Do You Have to Know Your Fiance for at Least 2 Years Before You Can Apply for K1 Visa

Last Updated: nine/xiii/21 | September 13th, 2021

When I planned my move to Sweden a few years ago, I tried to figure out how to get past the xc-twenty-four hour period limit placed on tourist visas in the Schengen Expanse. This is a problem encountered by thousands of travelers every year and a question that regularly (peculiarly this fourth dimension of twelvemonth) pops upwards in my inbox.

"How can I stay in Europe for more than 90 days?"

It'south a simple question with a very complicated answer.

I always knew it was complicated, only until I started researching how to stay there longer, I never knew just how complicated.

Fortunately, in the process of this research, I came to learn in that location are a few ways to stay in Europe longer than 90 days; they but aren't well known.

This post volition teach yous the options for staying in Europe over ninety days also as give yous tips on how to move to Europe. But first a few things:

It's important to note that Europe isn't merely one identify — there are varying visa rules throughout the continent. When people talk near the "90-day limit," they're talking about restrictions on the Schengen Area, which is the visa policy that governs 26 countries in Europe. It includes all of the European Wedlock — except Ireland — likewise as a few non-European union countries.

Note: While I call it the "Schengen Visa," information technology'due south non an actual visa yous necessarily need to utilise for. Depending on your residency condition and land of citizenship, you may demand to utilize in advance for a Schengen Visa, nevertheless, those with an American passport do not demand to use in advance.

What is the Schengen visa?

The Schengen visa is a 90-solar day tourist visa for Schengen Expanse countries, which are:

Austria
Belgium
Czechia
Kingdom of denmark
Republic of estonia
Finland
France
Deutschland
Hellenic republic
Hungary
Iceland
Italian republic
Latvia
Republic of lithuania
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Republic of malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Kingdom of spain
Sweden
Switzerland

Additionally, there are several microstates that are de facto members of the Schengen Surface area. These are Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican city.

These Schengen countries have a edge-free visa understanding that lets residents move throughout the Surface area without needing to prove their passport every time they cross a border. Essentially, it's as if they're one land, and yous can motility as freely as you want.

Citizens of many countries are allowed to enter the Schengen Surface area without having to get a visa beforehand. Your passport but gets stamped upon your arrival and difference from Europe. You're allowed to enter and leave from any country y'all want — they don't take to be the same.

Here is a map of the countries with visa waivers that tin can enter the Schengen without requiring a visa in accelerate.

About visitors (including Americans) are allowed to spend ninety days in the Schengen Surface area in every 180-day period. The easiest style to think of it is that yous can visit for three months and then you have to get out for 3 months before you tin can return.

Notwithstanding, y'all can besides bounce back and forth between Schengen and non-Schengen countries — you lot just need to keep track of all your dates of entry/exit.

When I visit Europe, I fly in and out of different countries all the time. Your offset entry in the 180-twenty-four hour period menstruum is when your 90-day counter starts. These days don't need to be sequent — the total is cumulative. Once mean solar day 181 hits, the count resets itself.

For example, if I come to the Schengen Expanse in January and stay for sixty days so come dorsum in June for 10 days, that counts as 70 days in 180 days. Only days you are in the zone during the period count. If you go on January 1st and stay 90 straight days, you have to leave and technically can't come back until July 1st.

Notwithstanding, not all travelers are allowed such liberty.

Citizens from many countries need to apply for a Schengen visa alee of fourth dimension. You'll be required to fill out paperwork beforehand and fly in and out of the state for which your visa is issued.

Even then, you still might not be granted a visa. Spoiler alert: citizens from African and Asian countries get screwed.

Then, with that beingness said, how Do you stay in Europe longer? How practise you get effectually that rule? Let me suspension it down for you.

Role 1: Staying or Moving to Europe the Like shooting fish in a barrel Fashion

With so many visa rules, it's easy to stay in Europe beyond 90 days equally a tourist — you merely need to mix upwards the countries you lot visit. The Uk has its ain rules that allow you to stay 180 days in a calendar year.

