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I overstayed my visa a couple of years ago, had to pay the fine (over 500 euros, if I remember correctly) but no one has ever questioned it since I got back into Greece (with a little “rosfeti” in addition to the fine, I must add, since I was coming from a non-Schengen country).

I don’t address rosfeti on this site as a method in which to partake, although I know it’s a reality. Most people trying to avoid paying a fine usually don’t have the money to pay a bribe.

People I know of different non-EU nationalities were given marks in their passport and questioned in some countries, just as I was 10 years ago until I renewed my passport. However, as i say in my “Warning and Disclaimer” section, “results may vary” depending on who you are, how much money you have and who you know.

I communicate certain things to help people make decisions and avoid surprise; if it doesn’t happen, it’s great, but at least they were informed and warned “just in case.”

What do you think about a cruise to Greece vs. flying there and staying? And which cities would you recommend us visit?

To the Vanovers - This site focuses on providing info and personal stories for residents of Greece, Greeks abroad and anyone interested in moving to Greece full-time. You can find tourist information, travel advice and related recommendations on sites like fodors.com, lonelyplanet.com (they even have forums) and sites authored by people who travel here often.

I’m really not the best person to ask for advice since I tend to be very hardcore and offbeat. I normally have no itinerary, no map, no guidebook and hate doing typical tourist things even when in major cities. Sometimes I don’t even take photos because I’m too caught up in the experience to care.

Hi, I just got back from the Greek consulate in LA. She informed me that I cannot stay in Greece for longer than 90 days. And after expiration of the 90 days, I have to be out of the country for another 90 days before I can return. Are you saying that as long as I leave before the original 90 day expiration and return with a new stamp, I can stay for another 90 days? I was further informed that a violation of the visa rules would result in a 1000 Euro fine per day! Is that correct? I am a US citizen who was planning on taking a year long sabbatical in Greece and now it looks like I can’t (despite having given up my apartment, job, etc.

Grace - I posted the response publicly so others with similar questions could benefit.

You didn’t say what kind of visa you were trying to get so I may not be able to advise you correctly.

As I’m sure you know, U.S. citizens don’t need visas to be in Greece for 90 days, so I’m not sure why we’re talking about visas at all. In any case, beyond the 90 days, the options are: 1) An extension (if approved by authorities for very special reasons), 2) securing a residence permit, 3) consciously staying beyond the date and paying the fine.

To me, it sounds like you have planned a sabbatical, which means you need a permit to stay, not a visa. A visa is to enter and exit; a permit is to stay beyond 90 days. Since I don’t know your situation, I cannot advise you further about whether you qualify for a certain type of permit or any permit at all. A Greek Consulate should have been able to give you this information.

Extensions are only granted for special or dire reasons up to 6 months, as I detailed in the post.

Permits are granted for a variety of reasons requiring a person to stay (i.e. Work, retirement, spouse, athletic event, etc).

Renewing a visa is for someone who travels in and out of the country. The 90 days rule of being out of the Schengen zone before re-entering is partially true (it’s 90 days total stay within a 180-day period), however other countries in the Schengen ignore that most times; Greece does not. In the past, people have gone over a non-Schengen border, come back and renewed, but this is pointless with the 180-day rule.

Violation of the visa rules are exactly as I detailed above — it’s a one-time fine up to 1300 euros upon exiting. Do you seriously believe it’s 1000 euros a day? I don’t for a second.

In your position, I would call another Greek Consulate for advice, Washington DC having the most power. If you plan to spend a year here, you’ll need to get used to this type of treatment and being vigilant in overcoming obstacles.

Otherwise, my advice is to go ahead and stay the entire year WITHOUT leaving, then just pay the one-time penalty upon exiting. They can’t do anything to you at that point, especially if you’re already departing and have no plans to return or go to another Schengen country.
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To my readers, I highly recommend investigating legalities and options BEFORE making life-altering plans and setting them in motion.

Well, after reading through these posts I’m quite concerned what may happen to me.

I lived in Greece from 1992 to 2002 with my family and obtained a residency permit in 2001 from local authorities(somehow… when they noticed I did’nt have one. Lucky for me then.

I recently returned to Greece from Canada after a 5 year absence to spend time with my mother who has Greek citizenship. It occurred to me I should have a residency permit again to stay, so 2 weeks before my 3 month visa expired I went to local authorities to begin applying for residency.

