What Is The Schengen Zone And How Do Schengen Area Visas Work?
Visas aren’t the most interesting subject to read about though they happen to be the most discussed topic on this blog. Much of the confusion that fuels the questions behind that forum revolves around the continent where 50.7% of all people (477 million) [PDF] travel per year – Europe. The Schengen Agreement and Area are both visa topics you should brush up on if you’re headed to Europe for more than 3 months in any given 12 month period so you don’t unwittingly break any rules.
That Europe, by the way isn’t just the European Union (EU) and in fact isn’t all of the EU anyway, here’s what you need to know.
Where Is The Schengen Area?
The Schengen Area currently consists of 26 countries in Europe including Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, and Greece. You can see the full list of current members here. Some notable exceptions are England and Ireland (both EU but not Schengen). Several countries you might not expect also part of the Schengen Area include Estonia, Latvia, and Malta. Bulgaria and Romania are likely to join the Schengen club later this year.
So Why Should You Care About This Funny Sounding Area?
Because in terms of travel and visas, Schengen member states are essentially the same country. Across the Schengen Area, those of you from countries who do not require visas (including the United States, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and Brazil) are permitted to stay 90 days out of every 180. That means the entire Schengen Area, not just the Schengen member country you’re visiting.
This is where most people get confused – you can only stay within the entire Schengen Area for 90 days out of every 180. So, if you spend 1 month in Germany, then fly to France for a month, go visit your friends back in Turkey (not Schengen) for 2 weeks, then head to Spain for 6 weeks you’ll officially be overstaying your Schengen welcome. Want to spend two months in Austria then hop a train to Slovenia for 2 months? Well, that’s a no-no too.
These rules are, of course, the general ones and apply to most people but not all. For instance, New Zealand citizens have visa-free travel for 90 days out of every 180 in each individual Schengen nation. (A rare exception.) Check with the appropriate embassy for the specifics given your circumstances – don’t just take my word for it as visas can be complex and laws change quickly.
Only 3 Months In 26 Countries? The Reasoning Behind The Ridiculousness
Yes, these are the same folks who came up with the bright idea of a single currency without a framework to support it but actually the Schengen rules are very convenient – especially for Schengen residents. Citizens of member states can travel and live in the others without visas. Plus border crossings are more efficient without constant passport checks. (Checks are optional for each country at their discretion so always bring your travel documents when crossing any border.)
Most people take vacations and trips much shorter than 3 months and the Schengen Agreement while driving up visa costs (for those who need them) has steadily increased tourism to Europe. The Schengen Area isn’t going anywhere but rather, will continue to grow.
How Can You Stay Longer Than 3 Months In The Schengen Zone?
Residents of most countries will need to fill out a long-stay visa application at the embassy of the specific country they’ll be arriving in first (e.g. Sweden). Generally, long-stay visas must be applied for from outside the Schengen Area.
Long-stay visas are only allowed for up to one year. Afterward, from your point of entry into the Schengen, you’ll be free to visit the members states within that time. The Schengen rules don’t allow you to travel for more than a year within the Area so if you really fall in love with a country and want to stay longer than 12 months, you’ll need to file for a residence permit with that specific country.
What Happens If You Overstay?
That’s a question I’ve covered in depth before but to sum it up for short overstays upon leaving the Schengen Area you may face a fine. For longer overstays a ban for a number of years is possible. An overstay of even 1 day (remember it is 90 days not 3 months out of every 180 days) can hit your pocketbook and cause you problems so don’t risk it if you don’t have to. Finally, if you are behind the Schengen borders and simply couldn’t pull yourself away on time, you’ll likely find it easier avoiding being caught at passport control if you leave from countries that aren’t as culturally diligent about timekeeping. (*cough* Greece, Spain *cough*)
The more punctual peoples of Europe (Germans are notorious for catching short over-stayers) could cause you problems but in the end it all depends on the person you come across at passport control. The only way to not have any problems is to know and follow the rules.
Experiencing Formula 1 In Valencia, Spain At 300 Kilometers Per Hour
July 12, 2011 by Anil P.
Filed under Car, Pictures and Video
Sometimes, travel, for a few minutes or another, just congeals into one big hedonistic thrill. I arrived in Valencia, Spain on the dime of Tour Spain and Valencia Tourism, to eat paella, drink great wine, and experience the Formula 1 race held there annually. I’ve got to admit, I didn’t know anything about Formula 1, cared a bit less about it, and figured anybody could hop behind the wheel of those flashy cars, do a few laps, and win a trophy if they essentially didn’t screw up.
Then, this happened.