Virtually not-Schengen countries such as Ukraine, Moldova, Croatia, Ireland, and some Balkan countries allow yous to stay for up to lx or 90 days. Albania even lets American's stay up to a year!

So, all you need to do to stay in Europe longer than three months is spend 90 days in the Schengen Area and then visit the Britain, go to the Balkans, hang out in Ukraine, drink wine in Moldova, and take a pint in Ireland. If you align your schedule right, you can easily exist out of the Schengen Area for 90 days and so caput back into the Schengen Expanse with a brand new Schengen visa.

Years ago, to become effectually this limit, I spent three months in Republic of bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and England equally I waited for my clock to reset. Later that, I headed back into the Shengen area for Oktoberfest.

If you desire to travel the continent for a long time without having to go through the various visa processes described beneath, vary your travel by visiting non-Schengen countries. There's enough of countries to choose from while yous wait for your Schengen Visa clock to reset. This is the like shooting fish in a barrel, hassle-free way of doing things.

—-> Need more than tips for Europe? Visit my destination guide and go in-depth information on what to see and practice and how to save coin.

Office 2: Staying in the Schengen Area Past xc Days

But what if yous do want to stay longer in the Schengen Area? What if the six months you want to be in Europe is all in Schengen Surface area countries? What if you want to live and work in Europe?

Later all, the Schengen Area spans 26 countries and visiting so many destinations in 90 days can be a little rushed (y'all would accept an average of only three.5 days per land).

If you want to stay longer to travel, alive, larn a language, or fall in love, so the "movement around" option suggested higher up isn't going to piece of work for you. You need something else.

Luckily, there are a few means to practise this — and I can't stress plenty the importance of the discussion "few." Because staying more than 90 days in the Schengen Area isn't easy.

Get-go, permit'southward empathize the dominion:

The Schengen law states that yous tin't stay in the Area for more than 90 days. If yous practice, y'all're subject to a fine and possibly displacement and being banned from re-inbound the Schengen Surface area. How that rule is enforced, though, varies greatly from i land to another. Overstaying by a solar day might not be the terminate of the globe, however, some countries practice not mess around with visitors overstaying.

For case, Germany, kingdom of the netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries are all very strict about entry and exit rules. If you overstay your tourist visit, in that location's a good chance they'll pull you aside. Two Australians I know were detained leaving Switzerland due to overstaying their visa by two weeks. They were allowed to go with but a warning, but they missed their flights and had to book new flights.

I know of someone who overstayed past six months, tried to exit from Amsterdam, and at present has an "illegal immigrant" stamp on her passport. In order to enter Europe again, she must apply for a visa at an diplomatic mission and be preapproved:

I made the mistake of attempting to exit from holland afterwards overstaying a Schengen visa and was caught. I overstayed by about a calendar month, and they hand-drew some sort of insignia in my passport to notation my overstay. They told me I'd have to contact the IND and find out if I would be able to enter the Schengen states again.

Another blogger told me this happened to them too so don't overstay your visa!

That existence said, if yous go out from Greece, French republic, Italia, or Spain you may be less probable to encounter an issue, provided you (a) haven't stayed over too long and (b) didn't grab the immigration officer on a bad 24-hour interval.

When I left Greece, no one even looked at my passport. One of my friends met a guy in France, barbarous in dearest, and decided not to leave. A yr later, when she finally did, the French officials didn't even look twice. Another friend flew into French republic and didn't even get an entry postage. Spain is another place notorious for not caring and Americans who make up one's mind to overstay for months mention that as the easiest land to exit from.

Of course, I don't remember information technology'due south wise to overstay. A day or two? Likely not the end of the earth. But, Matt, can I extend only extend my Schengen visa/stamp?
Unfortunately not. Simply put, y'all cannot extend your tourist visa or entry stamp. There'south a 90-24-hour interval limit, and that's that.