They held onto the paperwork untill my visa expired and sent it to our local town hall saying they could’nt complete the residency permit. End of conversation. Now noone will help me, the police are saying I have to pay over 1300 euros to extend my visa for a month and they won’t do it anyway. I have decided to try getting Greek citizenship, but we are going around in circles with this visa expiration business.

I cannot leave for 6 months and come back right now as I got rid of my apartment in Canada and my home is in Greece.

Has anyone had to deal with this kind of situation?

RD, I usually advise people to do research in advance of arriving in the country to understand rules and regulations regarding visas, residence permits and repercussions as to not be surprised or fined.

Laws in Greece change quite a bit in 5 years, let alone 1 or 2 years so whatever applied back then has likely become more strict. Also, 2 weeks is never enough time for authorities to examine an application, not even in the USA or the UK when it comes to a residence permit unless you have some inside connection. In Greece, I’ve typically waited up to 3 months to a year for my permit to be issued, sometimes arriving after its expiration date. Mine is a common story, and I’m sure you’ve heard of “Greek time.”

Authorities have no vested interest in helping you or anyone else, therefore people must take precautions to help themselves. Once you enter this country, you are subject to its laws, whether you know them or not. And it’s no secret that this country has issues with transparency.

Citizenship also takes some time (up to 1-2 years unless you have an inside connection), and military duty will then be assigned to you if approved. Once that happens, you’ll still be in violation because those of Greek origin without an exemption certificate can only stay 30 days in a calendar year, and 6 months in a calendar year with a certificate.

They won’t approve an extension on your visa because you don’t have a “vital” or “emergency” reason to remain here.

As your visa has expired and you don’t have a residence permit, you are classified as illegal and have no official standing in Greece. That’s a red flag on your passport (goes in the computer) and on your resident status in Greece (again, in a computer at the prefecture). That means at every border crossing and every time you try to complete a transaction having to do with permits or citizenship, your record will be pulled and reviewed.

There are many types of permits you might have secured, however once a person is in an illegal standing as you are, it’s not possible to proceed and there are no options.

Each case is unique, and therefore it is impossible for me or another lay person to give advice and solutions.

It seems to me the damage is done and your options are to remain here and keep a low profile (aka, don’t sign up for anything in your name) until you leave on your originally scheduled date, pay the one-time fine, take the black mark in your passport and be done with it. OR If you exit now, you’ll be assessed the fine and black mark in your passport, but may not be allowed to re-enter thereby spending money for nothing, accomplishing nothing and being stranded.

Wow, thanks Kat for your post. We went to the naturalization(?) offine here and they said since I arrived in Greece originally in 1992 and my mother was written in the books in the town hall in our village in 1993, I have always had the option to be Greek. And so with my Mothers pile of paperwork and my birth certificate I’m going tomorrow to start the application for citizenship.I spoke to the commander of the armed forces on our island and I can get a paper from my embassy that states I will be completing my military service in Canada (possible because of NATO). So as long as I keep a low profile here like you said untill I get my citizenship I should be fine, provided I use my new Greek passport when I leave the country?

Whew. After being here for the easy years when things could be done without any major concequences, I find myself coming here being oblivious to modern procedures when in my own country, Canada, I would never dream of not going through the proper lines and procedures to get something this important done. A lesson for anyone who ever gets into this situation, including myself.

I’ll post again when I know exactly what’s going to happen.
Thanks again so much for taking the time.

I’m glad you have the option to apply for citizenship. Some people I know were rejected. I want to state this clearly in case someone out there reads this and thinks they can do the same thing — every case is different, so assume nothing.

When you exit the country with the Greek passport, your name will be scanned to see if you’re wanted by the recruiting office. Therefore, be sure to take the paper from your embassy to the Greek military recruiting office and get it cleared with them, so you’re not unexpectedly nicked when you try to leave.

In my 10 years, I’ve never known any easy days but that’s probably because I’m an “immigrant” of no Greek origin.

Please do post back to let us know how everything went.

Just a question: If you leave greece and depart to the states (via Germany) I don’t believe you pass thru passport control, and thus no one will know long you were in Greece.

When I went to the states last year (via Germany), I don’t remember entering a passport control area until I got to Germany.

I can’t see the Germans enforcing a Greek 90 day rule or is this a EU 90 day rule?

PIC - Its part of the schengen law.

i have overstayed the 90 days that you are allowed under the rules. I will only be overstaying by 12 days (total 104). I broke my leg 5 weeks ago and was in no state to travel. My parents are both born in Greece and have Greek citizenship as well. I rang the police service at Athens International Airport, and was advised as my parents are Greek, that automatically makes me to be considered a Greek Citizen (same situation applies with military service). So i can now leave with no problem.

