Specifically Iโm self-employed with an American passport. Curious if there are any good tips & tricks for staying in Schengen Area more than 90 days, like closer to a year.
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Specifically Iโm self-employed with an American passport. Curious if there are any good tips & tricks for staying in Schengen Area more than 90 days, like closer to a year.
Well if youโre a REAL crazy adventurer, you can just live in Ukraine (Odessa, specifically) like me and no one cares if you over-stay your visa-stamp-welcome. Once I paid fine of $50 when exiting. But other than that, no one cares.
A tip to my American friends: Youโre allowed a SECOND passport, legally. Just apply for one. I go in and out of Shengen every 90 days with my 2nd passport (which has a different passport number, picture, et al) and it works like magic. But soon, there will be a fingerprint requirement. But for now itโs good.
Happy Nomading!!!
This is great info. Does anyone know if you get a long-stay visa in Malta or Germany, is this a Schengen visa (the Maltese embassy told me it was) that allows you to travel in the entire Schengen region for the length of the approved visa? They couldnโt answer the latter but I would think that would be the case. Also, how could a country require that you be present 6 months for the year? Doesnโt seem likely they wouldnโt let you out if you tried to leave? 
My understanding is that the countries that require the 6 months are requiring it for keeping your visa. Most long-stay visas are for a year, so if you leave for more than 6 months at a time, you lose them and/or may lose the ability to renew the next year. It depends on the country, though. Just something to look into when youโre looking at Europe.
And yes, Malta is in the border-free schengen zone. I didnโt go through immigration when arriving in Malta or arriving back in Switzerland after my Malta trip.
So Iโd just check and see what their requirements are stay-wise.
If you have savings but not a lot of income (like if youโre getting your business off the ground) I wonder if you could create an LLC and โpayโ yourself as sufficient evidence? Or would they consider savings as part of the daily pay requirements, I wonder?
Iโve been looking into this a little bit but several sources have indicated that the process can end up costing several thousand dollars in the end. Are there any first-hand accounts of people who have gone this route?
Sorry, I should have been clearer - at least in the case of Switzerland (and many other European countries Iโve researched, though Switz is the only one I have direct experience with) savings is fine proof. I went in with savings figures and tax statements from previous years when I applied for my Swiss long-stay.
Thanks! Do you know what kind of figure theyโre looking for in terms of savings?
Depends on the country (see above - Switzerland is $100 per day; Malta is less than $20k for the year; other countries have other amounts)
Your best bet is to apply for the Dutch-American friendship visa. That will grant you residency in the Netherlands and you will be able to live there for as long as you want (it is renewable).
Awesome link. If you use this to get residency in the NL does this let you also stay in other countries in the EU as long as you want?
From what I understand, Germany is the easiest place to get a self-employment visa as an American (and you can apply in-country, which isnโt the case with most of Europe). France, Italy, and most other countries also offer freelancer visas, but for the most part youโll have to apply from the states.
Most long-stay visas require proof of income from outside their country (amounts vary, with Switzerland being at the high end and requiring you to show about $100 per day that you plan to spend there and places like Malta being on the lower end and requiring less than $20k proof for the year). They also usually require proof of health insurance that covers you in their country, proof of a place to live (though a letter from a friend with a spare room should suffice in most cases), and usually a letter or application explaining why you want to stay there. If you get a long-stay visa, a lot of countries also require that you are there at least 6 months of the year.
Aside from Germany, Malta allows you to apply in person in country. And places like Germany will give you a temporary permission to stay while youโre waiting for your visa. You can read about the German process at the Travels of Adam blog.
I have residency in Switzerland, myself, and itโs been an excellent way to stay in Europe, but it can get tricky making sure you spend enough time in your residence country vs. elsewhere. For that reason, I may have to give up my residency next year to spend some time in South America.
My favorite resource (for all the visa regs pretty much everywhere) is a book called Getting Out: Your Guide to Leaving America.
Apparently Italy has a freelancer visa, but Iโm not sure how it works. Schengen is a pain but I generally just country hop in and out to stay long-term in Europe.
As part of signing up for this website I was hoping I would come across a list of Visa and/or Residency requirements by country ideally in a table format to assist with decision making. Does anybody recommend any other websites that might present the information in this format (or Google Spreadsheet)?
I'm preparing my Portuguese D7 long-term visa application and one of the required documents is proof of travel insurance with medical coverage. However, as an Australian citizen, if put that as my country of residence in many travel insurance companies' quick quote forms, I'm unable to get ANY insurance coverage at all because of the current travel ban out of Australia, and the Australian govt's 'Do Not Travel' advice to ALL countries. I know that Aussies are applying for, and successfully getting visas from the Portuguese Consulate here, so where and how are they fulfilling this insurance requirement if insurers aren't selling any coverage? Does anybody know or have any ideas?
