EU countries allowing UK citizens to say over 90 days

[Sadlerfin]

Some advice please.

I'm told some Schengen countries do have a visa system (nomad visa) that would allow a UK citizen to remain in that country for a longer period of time. Spain I believe maybe Portugal and that Greece is also about to do the same.

As far as I can tell this is to allow brits to work in that country and holiday home owners to still visit long term, all be it the person would need to prove they had finances to support themselves. It seems to me this would suit British yacht owners wanting to spend extended time in the med. Have I read this correctly? If so could I drop in and out of that country visiting other Schengen countries to max the 90 days available?

Thanks in advance.

 

[syvictoria]

There are many, many posts here already regarding similar and a read through some (recent, post B*****) old posts will no doubt provide some answers.

I believe that tourist and working visa requirements might be very different in some (all?) countries. Which are you actually looking for?

Sweden and France currently offer a longer tourist visa (with Greece I think about to launch something similar as you say). Otherwise you will need to apply for residency. Neither a long stay visa or residency provide any addition Freedom of Movement elsewhere. You would therefore still be restricted by the normal 90/180 elsewhere in Schengen unless you have dual citizenship (an EU passport), in which case you and your immediate family don't have a problem anyway.

If you consider taking up residence elsewhere, be aware that there may be tax consequences.

 

[Graham376]

So far, I've not heard of anyone managing to get an extended visa for tourism in Portugal or Spain. Life for those without residence will become difficult with overstayers tracked easily when the new EU database is up and running. Obtaining residence as third country citizen not easy, particularly if not wanting to give up UK residence.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Spain.

Spain to lure expat workers with latest visa proposal

 

[Mistroma]

Perhaps you are talking about a National Visa, type D issued in Greece. I wasn't aware of anything new on the horizon but live in hope.

The Greek Embassy in London sent me the latest version of the Immigration and Social Integration Code Application Handbook.
I don't have a link but could probably send you a copy.

Section C.4.1 Financially independent individuals gives details.
They are looking for proof of income (at least 2,000 eur/month) and medical cover (not EHIC)

It should allow you to remain in Greece as long as you need without affecting your 90 days in other countries.

I have seen companies offering to process these and think the were charging about 4,000-5,000 euro per person. I think the Visa needs to be renewed every 2 years but would need to check.

I'd expect grief for DIY and communication may well be in Greek most of the time.

e.g. Medical insurance would probably have to be from a Greek company and 12 months duration from application date. A broker told me that he could sell me insurance but I mustn't mention existing conditions or they wouldn't insure me. He said it would be fine for the application. Basically non-insurance insurance.

I usually take out 6 months medical cover from a UK firm anyway and the extra for 12 months with no real cover is a waste of money. UK company aren't bothered about my existing conditions (pills for high BP, cholesterol and acid reflux).

I'm using my Irish passport but income and medical insurance requirements seem similar to those mentioned above. However, I should be able to proceed for minimal cost without solicitors (apart from translating and verifying the odd document).

EDIT: I uploaded the document to my website on the off chance someone finds it useful.
Greek Immigration Code 2022

 

[Chris_Robb]

Perhaps you are talking about a National Visa, type D issued in Greece. I wasn't aware of anything new on the horizon but live in hope.

The Greek Embassy in London sent me the latest version of the Immigration and Social Integration Code Application Handbook.
I don't have a link but could probably send you a copy.

Section C.4.1 Financially independent individuals gives details.
They are looking for proof of income (at least 2,000 eur/month) and medical cover (not EHIC)

It should allow you to remain in Greece as long as you need without affecting your 90 days in other countries.

I have seen companies offering to process these and think the were charging about 4,000-5,000 euro per person. I think the Visa needs to be renewed every 2 years but would need to check.

I'd expect grief for DIY and communication may well be in Greek most of the time.

e.g. Medical insurance would probably have to be from a Greek company and 12 months duration from application date. A broker told me that he could sell me insurance but I mustn't mention existing conditions or they wouldn't insure me. He said it would be fine for the application. Basically non-insurance insurance.

I usually take out 6 months medical cover from a UK firm anyway and the extra for 12 months with no real cover is a waste of money. UK company aren't bothered about my existing conditions (pills for high BP, cholesterol and acid reflux).

I'm using my Irish passport but income and medical insurance requirements seem similar to those mentioned above. However, I should be able to proceed for minimal cost without solicitors (apart from translating and verifying the odd document).

EDIT: I uploaded the document to my website on the off chance someone finds it useful.
Greek Immigration Code 2022

Hi, since Jan 2020 I have been in conversation with the Greeks on a reciprocal visa to that which the UK has given the EU. It's slow progress but I understand something in now happening, quite what is as yet a mistery!.

 

[st599]

Spain.

Spain to lure expat workers with latest visa proposal

Croatia have a similar digital Nomad visa that a person working for a UK company can use. However, it obviously needs to be a job you can do remotely, and the UK company have to OK it.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Croatia have a similar digital Nomad visa that a person working for a UK company can use. However, it obviously needs to be a job you can do remotely, and the UK company have to OK it.

And Spain wants it's slice of tax.