PIC - That’s right. The 90 days is a Schengen rule, not an EU rule because not all EU countries are part of Schengen (I have a list on this site if anyone needs to know the difference; it’s in a link above). What you said is also correct. If you’re departing from Greece to an EU country, then that country to the States, you should go through passport control in your layover country. I said this in my post, as well. Authorities care about how long you were in Schengen (it’s not just about Greece); this is what counts.

George - Without knowing the entire history or details of your case, your case contradicts the personal experiences of people I know. Citizenship is not automatically transferable without going through the formal process of applying for citizenship, then a passport.

However, it is true that if you are of Greek origin (it’s not about citizenship), Greek military obligations will be assigned no matter what. Without an exemption from the Greek military recruiting office, men of Greek origin are only allowed to be in Greece for 30 days in a calendar year or up to 90 days on a Schengen visa; with a foreign resident certificate, 6 months in a calendar year. In all cases, they should not be working.

Perhaps they’re allowing leniency because of your broken leg. Be prepared to give the name of the person who advised you or provide documentation to authorities in case you’re questioned upon exiting. Since you don’t actually have Greek citizenship or a Greek passport, they’re going to look at your non-Greek passport, see when you entered and question why you’re over the 90 days.

I’ve heard of people being told everything is OK; then when they try to leave, it’s not OK. If they claim “my parents are Greek” without having a passport or citizenship themselves, then they had to provide an exemption. If they didn’t, they were kept in the country, drafted and that was that.

P.S. 90 + 12 = 102 days; if it’s 104 days, then you’ve overstayed 14 days.

I have rung 4 different alien bureau and the police from the Airport in Athens, i have no problem with overstaying the 90 days as i am of Greek parents. I have also been advised by me consulate in Australia, that i will not be subject to the 30 day rule, as i have not been registered in Greece. You can not obtain a “poistopioitiko monimou to exoterikou”, unless you have been registered.

Your thoughts?

My thoughts are that there is something contradictory here. On one hand, you’re not registered in Greece but are excused from the 90 day rule because your parents are Greek (and therefore so are you). On the other hand, you are also excused from being drafted because you’re not registered, even though your parents are Greek (and therefore so are you).

In my opinion and those of other Greeks and authorities I consulted, some laws are being bent because you broke your leg (a legitimate, unexpected reason) and are being honest.

Enjoy the gift of leniency Have a safe trip home!

I am a Canadian 18 year helping a family with their quadruplets. I have not yet passed my 90 day visa. although im not quite sure what the meaning is - is it the stamp i got in athens? As it wasn’t an official visa as it were.

Im am desparate to stay an extend my visa/stamp and i will obviously not outstay the 90 days but i do want to apply for the extension. My question really is what are examples of special circumstances. I guess the fact that im helping with all the babies as the single mum cna’t cope doesn’t quite cut the mustard? Any advice would be gratefully recieved any extension would help .

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I got your advice, but anyway im upbeat and postiive something good will happen. I don’t need to go through all that work. Thanks anyway.

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I got my extension with no problem at all, I was expecting alot of trouble. The police officer told me what an upbeat young lady I am.

I just want to clarify the Schengen rule. 90 days out of 180 means just that. Take any period of 180 days, say Jan 1 through Jun 30. If you spend more than 90 days in Schengen during that period, then you violate the rule. Now move the window to Feb 1 through Jul 30. Same 90 out of 180 applies.

Bottom line: crossing the border to a non-Schengen country and then re-entering isn’t going to help if you are at the 90 day limit. The only thing that will help is to leave Schengen and STAY OUT for a full 90 days.

For those people who need to be in Greece for a long period of time, say 180 days from Jan 1 through Jun 30, then you need to spend at least 90 of those days (say Mar 1 through May 30) in Turkey or some other non-Schengen country.

BTW Greece is the only Schengen country which is actively enforcing this rule and assessing fines on tourists from America and other developed countries (other than “tourists” who got into trouble with the police for some other reason) . Evidently, the other Schengen countries are more concerned than Greece about disrupting the flow of tourist dollars.

And yes, yes, I know the United States is even more difficult than Greece about overstaying tourist visas. Evidently the United States (which has the biggest trade deficit in the history of the world) feels it has even less need than Greece for foreign exchange.

Becky, I’m glad you got your extension, but please don’t tell me it was solely because you’re “an upbeat young lady.” It’s not. In fact, I can’t believe you have the audacity to come back and brag when you did absolutely nothing.

