Schengen 90/180 Scenarios

The impact of the Schengen 90/180-day travel rule

The restrictive Schengen 90/180-day travel rule will come into force for all UK citizens on January 1, 2021 unless the Government takes action.

These mini stories demonstrate the consequences of the Government's ignorance of, and indifference to the impact of the 90/180 rule on those citzens who live in the UK. More than 500,000 people will be affected.

From January 1, 2021 the Schengen 90/180-day travel rule will also affect the 1.2 million UK citizens who live in the EU. In particular it will limit their ability to make extensive visits to family members resident in other parts of the Schengen Area.

G1: Unable to visit daughter when she gives birth prematurely

Joan and David travel extensively in their camper van during the warmer months. They are not able to visit their daughter in Spain when she goes into premature labour. See the detail here

G2: His dad did it and his brothers did it, but Schengen 90/180 spoils a student's travel dreams

Michael cannot travel like his dad and brothers did. They had the freedom to make choices as and when they wanted to.

Michael needs to plan carefully to avoid exceeding the 90/180 rule. See the detail here

G3: An unplanned trip to fix a roof results in shorter summer holiday

Peter and Sue spend summers in their little house in France. An emergency visit in April to fix a roof meant that they had to shorten their summer holiday and re-book ferry crossings. See the detail here

G4: The Schengen 90/180 day complicates an already stressful situation

Our French neighbour emailed us to let us know our house had been broken into during the night.

We need to make an emergency trip to France to deal with this but an extra trip would put us over the Schengen 90-day limit by the time we returned. I know that this could be argued as Force Majeure but what should I do? Do I wait until I get clearance from the French Consulate or do I go now and take a chance that my overstay is waived. If the overstay was not waived I am not sure of what might happen. Could I be prevented from visiting my house for a year of more?

This is so difficult!

G5: Pensioners and others will be forced to make difficult choices

During the winter some pensioners stay for long periods in Spain, Portugal, Canary Islands or other warmer climes. Other makes multiple trips at other times. In future they will have to cut this back to no more than 90 days or fewer if they have visited other EU countries in the summer or autumn.

Some people spend several long stays in Europe each year. After the Schengen 90/180-day rule is implemented they may find that they have to choose between the trips or stay for a shorter time in each place.

G6: Mum unable to support aging father or her grandchildren because she has run out of Schengen days

Aileen’s 92-year old father lives in South West France. Her daughter, a single parent, and her grandchildren live in Normandy. Aileen lives in the UK and has a house in France near her father. The Schengen 90/180-day rule could mean that if she has already “spent” her 90 days on holiday in France then if her dad or daughter gets sick she could not travel to take care of them without first applying for a visa.

This is based on a real-life set of circumstances for someone living in southern England. It would also apply if Aileen was a UK citizen and lived in any of the Schengen countries.

L1: A friend's extra weekend in Paris results in her being denied permission to enter the EU later in the year

Barbara did not know about the Schengen 90/180 day rule until too late. See the detail here

L2: An unplanned trip results in shorter caravan holiday and £400 extra ferry costs

Susan and John usually spend the summer travelling in their caravan to central France. An emergency visit to Europe in April to assist a sick relative meant that they had shorten their summer holiday and re-book ferry crossings. See the detail here

L3: Roaming campervan man goes just over the 90 day limit and gives up his beloved van

David loves travel in his old campervan but does not have a great deal of money. Each year he works his socks off from October to April to earn enough money to fund his travel in the summer.

In 2021, despite heroic efforts to get back to the channel tunnel on time, he exceeds the Schengen 90 day limit. He thinks that he will need a visa for the next trip and he knows he will not qualify for it. He reluctantly decides to scrap his much loved campervan. See the detail here

L4: Motor-homers hit Schengen 90 days problems with horrendous consequences

Andrew and Phillip had splashed out thousands of pounds on their dream motorhome. An accident in Germany had major consequences with Andrew's job and Phillip's ability to travel without a visa. Andrew and Peter sold their dream motorhome at a big loss. See the detail here

L5; Schengen shenanigan sends summer sojourn onto the rocks. Will Simon be considered to be an illegal immigrant as a result?

Simon and Anne's last trip of the year go over schedule because of a small fire and then adverse wind. They end up paying large fine and being forced to leave Greece before they can crane their boat out of the water for winter storage. Now he is not sure if he will be able to return to crane the boat out or return next year for holidays as technically he became an illegal immigrant!

See the detail here

B1: Student escapes Schengen by a whisker but gives his company a headache

David travels extensively in Europe before joining a new company. Later, he has difficulties on a business trip to Europe when he nearly exceeds the 90 day limit under Schengen.

His company discovers that business trips and leisure trips both count toward the Schengen 90 day count. This affects a number of their younger employees. See the detail here

B2 An admin error stops the European Business Development Director visiting Europe

Jonathan is a European Business Development Director. He is caught out when he makes a couple of errors recording business trips he took during previous months. This results in cancelled business meetings and a considerable loss of valuable time. See the detail here

B3 Schengen 90/180 gives an international company an HR problem and extra administration

An engineering company has to introduce a new administration layer and change project management procedures to deal with the risk of Schengen overstay. See the detail here