So what's a tourist to do?

one. Go a Working Holiday Visa

Working vacation visas are piece of cake to get and the best fashion to extend your stay — even if you don't desire to work. These visas are designed for immature travelers who desire to work and travel abroad. Citizens of Commonwealth of australia, Canada, and New Zealand (and often South Korea, Israel, Hong Kong, and Japan) are eligible for i- to two-year working holiday visas from most of the Schengen countries.

There is no single "working holiday" program for the Schengen or EU so applicants must apply for this visa from a specific state. Applicants must as well be younger than 30 (though, in some cases, similar for Canadians working in Switzerland or Ireland, you lot can exist as quondam as 35).

Additionally, you tin become consecutive working vacation visas. An Australian reader of mine got a two-twelvemonth Dutch working holiday visa and then got ane from Kingdom of norway to stay two more years. While she and her boyfriend (who also got ane) did odd jobs in Holland for a chip, they by and large used it as a way to travel around the continent.

Notation: This type of visa won't allow you to work in any other country than the 1 that issued it.

For Americans, there are only 2 options for working holidays in Europe: Republic of ireland (non-Schengen country) and Portugal (Schengen country). The Portuguese working vacation visa is for travelers aged eighteen-30 and lasts two years. The Irish ane also lasts two years and is adept for those anile 18-30, still, y'all must have graduated inside 12 months of applying (or exist a pupil).

ii. Get a Long-Term-Stay Visa

Unfortunately, the majority of Schengen countries practice not offer long-term-stay visas for tourists/visitors. Generally speaking, if yous desire a long-stay visa, you'd have to apply for residency.

Schengen allows for a C- or D-grade visa (the letter of the alphabet varies on the country), which is a temporary residence visa for upwards to ane year. But the specific visa and requirements vary from state to country. Some countries are harder, some are easier, and others are nearly impossible despite beingness in the same visa treaty zone.

Notwithstanding, there are a few countries that do offer long-term visas that aren't too hard to become:

France

France offers a long-term visitor visa for a period of upwardly to i twelvemonth. The application process takes up to 1 calendar month. According to the French Embassy, "The 'company' visa (or visa 'D') allows yous to enter France and stay for more than 3 months. Long-stay visa holders will exist allowed to reside in French republic for up to 12 months according to the validity of their visa and purpose of stay."

To go this visa, you must set an date at the French consulate most you. You tin't walk in — y'all must brand an appointment.

At this appointment, y'all'll demand the following documents:

I application form filled out completely and signed
Iii passport photos
Your original passport, which must have been issued less than ten years ago, be valid for 3 months after your render, and have at least two bare pages left
A letter certified past a notary public that promises you won't engage in work
A letter of employment stating electric current occupation and earnings
Proof of income (you'll need bank statements or copies of your investment portfolio)
Proof of medical insurance that includes evacuation insurance
Proof of accommodation in France. (The French consulate never returned my emails, and then I was unsure how you could accept this earlier yous even get to France. 1 could employ a friend'south accost or, defective that, rent a identify (1 where you can get a refund) for the purposes of the interview. It'due south a petty fuzzy.)

Note: Y'all tin can't apply for this visa more than than iii months earlier your arrival date.

You can visit the French Diplomatic mission website for links to local embassies and consulates for more information. This mail service also has some helpful information to get you started.

Sweden

Sweden too offers a long-term stay tourist visa for a maximum period of 1 twelvemonth. The process is easy usually takes around two weeks to process when applied for in Sweden. Here'southward a brief overview of what you demand:

Residence permit for visitor'due south application course
Notarized copies of the pages of your passport that show your identity and the validity of your passport, also as copies of all the other visas/stamps you have. Your passport also needs to be valid for 3 months after your stay.
A bank argument showing your means of supporting yourself for the elapsing of your stay (you need at least $52 USD per mean solar day for each day saved in your business relationship)
A render plane ticket
A letter from your insurance company stating y'all're covered overseas

Applications can be delivered in person during visiting hours (no appointment needed) or mailed to a Swedish consulate.

