For those considering an extended trip to Europe it may be beneficial for you to know that you are only allowed to stay for a 90 day period within 6 months. Any time after that requires a visa according to the Schengan agreement.
116 days was just a little over the limit....
This little known fact was brought to our attention half way through the trip. As there wasn't much we could do about it at the time we decided to go the "ignorance is bliss" route. It caused me a few sleepless nights and severe anxiety any time we crossed a border. I am not a lawbreaker - I have never even had a parking ticket!!
In my imagination I had blog pictures of us getting arrested and escorted to the plane. Unfortunately (fortunately...) it wasn't quite as severe as my imagination had mapped it out.. The guard in Frankfurt stared us up and down, stared some more at our passports, made a number of comments about visas blah blah, stared at us again and then shooed us off. I sometimes think it is a blessing to have children with you on your travels...
Regardless of the niceties in the Frankfurt airport -we are banned for the next 6 months. So please...no mention of possible weekend getaways to paris, shopping sprees in london or sailing trips through the med.
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Come back to reality, Julie. You may THINK you never got a Parking Ticket, of course not, it was on your car when it was TOWED away....remember.
ReplyDeleteThat is why, you think, you never got a ticket, but it cost $120.
DAD
thats very funny...that one kind of slipped my mind! But that is definitely the only one!!
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