Five days after I talked to you, your relative Niki posted in a forum pleading for help about how to get your visa extended. She was getting bad advice, no one could help her (to help you), so I answered her, gave her a link to this article and told her to follow the instructions. This was the first she’d ever heard of it since you sat on your a$$ and neglected to tell her anything about this article or the advice I gave you.

I also don’t know why you were expecting problems. All I said was you needed to at least try to apply and do something instead of sitting back being “upbeat and positive” and waiting for solutions to drop out of the sky. By all accounts, you really should be back in Canada.

Be grateful that I found Niki in the forum, not boastful of yourself, and have a nice stay.

Just a question in reference to the paying of one-time fines for overstaying the 90-day Schengen Visa.

Im about to exit France on an Australian passport after overstaying and one of your posters ‘Frank’ briefly mentioned in this thread that:

BTW Greece is the only Schengen country which is actively enforcing this rule and assessing fines on tourists from America and other developed countries (other than “tourists” who got into trouble with the police for some other reason).

How does Frank know that Greece is the only country actively enforcing the fine? Im asking out of curiousity, as I’m obviously hoping that France is not!

Do you know if the amount of the fine (600-1300euros) is assessed based on length of overstay or something more arbitrary (such as the mood of the immigration official on the day)?

Ive been having great trouble finding anything at all on the net about the fines/penalties, so any advice you could give would be much appreciated.

Cheers, Karen

To be honest, you shouldn’t be looking at this post since these penalties are for Greece only. I realize good information is scarce, but I just want to remind everyone that each Schengen country has different rules, as I say in my post. (Karen, I’m not scolding you, I just don’t want everyone asking my advice for every Schengen country, as I’m a private person giving the rules as written for Greece, not a public official or immigration officer for the entire Schengen zone.)

Frank is a retired American tourist and bases his knowledge on the fact he goes traveling every year for significant periods, usually 6 months in the Schengen zone.

Whether or not you’re even looked at or how much you’re fined is purely the discretion of the person passing judgment; it doesn’t matter how long ago you passed the deadline — I’ve known people who overstayed one day and fined 500 euros and people who overstayed 4 months and fined the same thing. If the country is connected to the Schengen computer system (I don’t know which are or aren’t), your passport will be scanned, and anyone in violation will be automatically flagged no matter what stamps are in your passport. If they are not connected to the computer, he can let you by without a glance or do the math in his head.

In both cases, the immigration official can decide to do something…or not. If you’re let go, be happy and be on your way. If you’re not, he will enter you in the computer and assess a fine. You then have the choice of paying the fine or not. If you pay, great. If not, you risk being blacklisted (as I said) in the computer and/or in your passport for up to 5 years. If you try and enter the Schengen zone before the 5-year deadline, whoever you get upon entering will again have the choice of letting you pay the fine and allow you passage or simply turn you away.

They likely don’t bother Frank because he’s well-spoken, polite, financially sound and exhibits good behavior. It’s our belief that crackdowns are more likely on repeat violators, scruffy tourists/backpackers, football hooligans, people pretending to be tourists but are trying to flee their country and work illegally, etc.

This is first-hand information I received from Frank, since I’m an American citizen with EU residence and only overstayed once 11 years ago and paid my fine.

The fact that Greece is more strict has been documented in travel articles and guides, such as the Lonely Planet and Rough Guides.

Smile and hope for the best!

This is a story of being ignorant of this 90 day rule within the Schengen countries…and Greece. My son has been traveling in the Schengen countries since August 07. He left Greece a couple of days ago to go to Istanbul. It was upon departure that he was shocked to hear this rule of 90 days…and the Greek guard demanded that he pay a fine. My son thought this was was all made up and he thought he heard 6000 euros !! My son did not have that kind of money. I think he misheard, it was probably 600. He did not pay. Anyways his passport was stamped by the Greeks upon departure and the info was noted in the Greek computer system. He says the stamp is purpl-ish blue , a rectangular stamp on the front page, , all in Greek and half smudged, dates illegible. The dilemna is that he will be flying to the Basel/Mulhound/Freiberg airport in a few days , landing, we believe , on the Swiss side. What I have been able to ascertain, through talking to the Swiss and Belgium consulates, is that it is an arbitrary situation as to whether the immigration officer will even look at the Canadian passport, it is possible that he will be waved through… If he does get stopped it is still arbritary whether they will act on it…. however if they do act on it he will be detained in the ariport and they will assist him in finding a flight out..to the UK or Canada. In speaking to the Belgium consulate, she was shocked at this info about the Greeks fining people. she said that in Belgium they issue a paper requesting that you leave within a week, and they will check within a month. Only in criminal cases do they escort yo to airport. The Swiss consulate was also shocked at the fine. He said they would not expect payment as they are not part of the Schengen countries, and the Belgium consulate said they do not fine people. so that is our experience so far and we will see what actually happens when he gets to Switzerland. I will post you, if your readers are interested.
appreciated finding this info on your website. /And would welcome any feedback. cheers.