After your documents are received, you'll exist required to have an interview with one of the immigration officers. About people who utilize for this visa have family unit in Sweden. If yous don't, you'll need to take clear reasons equally to why you need to stay longer and testify ample proof that you tin support yourself (i.e., "I want to meet Swedish guys/girls" won't cut information technology!). If y'all're applying in Sweden, you'll demand to put a local's address on your application form, and that person volition accept to accompany you to your interview.

You can larn more about the procedure on this regime page.

Espana

Espana offers a long-term visa targeting retirees chosen the Non-Lucrative Residence Visa. It requires that you lot spend at least 183 days in Spain, which would brand y'all a legal resident for tax purposes hither. During this time, you are unable to work in Spain (and then y'all'll need to have enough savings to get you by). However, studying and unpaid internships are permitted.

The big take hold of for this visa is that you need to accept over 27,000 EUR in your bank account. That's around $32,000 USD. Since the visa is designed for retirees, the assumption is that y'all're coming hither to residual on your financial laurels after a lifetime of saving upwards — hence the sizeable requirement.

The visa has been denied to people who are remote workers and so I wouldn't recommend this visa if you lot're a digital nomad (Kingdom of spain is currently working on a visa specifically for distal nomads though information technology's non currently bachelor).

In improver to having sizable savings, you'll also need to fill out the application, submit your passport and additional photos, pay a fee, and provide the following:

Proof of private wellness insurance (from an authorized company in Kingdom of spain)
A md's note certifying that you're salubrious
A criminal background cheque translated into Castilian

Yous must apply for this visa in your land of residency as you will be interviewed equally function of the process. The application varies per land, usually between 120-520 EUR (it's around 125 EUR for Americans and merely over 500 EUR for Canadians).

This consulate page has all the specific details you need regarding the application.

Portugal

Portugal has multiple long term stay visas. Showtime, there is a Golden Visa, which requires a minimum investment in the country of $300,000 USD. More than realisticly, is the D7 visa, which is similar to Espana'south retirement visa.

It requires proof of insurance, a background check, an application and interview, etc. The main deviation, however, is that yous only need an income of effectually $9,000 USD instead of the $32,000 USD in savings the Spanish visa required. You still cannot work on this visa, so your income must exist passive (investments, pension, rental property, etc.).

The D7 visa tin work for digital nomads, though there is a split up visa that might work amend: the D2 visa.

This visa, known as the Immigrant Entrepreneur visa, isn't designed specifically for digital nomads. Y'all'll demand to submit a business plan and demonstrate you have enough capital to get started. Y'all'll as well need to explain why you want to start (or move) your concern to Portugal. You'll have a much higher chance of getting approved if you lot take invested up of 5,000 EUR in your business and speak some Portuguese every bit well (information technology'southward non required, merely these visas are regularly rejected so it will give you lot a leg up).

In short, there are a lot of steps for a temporary visa that just lasts 1 year. However, yous can get this extended and eventually apply for permanent residency or citizenship after 5 years.

Y'all'll demand to apply for both of these visas in your state of residency.

A notation of long-term visas: Go along in mind that the information to a higher place is only for reference. In that location may be more requirements needed for your awarding and non all visas are open up to everyone. You'll desire to contact your local embassy for specifics and additional information.

The Bilateral Agreement Hack

In add-on to the standard Schengen visa, most countries have numerous bilateral agreements contained of the Shengen visa. These agreements allow travelers stay in a specific country for an additional period of time beyond the 90-day Schengen limit. The only caveat is that can't leave that country during that time.

For example, France has a bilateral agreement that allows U.S. citizens to stay an additional 90 days beyond the Schengen limit. Y'all tin enter from any Schengen country, stay 90 days in France, and and so fly home. But the take hold of is you lot accept to go home — yous can't go elsewhere. Y'all have to get out Europe so you can't utilize your time in France as a sneaky way to reset your Schengen clock.

Now, the France/U.South. rule is tricky. It's based on a mail service-WW2 agreement that never was cancelled. Multiple French consulates told me yes, they idea this law existed only couldn't tell me where to notice it. A few visa services told me I was crazy. One consulate told me it was possible but only with a long-term visa.

