Plain English Visa Information

As you are Australian you don't need any Schengen visa - you get the "90 days in 180" automatically on entry

It's extremely hard for anyone to get a long term tourist visa to Schengen countries - you would normally have to get a visa for each country you intend to visit which works out somewhat expensive & time consuming

Can't see why you are looking for WHVs as they are expensive and in order to extend a stay by one month they are a bit of overkill

Why don't you revise your plans so that you spend some time in non-Schengen countries. Even after the end of the year there's still a few European countries outside Schengen

You know what, I never even thought of just arranging it so that we'd more or less be in the Schengen areas for the three months, then moving on to the non-schengens we want to see - sounds like a solution!

Thanks very much mate, appreciate the help!

You do not need the 3 month in and then move on. It works just as well with say 45 days in - 20 days out (like Turkey) - 20 days in - 10days out (like Uk or ireland) and finally 25 dyas in. The computer at the Schengen borders will keep track on the 90 days.

And remember that you do not need (cannot get) a visa - it is just normal border passing - but the 90/180days still applies.

also note that SHENGEN WILL be extended wit most of the new-EU countries like PL, CZ etc from 1/1/08, or maybe eve someway in dec. which makes the 'wy out' far further! do re-consider if that 3 month is not really enough?

Thanks to everyone for their help and ideas - just a thought. Since we don't have to do the 90 days all at once, could we (for example) spend 60 days in, 90 days out, 30 days in, and then 90 days in as the beginning to a second 180 day period? The 30/120/30 = 180, and from what I've read it's 180 days from when you first enter. To put it as months: could we enter Schengen in say April and May (60 days) leave in Jun/Jul/Aug (120 days) and then come back in September for another 30 days - that's the first 180 day period - and then continue on for another 90 days? If we first enter the zone in April, that means the 180 "expires" in October, so 'theoretically' could we go from Sept-Oct-Nov-Dec?

Sorry to mess with everyone's head!!!

#6: Actually: yes you can IF YOU LEAVE Schengen at day 179 at the first period and reenters on day 181 (or later)!
Normally the idea is that the rules is 90 day out of any running 180 days period - this is not excactly the rulles. The DO operate with specific 180day periods, started at you first entry.
The simple 90/180 days rule works fine for 99.999% of all travellers, that visit Schengen for a few days or weeks often with years in between.

Any 90 within 180 days of your first entry is the rule Tramanpoleen.

Bjoern is correct although most people find it extremely confusing to get their head around the rule. If you entered on April 1 you could spend any 90 days up until Sept.28 or so (It is 180 days, not 6 months). But if you left on May 31 and re-entered on September 1, that would still be within 180 days from your first entry on April 1. But you MUST leave again when the 90 days in the Schengen since April 1 is up. So that would mean you need to leave some time in late September which under your scenario is when you would have spent a total of 90 days in Schengen since April 1. So if your 90th day in Schengen was on September 27 (I can't be bothered counting how many months at 31 vs. 30) you would have to leave then but could re-enter two days later and stay for another 90 days.

So it isn't necessarily the leave on the 179 day and re-enter on the 181 as Bjoern says, it could also be leave on the 90th day and then re-enter on day 181. It just depends wich comes first.

Part of the confusion is that normally people enter and spend time in Schengen with their 90 days running out long before they get close to the 180 day mark. Theoretically you could enter on April 1, stay one day, re-enter on July 2 and stay through to late September running out your 90 and 180 days at the same time. Leave for one day and re-enter for another 90 days. But most people don't travel that way do they.

Bear in mind if you do try a version of this it is up to YOU to prove you were out of Schengen. They do not have to prove you overstayed, you have to prove you didn't. A case of guilty until you prove your innocence if you are stopped and they suggest you have overstayed. So that means make sure you get your passport stamped or swiped when you cross into/out of the Schengen and/or keep DATED receipts that prove when you were out of the Schengen. (hotel bills, train tickets, any kind of dated receipts that show a place name outside of Schengen.)

Adam,

I'd not really worry about this issue as not doubt you will be spending some time in the UK and with only 4 months travelling the 90 days will be at the upper limit of your time on the mainland EU anyway. If you are going with a 12 month ticket and a UK work visa then this advice may mot be relavant but ..

Please note that most EU schengen countries DONT stamp you out if you travel by land so if you cross to Croatia for instance you wont get checked out by Austria so the clock will still be ticking. Ask for a border stamp for proof of departure. An airport will generally stamp you out. The Austrians are very good at stamping you in though if travelling by land ..lol

Ok so news to me that CZ Poland Hungary etc are Schengen from 1/1/08 .. but if you are money limited then you could always consider turkey romania or bulgaria ..

I've been waived through several EU airport arrivals especially flights from the UK so it becomes a bit funny at times ( I actually left Spain 2 years ago twice in the same day without ever arriving ..lol) . Bjoern will not recommend this latter course of action though.