Iโm planning a stint in Ireland and Iโm wondering about the 90-day tourist visa. Official information just mentions the 90-day limit without elaboration. Is it akin to Schengen where itโs counted against the most recent 180-day period? Iโm asking because I might like to take trips to the continent flying out of Dublin, but I donโt know how I should account for the days Iโm gone if I do that. Do I stop the 90-day clock for Ireland while Iโm away, or should I make sure Iโm gone from Ireland <= 90 days after my initial arrival date, regardless of where else I go during that interval, just to be safe? What have others done?
I know from experience that if you have residential status in countries where IG (a broker) serves, you can buy stocks and other assets through this broker. But I wonder what doors to the stock market, asset market or broker can be unlocked with e-residency? Some banks open a terminal for customers to buy assets overseas too, is one of the e-residency friendly bank offering a good portfolio of assets to invest in?
Hello everyone,
I will come to live in Colombia for one year.
What is the best solution with the Visa?
I thought to have a Visa for tourists for 3 months and renewal the visa for 6 months. Is that hard to renewal a tourist Visa in Colombia?
Thank you for your help.
Best,
Julien
On New Yearโs Day this year, I was refused entry to the UK due to not having proof of funds, an outward-bound plane ticket (I was road-tripping out with a friend via car) and not being able to prove that I had indeed canceled the lease on the apartment I had leased during a prior recent trip.
I havenโt had any entry issues to any of the several countries Iโve visited after, but now Iโm applying for a 462 visa (work and holiday) visa in Australia, and since Australia and the UK share an immigration info system, I want to make sure getting refused entry wonโt keep me from getting a visa. None of the issues that cropped up in the UK (the proof of funds, the plane ticket, and the apartment) will be an issue in Australia, as Iโve never traveled there before, donโt know anyone and will have proof of more than sufficient funds for the trip and an outbound plane ticket.
Anybody have any suggestions on how to make the approval process go as smoothly as possible?
Many thanks in advance! 
Nomads who bounce around Europe: Has anyone tried to use Andorra as their non-schengen time? Iโve read that you donโt get a stamp at the border, so Iโm guessing if you wanted to do this youโd need to go to a govt office for a stamp? Is this even possible? If youโve done this, would love to hear your experience!
The Australian government apparently has bilateral agreements with a number of signatories to the Schengen Visa treaty that predate, and supersede, the standard 90/180 for traveling in the Schengen zone.
This Wikipedia article stipulates to the bilateral visa agreements:
According to this article, and some of the links Iโve followed to official documents, Australians are (potentially) permitted to travel within Schengen, and not have their stay in the following countries aggregate up to the 90/180, but be treated as separate periods, with the time permitted under the existing bilateral agreements.
Countries that appear to have bilateral agreements include:
In theory, this would permit an Australian passport holder to move relatively unrestricted around the Schengen zone for an almost infinite period.
For example, if I am permitted to be in Germany for 90/180, external to the Schengen treaty, I could, in theory, spend 90 days here, exit to Austria on the train, spend another 90/180, exit to The Netherlands by train, spend another 90/180, and then return to Germany, where my 180 days would have reset.
If youโre an Aussie, and have been traveling in Europe without any formal visa documentation, other than your passport, Iโd love to hear from you. Iโm attempting to plan out the balance of my time in Europe, and donโt want to fall foul with any officials. Getting a black mark on my passport would be highly undesirable.
Thanks in advance for your support
I am an English/American currently in Israel, and heading in a week to Georgia/Armenia for two weeks and then want to head to Russia for a week.
As I am only in Israel for another week, would it be possible to apply for the visa in Israel and ask to receive it in Armenia (my last stop before I want to go to Russia)?
Or perhaps there is another better option that I have available?
As an American Citizen, would it be safe to fly into Thailand without a visa? You can get a 30 day upon entry right?
The reason I ask is, Iโm in the process of getting my passport. Iโd like to leave basically as soon as my passport arrives in the mail. Iโm unable to apply for a Thai Visa until I have my passport, so that would require an even longer wait.
Would I be able to fly into Thailand with no visa, then get a 30 day entry, then apply for an education visa while inside the country? Once I go, Iโd like to not have to return to the US. I donโt mind if I have to take a bus/flight to a neighboring country for however long if I must leave while I wait for an education visa.
Hello everyone! This is Juan from Argentina.
I am currently based in Cluj (Romania) and looking for options once my tourist visa runs out of days, the Schengen area is not an option due to the same reason. My current options are either the Balkans (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia), Bulgaria, Turkey or Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia). Timeframe: between JAN/FEB18 to MAR/APR18.
The criteria would include:
By โgay friendlyโ I mean that you can have a personal/romantic/sexual life without fearing for your personal safety.