But, after many calls, the United states, Canda, and Great britain French embassies told me that aye, this law does exist and that yep, this is still valid. Then they referenced me to the French national archives.

Well, nosotros found the actual diplomatic papers that spell this out. It took united states close to a year to observe information technology just we did.

This is the note from the French regime about it:

How-do-you-do,

There is a bilateral understanding betwixt French and the U.S. by exchange letters (March 16-31 mars 1949), which allows American citizens to stay in French republic xc days over 180 days, irrespective of the stays already made in other Schengen countries.

However, this agreement has been made before the Schengen agreement. Today, as there is no more edge control betwixt the Schengen countries, it is very difficult to decide how long a person has stayed in France and we heard that some people had troubles with the immigration police while leaving French republic.

Therefore, nosotros recommend American citizens to respect the Schengen regulation which allows a maximum of 90 days on 180 days in the whole Schengen area.

Consulat général de France, Service des visas
4101 Reservoir Road, Washington DC, 20007

A follow to the London embassy gave me this response:

"Whilst the bilateral agreement yous refer to has not officially been revoked, the French Border Constabulary has sole authorization on deciding whether to apply it or non, at the time of inbound or exiting the Schengen expanse."

So this is actually a matter. And, while they don't like y'all using it, it'southward still the law. Just bring proof yous stayed in France for 90 days! If you lot plan to utilize this dominion, bring documentation as edge guards my not be enlightened of information technology.

Additionally, Denmark and Poland besides have bilateral agreements with the United States that let citizens stay an additional ninety days in each state separate from the regular Schengen Zone visa. The Denmark rule applies exactly the same way as the French one. Denmark also has a bilteral agreemnt that is applicable for citizens of Australia, Canada, Chile, Israel, Nihon, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and South korea.

For Poland, you lot must enter and leave Poland via a non-Schengen country where y'all will be stamped once again (i.e., direct flight from NYC). So you could do xc days in the Schengen, fly to the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, and so fly to Poland. Poland's rules are but laid out in an agreement letter of the alphabet the U.S. and Poland signed in 1991. (Here's a re-create of the letter from the Smoothen government).

In theory, there are also other bilateral agreements between the U.S. and Schengen countries. I've been told by multiple sources that Belgium, Italia, Hungary, Norway, Espana, Portugal, and the Netherlands all have their own bilateral agreements with the U.S. besides. This page outlines the existing bilateral agreements.

Nonetheless, I reached out to each country'southward consulate and none of them replied (save Portugal) in any meaningful fashion. They but directed me to the standard visa FAQ folio.

Regarding Portugal, a representative from the Portuguese consulate said this regarding their bilateral sixty-day visa:

Delight note that those threescore days are an infrequent extension that needs to be requested within Portugal at SEF function near your temporary address in Portugal.

Now, in theory, one could say thanks to borderless travel yous could go your "extra 90 days in Kingdom of denmark" and then simply travel effectually, fly out of Kingdom of denmark, and no one would be the wiser. I could say that. But I've noticed a lot more intra-Europe passport checks in contempo years. I got yelled at in French republic for non having my passport with me while on a train to see a chateau. So, I wouldn't recommend doing this.

Note: Near counties accept bilateral agreements with other countries. Call the local embassy for more data (you lot'll accept better luck calling than emailing).

3. Get a Student Visa

All Schengen Surface area countries offer educatee visas that are like shooting fish in a barrel to obtain so long as you're enrolled in a recognized university programme. This would require you to pay for the grade, just it will most guarantee you a visa if you are accepted.

One of the best countries to do this in is Spain, where a whole industry has sprung upwardly to assist students study Spanish. At that place are tons of schools that will permit you to enroll and write messages stating you're a student at that place. You'll need to apply in your home country but the process is relatively straightforward. This mail details the requirements.

Germany is some other popular pick, every bit post-secondary schools at that place are essentially free. While there may be more than competition, the costs are much lower. You can learn well-nigh the application procedure here.