Penalty stamps aren’t a standard color in Greece; it’s whatever they have on hand — blue, black, red, purple, etc. I never said people are escorted to the border for overstaying, only deportation.

As I say in my Warning and Disclaimer, Greece is a “results may vary” country and so it’s quite wrong to compare what other countries do, think or say.

I’ve said pretty much everything there is on the subject and already covered things you repeated, so I have no further feedback.

Hi Kat you seem to know a lot about this stuff,

Do you know if its possible to get a multiple entry visa for students studying abroad in greece?

Wondered what your wisdom is on the following timely visa puzzle:

Five months ago, an American has her passport stamped entering Europe via Copenhagen, and then, same day, gets stamped exiting Schengen via German land border to Poland.

Now, 5 months later, after inadvertantly overstaying 3 month tourist visa in Poland, she has return flight to USA via Copenhagen but is concerned about overstay penalties.

With recent Schengen changes, seems she can get back up to Copenhagen by land without encountering passport control. But how will Copenhagen customs treat this passport?

Will they view it as being stamped exited Schengen long ago (before Poland became Schengen) and hence as not overstaying normal Schengen 3 month visa and therefore as “legal”, or will they view it as failing to leave the (now expanded) Schengen region before the allowed 3 months ended and hence as “illegal’? And if “illegal” then what penalties to expect?

Thanks for any feedback on this matter…

Ina - Most student visas are single entry, but you really need to check with the Consulate regarding multiple entry visas. I do not represent them nor do I have first-hand experience in that area, so I am not the best person to ask.

Brad - I’ve done no land crossings from Poland, Germany or anywhere else AND I don’t know your friends or what they did, so I can’t dispute or confirm they say. As I’ve said before, your friend has overstayed her POLISH visa no matter how you look at it — when someone stays 5 months on a 3-month visa, they are not legit and there’s nothing ambiguous about it. It’s NOT about Schengen. If you think that because she’s outrun the Polish authorities that someone else won’t enforce the law for them, think again.

When she gets to Copenhagen, she will absolutely go through passport control on her way to the USA, who will see that she traversed German-Poland 5 months ago, then nothing transpired after that. YOU see her arrival in Copenhagen as “entry” to Schengen. THEY see it as: “Where the hell has she been for 5 months? She’s trying to pull something.” They see people like this every day. If she doesn’t have stamps or documentation proving where she’s been, it’s assumed she’s guilty of something. (i.e. I once had to get out boarding passes to prove my innocence). I’ll repeat myself again: Whether they even care or do anything about it is up to the person passing judgment. They may not even notice. I have nothing more to add. All the best!

Brad: there is an article in Migration NewsSheet [a professional journal] of January 2008 stating that, until now, Americans in Poland were all allowed to renew their visas indefinitely, simply by travelling to a nearby country and applying for another Polish visa from the consulate there. But now that Poland is in Schengen, this option is ruled out.

My guess is that for a very short period of time, people travelling out of Poland will be treated with some flexibility, since the change is so recent. I doubt that there are any rules on this though, so you are at the mercy of each border guard. It would be better to apply for a Schengen visa from another country, in order to pass through Copenhagen and get back to the USA. Alternatively, there are transit-only visas available: I doubt that Americans ever use them though: they are designed for “difficult” poor countries’ nationals.

Note from Kat: Excellent note Martin, however as I understand, Brad’s friend has avoided or plans to avoid Polish border control, thus her whereabouts cannot be established. But as I’ve repeated many, many times (and you repeated again), border guards may or may not care.

Last October, my Canadian friend was briefly detained at the Frankfurt airport because she stayed in Santorini for 9 months on a tourist visa, so when she exited the EU via Frankfurt, they had some big questions for her. I don’t remember if she had to pay a fine, but she was banned from the EU for six months (not that that really affected her…she wasn’t planning to return until this spring), and it was quite a stressful experience. So, never overstay a visa!