Thoughts?
PS. My โgo toโ websites for deciding stuff like this are Numbeo and Nomadlist, if you got any other data aggregator alike please let me know! 
Hi guys!
Iโm originally from Ukraine and now traveling through SEA.
And I was thinking about potential possibility to apply for US visa in any of South East Asian countries.
Does anyone has successful experience of getting US visa in SEA region?
Or maybe it is not possible and I have to apply from my home country?
(for example, friend of mine from Ukraine tried to apply for South Korean visa in Bangkok, but they refused to do so and asked him to apply for the visa from Ukraine)
Thanks in advance!
Hello Everyone,
I am new to this forum. I thought I would just dive in.
I am travelling with my wife and my young daughter, so as you can imagine it adds a bit more to my planning.
I am looking to stay in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt for a while. I am a Brit, and I need to sanity check some information that I have received.
My initial plan to stay in Sharm was as a British citizen get a multi entry visa which would give me 90 days and take it from there. However, I have been told by someone the following and if it is true it would be the best news for me:
To stay in Egypt you can get a 28 Day Sinai Visa on arrival. So on day 26 I should go to the Visa office in Sharm and I would be granted a 6 month Visa on application. Apparently it is not multiple entry visa, it is for 6 months and you simply renew it a few days before it expires. You can do this twice before you MAY have to leave the country. In other words you can stay a whole year hassle free!
Is this true? I really need to know as this is very important for me.
If anyone knows, or if you know someone who may know, your advice would be really welcome.
Thank you.
I tried googling this for hours without success.
If I enter Thailand on single entry 60-day visa, can I extend it for +30 days (for a total of 90 days) IMMEDIATELY the next day after the entry?
E.g. entering on Aug 1 and extending it on Aug 2. Have anyone done this?
Weโre headed to Chiang Mai in July looking at our options for visas and came across this: http://www.cmlocals.com/1-year-ed-visa-hand-to-hand-combat/
Has anyone done it?
It looks amazing and beneficial for many reasons, but Iโm a little skeptical without being able to read external reviews or hear of experiences from people whoโve successfully done it.
Thoughts and other options are appreciated!
p.s. right now we have a one-way ticket and are wanting to keep our options open to stay longer if we love it (which weโre anticipating)
Hello,
Iโm in the Philippines currently on a the standard 30 day tourist visa. Iโm planning on spending an extended period of time here with the odd joint here and there around S.E.Asia.
I am aware that you can now extend your visa in 60 day blocks without leaving the country. However, if i were to extend it by 60 days and then decide I want to leave for a few days to another country.
Would exiting the country then null and void that visa and when I return I would start again on the 30-day tourist visa. Or does it allow multi-entry?
Just trying to work out whether it is worth paying for the extension or itโs better to try and fit any trips out within the 30 day periods that I get.
One side point is that I am interested in getting the photo ID card which I believe you get after a couple of extensions which may allow me to open a local bank account.
It would be great to hear from anyone in a similar position as this or who has experience with this.
Thanks in advance
Jon
Hi everybody,
In august my Schengen tourist visa will be over. I would like to go 3 months in Eastern Europe, but it needs to be outside of the Schengen area. I would have loved to go to Budapest but because itโs Schengen I canโtโฆ
Frankly, I donโt know Eastern Europe that well. What are the best spots for Digital nomad in this region ? Also, I need a cool co-working space, I donโt like working from my house.
Thanks !
Hi all, need some help with schengen fuzzinessโฆ Iโm a US citizen.
Does any know if the 90 day rule applies inside of Croatia. Iโm seeing that Croatia isnโt part of schengen but adopts the same visa aquis. This isnโt clear to me.
If someone has a definitive answer please let me know as Iโm approaching the 90 day rule in my travel plans and I want to hit Croatia and not have it count.
Thanks in advance.
Iโve done reading on this topic but wanted to see if anyone actually had experience doing something like this personally. Iโm thinking of setting up a GK (Godo Kaisha), which is equivalent to an LLC, as a branch of my Delaware-registered corporation for my startup, and granting myself a work visa through this new entity so that I can stay in Japan long-term.
Iโm curious about how long the process can take, what the lawyer fees might look like, and what obligations one has post-incorporation. Thanks in advance!
Iโm planning a visit to Chiang Mai and Bali starting in April. I have a Google Nexus which has worked flawlessly in Mexico at least. Assuming it will work just as well in CM and Bali? If I decide not to work in a coworking space, but rather Airbnb w/wifi and/or Coffee shops wifi, would a dedicated 4g sim card device be worth spening $75 USD to purchase, plus local sim, plus potential SIM hassle, or just rely on Nexus hotspot + airbnb and coffee shop Wifi?
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