 days. What is wrong with that?

Should be OK post Brexit too, whatever the outcome. :)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
mikebeaches said:
How so, if we are regularly returning to the UK during the six-month period?

We spent circa 90 days in Spain and the same in the UK during the period. And then no return to Spain until next winter.

The van is in Spain for 180 days in the 12-month period, and we are there for no more than 90 days. What is wrong with that?

Should be OK post Brexit too, whatever the outcome. :)
Click to expand...
Nothing but you didn’t specify that you would only spend 90 days in total . Your post reads that it is ok to go back and forward just to avoid the 90 day rule . Or maybe it is just the way I read it !
 
If they do the same as they do in Turkey who also have 90/180 rule in place. When entering with a vehicle they put a stamp in your passport showing that you drove in and you're not allowed out without the same vehicle unless you find your way around the paperwork and leave it in a customs pound.

Pete
.
 
QFour said:
After three months you are no longer covered by the NHS. An interesting point is whether your EHIC card is still valid, as this is a reciprocal agreement between our healthcare system and Europe.

Mrs QFour
Click to expand...
Covered where by the nhs?
At home?

I don't see how that is , both my doctor and dentist were aware I was travelling for a year , I had appointments with both on my return with no issues.

And never as yet ( touch wood ) had to use either abroad
 
monzer said:
I still hope for a 2nd referendum to put a halt to all this nonsense.
Click to expand...
I'm hoping whoever torched notre damme does Westminster next lol

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top