Family Stories

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

The restrictive Schengen 90/180-day travel rule will come into force for 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.

More than 500,000 people will be affected.

These family situations will occurs from time to time. Are they acceptable collateral damage?

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

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!

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