While most student visas allow yous to stay in a country for one year, I would only consider getting one if yous actually plan on studying. If yous're just getting a student visa to travel and play tourist, information technology'southward not going to be worth the cost and paperwork since you'll need to set upward everything from a residential address to a banking concern account to a local telephone number and more.

4. Go a Freelancer Visa

There are several countries that offer freelancer visas. This process is a piffling more complicated and not for the coincidental tourist. These visas are meant for people who actually want to live and piece of work in Europe. If you're merely a coincidental tourist, expect to exist denied. But if you're a digital nomad, this is the visa for you.

Schengen countries that offer freelancer visas include Deutschland, Republic of estonia, Spain, Czechia, Portugal, Greece, and Malta. Non-Schengen countries that have them include Croatia, Romania, Georgia, and Iceland.

Germany is the country most used past people who desire to reside in Europe. If you're a freelancer, digital nomad, artist, or have some grade of income, this is the visa to get (and it'south quite piece of cake to become). If you are from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.S., Israel, South korea, or Japan you can employ after you arrive in Germany (everyone else needs to utilise in advance).

The visa merely lasts for three months, however, information technology is designed to exist extended into a residency visa which would then terminal for three years. I take many friends who have gotten this visa. As long every bit yous follow the steps, you should be fine. This post has more data most the process.

Most freelancer visas follow a similar format: utilize, pay a fee, submit proof that your business can stay adrift, and then await to be accepted. However, some have more than stringent requirements.

For instance, Estonia's freelancer visa requires a monthly income of at to the lowest degree three,500 EUR per month leading up to your application. For the Czechia visa, you need to have at to the lowest degree $6,000 USD in your banking concern account (the lovely folks at Wandertooth, who did this process a couple of years ago, tin walk yous through the steps).

In recent years, Kingdom of spain has also created freelancer visa called the "autonomo" that also follows a similar process. You can read more here.

If you are a digital nomad and are considering working remotely from the European union you can compare these programs to see which one bests suits your goals (though Germany is likely the best place to commencement since information technology'south one of the easiest to become).

5. Become Married to a European

Fall in love with a European (or at least a friend) and employ for a marriage visa! You lot'll get to stay there while the application procedure goes through so you can motion to Europe and stay there forever with the honey of your life! That'south a win-win! (This is a joke. Don't go married only for a visa to stay in Europe!)

***

The best, easiest, and most effective manner to stay in Europe long-term is to increase the number of countries yous visit and so you're in the Schengen Area for only 90 days. Every bit I said, there are a lot of countries non in the Area so this is like shooting fish in a barrel to do.

If you're similar me and want to stay in the Schengen Area longer than ninety days (or merely want to move to Europe because information technology's awesome), be prepared to piece of work the arrangement. Iit's not impossible to stay long-term in the Schengen Expanse. By understanding the organisation and using the few loopholes that practise exist, ane can legally stay by 90 days and savor all Europe has to offering without worrying about existence barred for life.

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Book Your Trip to Europe: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Volume Your Flying
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a inexpensive flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe and so you always know no stone is left unturned. Starting time with Skyscanner beginning though because they take the biggest reach!

Book Your Accommodation
Yous can book your hostel with Hostelworld equally they accept the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

For suggestions on where to stay during your trip, here is a list of my favorite hostels in Europe.

Don't Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against affliction, injury, theft, and cancellations. It'southward comprehensive protection in case annihilation goes wrong. I never proceed a trip without it as I've had to use it many times in the by. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

Prophylactic Wing (for everyone below 70)
Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Coin With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I'1000 on the road. They will save you coin when you lot travel too.

Desire More Information on Europe?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more than planning tips!

NOTE: Due to the complexities of visas and the uniqueness of anybody's situation, we do non reply whatsoever visa related questions in the comments or via electronic mail. Thank you.

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional toll to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend just products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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Source: https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/how-to-legally-stay-in-europe-for-more-than-90-days/