The Best Lap F1 x 3 Experience in Valencia, puts you next to a Formula 1 driver in a modified race car with 2 side seats, testing all of your preconceptions in the 1.8 seconds it takes to get to 97 kph (60 mph). That car, by the way, won the Formula 1 in Brazil in 2004, and would be driven by Felix Porteiro.
I like fast, going fast, and things that are survivable-ly dangerous; so by the time the two-step safety course came around I was practically one big goofy smile. The two main rules seem easy enough, simply lie very low into the seat in case of a flip, and, well, I was so excited I forget the other one. But, it’s not until you completely sign away your life – under any and all circumstances (and I mean any) – that you know two laps around the Circuit Valencia course are going to be fun. With that signature, I was bouncing up and down; a Formula 1 convert and man soon-to-be eating his words in the making.
- The photo above was taken by John O’Nolan; web designer, photographer, and overall awesome guy – thanks!
It’s not the top speed (~360kph) that make these cars so impressive but the acceleration in which they get to them. When you slide down into the car seat, it vaguely feels more like lying down into a coffin than sitting in an automobile. A twinge of claustrophobia sets in as the pit crew straps you in, mumbling a few words the helmets prevent you from understanding. By the time you can comprehend that inaudible mess, a few thumbs-up appear in your peripheral vision. Then you go. And unless you’ve been a jet fighter pilot or partied with Keith Richards, it’s faster than you’ve ever accelerated in your life.
The acceleration is so powerful that I could feel the blood draining from my fingers tips, only to return when the car slowed on turns. The occasional times I decided to peek left or right, my head was stuck in that position until the gears were lowered. When I hopped out of the car about 3 and a half minutes later I felt like I had run the course on foot, not by car.
It’s nearly impossible to leave the experience without acquiring some new appreciation for Formula 1 drivers. Whether it’s the average 3 kilos per race they lose due to dehydration or the incredible strength and stamina required not to succumb to 3-5 G-forces, feeling in this case is believing.
(Those of you reading via email will need to click here to view the video below.)
- PromoTourismo so elegantly captured, among other moments, me speechless after my F1 experience. Check them out PromoTourismo on YouTube.
A ride on the Best Lap F1 x 3 Experience is on par with skydiving as far as adventure travel experiences go, the closest experience I can compare it to. The kind of senseless fun that one relives over and over in their imaginations to capture a slice of the excitement even weeks later. The Best Lap F1 x 3 Experience is currently developing their website but has enough contact information up if you’re interested to learn more or give it a 750 horsepower whirl yourself.
You can see more photos of the track, cars, and the Formula 1 race in my album here.
Catching Up With It’s On The Meter: The World’s Longest Taxi Ride
I first heard about It’s On The Meter from Kirsty, in one of the best comments from this past December. Johno Ellison and his two friends are attempting to break the Guinness Book Of World Record for longest taxi journey – in a London classic black cab. Their trip reminds me of The Ultimate Train Challenge I’ll be participating in this fall and I’m hoping to meet up the It’s On The Meter guys somewhere along their path in the next few weeks. Johno was kind enough to take a few minutes to share a bit about the trip which began February 17, 2011.
Whereabouts are you right now?
We’re currently in Geneva, Switzerland after spending the last six weeks driving through Scandinavia, Russia, Belarus, and Eastern Europe. It’s a little strange seeing people on the motorway waving at us and honking their horns and probably thinking we have only been on the road a few days when in reality we’ve covered over 6,000 miles (~9,650 km).
Where did the idea to attempt the world’s longest taxi ride come from?
My team mate Paul was sitting in a taxi going home one night and watching the meter going higher and higher when he thought, “I wonder what the highest ever taxi fare is?”.
He always used to come up with these crazy ideas so we didn’t take much notice at first but after a while Leigh and I got involved and the idea went from a drunken idea to a real project…
How did you plan the route?
The current record is around 21,000 miles (33,000km) so we knew we had to beat that and we knew we wanted to end up in Australia so we basically sat down for an afternoon with Google maps. We figured that all taxi drivers in the UK never take the shortest route anywhere so that’s how the route ending up going all over the place.
What’s the dynamic of you and your travel companions; how do you plan to get along after so much time together?
We’ve all known each other for about four years and spent a lot of time together so we think we’ll be able to make it to end of the trip without killing each other.
The worst point was actually the few weeks before we left England when we were working twenty hour days trying to get the car ready, sort out the visas, finalize sponsors and sort out a million other things. We had quite few bad arguments but the second we were on the ferry to France on the Launch Day all of our worries just evaporated and everything was forgotten, it was the greatest feeling.