 

[Chris_Robb]

The residency, digital nomad and D type visa are all approved EU measures.

180 days is not being sported by the EU and comments from the London head of the Greek Consulate show it be highly political with the commission, making it difficult for individual countries to do unilateral deals on their own behalf.

It reflects on the control culture that the EU is desperate to perpetuate.

 

[Poignard]

Deleted

 

[dgadee]

The residency, digital nomad and D type visa are all approved EU measures.

180 days is not being sported by the EU and comments from the London head of the Greek Consulate show it be highly political with the commission, making it difficult for individual countries to do unilateral deals on their own behalf.

It reflects on the control culture that the EU is desperate to perpetuate.

"Ever closer union" is always a problem when states have different requirements .

 

[st599]

The residency, digital nomad and D type visa are all approved EU measures.

180 days is not being sported by the EU and comments from the London head of the Greek Consulate show it be highly political with the commission, making it difficult for individual countries to do unilateral deals on their own behalf.

It reflects on the control culture that the EU is desperate to perpetuate.

Doesn't match what was reportedly said by Dowden - that 180 had been offered by the EU in their initial offering provided reciprocated for all EU citizens and rejected/removed by the UK who wanted more border controls.

 

[Mistroma]

Hi, since Jan 2020 I have been in conversation with the Greeks on a reciprocal visa to that which the UK has given the EU. It's slow progress but I understand something in now happening, quite what is as yet a mystery!.

Thanks Chris, I wonder how it will differ from National Visa, type D for "Financially independent individuals".

The type D seems similar to the hassle to get my wife's documentation sorted. It might even be a bit simpler as there's no need to prove she's married to me. No need for recent marriage certificate, certified Greek translation, validated declaration from me that we are still married, proof I'm an EU citizen and so on.

The remaining requirements for type D would probably need to be addressed for a new system for UK citizens.

1) Process could be simplified (but it's Greece and the simplified version will end up being even more complicated )
I hope it could all be completed in the UK or online. Highly unlikely and I think it will involve the same officials as the type D visa. Could be a few trips driving long distances to sort out.

2) Requirement for funding could be reduced or waived (but they'd still want proof you wouldn't be a burden)
The amount of money needed isn't huge but it would be a great help to have a consistent approach to amount and evidence.

3) Medical care requirement could be reduced from annual to just cover 6 months
Perhaps UK would extend EHIC from 3 months to 6 months. Not holding my breath.
It would make sense to reduce the requirement for medical insurance from annual to 6 months. I think we both need to prove medical cover from a Greek company and it must cover 12 months from date of application. The current system seems to assume you are moving to Greek permanently as soon as you over stay 3 months. It is pretty expensive to stay for 4-5 months and pay for 12 months cover.

Rolling out the new EU EES might throw a further spanner in the works. The authorities might also be kept busy if Greece ends up taking some refugees from Ukraine (except EU aren't requiring lots of documentation, unlike UK).

 

[Mistroma]

Doesn't match what was reportedly said by Dowden - that 180 had been offered by the EU in their initial offering provided reciprocated for all EU citizens and rejected/removed by the UK who wanted more border controls.

All of that was agreed and UK didn't want to accept the offer. I don't see the relevance of the earlier agreement wrt a new proposal. I assume Chris is talking about a new proposal offered by Greece without any need for UK Gov. to offer anything as quid pro quo.

 

[st599]

All of that was agreed and UK didn't want to accept the offer. I don't see the relevance of the earlier agreement wrt a new proposal. I assume Chris is talking about a new proposal offered by Greece without any need for UK Gov. to offer anything as quid pro quo.

It shows that the control culture was not perpetuated by the EU as stated.

 

[dgadee]

Doesn't match what was reportedly said by Dowden - that 180 had been offered by the EU in their initial offering provided reciprocated for all EU citizens and rejected/removed by the UK who wanted more border controls.

Have you got a link to that? I have never seen evidence of reciprocity offered by the EU to our 180 day visa free option to the EU (and others). There's a page here (https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/6891/html/) submitted as evidence, for example, but no mention of an EU offer or UK decline, just that the UK didn't press for an alteration to the standard Schengen default.

 

[st599]

I haven't - it was mentioned by the RYA at their Brexit workshops.

Someone did post a link to the Hansard or similar, but I can't find it.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Doesn't match what was reportedly said by Dowden - that 180 had been offered by the EU in their initial offering provided reciprocated for all EU citizens and rejected/removed by the UK who wanted more border controls.

I think you will find that the UK offered 180 days but the EU wanted a price by further concessions on fishing. We quite correctly did not give anything to the French.

 

[st599]

I think you will find that the UK offered 180 days but the EU wanted a price by further concessions on fishing. We quite correctly did not give anything to the French.

Nope - the UK have given 180 days to EU Citizens. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-07-01/25865

The questions that are reported to remain are about harmonising the rules and applying them equally to all EU citizens, rather than leaving it down to discretion.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Interestingly as an EU citizen travelling into the UK neither my wife's passport or mine was stamped or scanned just a quick visual face check against the passport photographs, so unless they are using electronic reckoning from carrier provided data I don't know how they are going to enforce any time limit.