We’ve tried to accept that arguments will happen during the trip and that we’ll have to get over them. We are also Couchsurfing and have friends traveling with us for short sections of the route so the constant injection of new people takes a bit of stress off our relationships with each other.
Any parts of the journey you think might be especially dangerous or difficult?
We have already had to change our route to avoid Libya and northern Africa and are currently keeping a close eye on Syria. It’s a shame because we planned the route specifically because we wanted to see certain places and experience different areas of the world but our cab isn’t exactly inconspicuous so sometimes we have to make compromises.
The other area which may be dangerous is the Iran-Pakistan border close to Afghanistan. However we’re finding more and more that the people who warn us not to go there are the people who haven’t been there themselves; the people who have visited always tell us how great it was and how warm the people are.
Where did you guys get the cab?
We actually got the cab on eBay for £1500 then spent a load of time repairing it, adding new features and getting it ready for the eight month journey. We think it has done about 300,000 miles but the mileometer is broken so we’re not really sure.
You can check out the It’s On The Meter route on their website, and follow Johno, Leigh, and Paul on Facebook and Twitter as well. Johno, thanks again for taking the time and hope to see you guys soon somewhere along the path.
How You Can See More For Less With Your Own Car In Bahrain
Generally most budget travelers shy away from renting a car to do the bulk of their sightseeing. And, in a relatively expensive place like Bahrain, the imagination of what the costs may be are enough to scare many away for considering it. Personal transportation in Bahrain however is inexpensive, the cost of fuel nearly negligible, along with very navigable roads giving you access to a number of remote sites.
Competition For Business Working In Your Favor
The large number of car rental companies in Bahrain helps to put a constant downward pressure on the costs and complications of getting your personal ride. A foreign license is all that’s required for an innocuous process and some light negotiating can realistically get you a car for 8-10 Bahraini dinar (~$21-26) per day.
Gas Won’t Kick Your…Gas
In general, around Bahrain when you pick up your rental car it will have a nearly completely empty gas tank. Your first stop, as was mine, is a mandatory straight shot to the closest gas station (as you don’t want to have to push your vehicle all over Manama). Gas is pumped by attendants at the stations and after a short wait behind a fairly long line of cars I was greeted by one of them.
Having a long day of driving all around a country that exports nearly 49,000 barrels of crude oil a day, I rolled to a pump looking to fill the tank full. As I handed over 15 Bahraini dinar (~$40), the young Pakistani man’s eyes widened as he wandered into confusion. “You don’t need that,” he said, “unless you want to buy gas for everyone waiting in line.”
Gas costs roughly 29 US cents per liter, or approximately $1 for a gallon.
Getting To Remote Places
In and around Bahrain’s capital city Manama, public transportation consists primarily of taxi and small buses that crisscross town. The bus routes aren’t the easiest to navigate and don’t visit many popular attractions in Bahrain while taxis between all of the country’s spread out attractions can get pricey fast. (Taxis can be hired for an entire day at around 25 Bahraini dinar ~$67 however.)
- One good example is the Tree of Life, which is located in the middle of a vast expanse of oil fields in central Bahrain’s desert. Buses don’t go anywhere near it and in a taxi you might miss the life within the temporary villages of oil workers all around. Getting lost, as I often do, I got to watch a soccer game between two groups of workers who lived on either side of a dirt road. Nearby to ask directions again, I also spent some time chatting with a young group of guys who were barbecuing and smoking shisha in an spontaneous picnic area in the desert sand.
Whereas in many other parts of the world a rental car can act as a barrier for travelers looking for that ever-elusive connection with a place, in Bahrain an automobile can put you in direct touch with an entire nation. The country’s main island is small enough (~750,000 square kilometers) that you can literally get anywhere in the country within an hour or two.
Places In Bahrain That Will Make Glad You Rented A Car
Aside from the previously mentioned Tree of Life and Bahrain International Circuit, you’ll thank yourself when you pull up just south of Zallaq Beach or the Al Areen Wildlife Sanctuary close by. You may even come across Al Fateh Fort (built by the Persians during the 17th century) which overlooks Bahrain’s famous golf courses, stroll through the side streets near Askar’s coast, or watch the spectacle of modified cars that make Arad Fort’s parking lot look like The Fast And The Furious on many evenings.
Driving in Bahrain, except for the occasional tricky roundabout, is relatively orderly and the speed limits seemingly a strong suggestion but not much more. It’s rare when a private vehicle can work for you on so many travel levels including your wallet, watch, and wanderings; something travelers should consider taking advantage of in Bahrain.
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