Kat, you must nearly go crazy having to repeat yourself so often, over and over, again. At risk of making you any crazier, I would just like to ask for brief clarification of what I understand you to have written several times, in a few different tones. Kat, I am a US citizen sitting here in the US. My daughter is headed from here to Santorini in early April. She fully plans on staying there, in a nice studio apartment at a nice resort, for six (6) months. She heads back to the US on September 30, 2008. As you, and the Greek Consulate’s office in Atlanta, Georgia, have pointed out, as a US citizen she does not need a Schengen visa to enter Greece, just her US passport. Now, if I am hearing you correctly, and I am reasonably sure I am, assuming she keeps out of trouble while there, that when she attempts to leave Greece, through Athens, to London, to the USA, she will more than likely be questioned about her 90 day overstay. When she has no good explanation to give them (keeping in mind she is 23 y.o., a well spoken college grad, well dressed, even attractive, and appears to be fairly well off financially), they will probably scold her and present her with a fine of 600 to 1300 Euro. When she then apologizes for her transgression and quickly offers to pay her fine, and does so, they will let her pass through (without any bad mark in her passport), and she will be on her way home. Correct? She will also, likely, have no problem in London, either, when she changes planes. Correct again? One interesting point I want to make; when I asked the Greek gentleman, at the Atlanta based, Greek Consulate, what he would advise, since I knew she was premeditating six (6) months, and I told him exactly that, he suggested she simply stay the six months and pay her fine on the way out. He even suggested she contact the local authorities, upon arrival in Greece, and ask them what the fine will be. :o)) Kat, could I please get your clarification of, or agreement with, what I think I understand to be the case, and perhaps your reaction to the advice from the Consulate? Thank you, Gary

Gary, I go a little crazy or impatient sometimes with practical posts on this site in general because I spend a lot of free time disclosing absolutely everything I know on the subject, and answers are already contained in the article BUT people either don’t read carefully or are looking for reassurance from me as if I can predict the future or am holding something back. I can’t and I’m not.

Pertaining to your daughter, everything the Consulate told you is what I stated in my article. Answers to all of your questions except one are also covered in the article, but I’ll give you the reassurance you seek because I’m feeling generous today and you were very polite.
- It doesn’t matter what she looks like or her education level; they don’t ask for credentials or give tests at the border, and perceived wealth and attractiveness will likely work against her if she gets a woman. It only depends on the mood of the person passing judgment, therefore a fine cannot be predicted in advance
- Greece will likely deal with her; London is her absolute last point of exit from the EU, but the UK is not in Schengen although it does have policing authority
- I’m surprised the gentleman at the Consulate gave the same advice I did about consciously overstaying, being as they were previously trying to scare people by lying to them about the fine being 1000 euros a day
- If she’s fined anywhere along the way, she won’t get a mark in her passport if she pays immediately
- I would not suggest her alerting local Greek authorities to her conscious overstay since it’s not for certain she’ll be fined in Greece and is therefore calling attention to herself needlessly

I hope your daughter has a lovely stay!

P.S. You see 30 comments on this post, but there are actually more than 50; I’m sure you can imagine what the others say/ask. I published yours because you had something new to ask. New material from polite commentators who read the article are always welcome because it adds to the discussion and helps everyone.

I need to ask a question what do you mean by airport authorities in the Greek airport? I am Canadian and I am flying directly from Greece to Canada is there some sort of border control in the airport when I am flying directly to Canada or just the usual border control that I have to go through in Canada? I have been flying back and forth to Greece for some few years now and I only have ever gone through Schipol and there is where I met border control.. so in a nutshell am I to meet with the same border control as in Schipol here in Athens Greece?

Note from Kat: Yes. All airports have airport authorities (border/passport control, airport police, customs inspectors, etc.). The Schengen Agreement (cooperation) has abolished some checks. Therefore, if you’ve already been through passport/border control in a Schengen country, you won’t be checked again if you’re landing in another Schengen country. That’s why you’re not checked here in GR if you’ve already done it in Schipol. If for example you fly Canada-ATH direct or ATH-Canada direct, you’d be checked in GR. This is explained in the article, “Current Schengen Countries.”

If they don’t stamp your passport upon arrival to any country, then: a) They can easily look it up in the computer — your biometric passport was scanned upon entry; b) they can question and ask you to produce airline stubs from your last flight if they suspect you’re over 90 days in 180 days; or c) nothing.

Ok, so here’s my situation:

My 90 day student visa expired yesterday. My classes, however, are not finished for another 2 weeks. When I first applied for the visa in the US (my home country) I was told by the consulate that I could not get a visa for longer than 90 days (something about their system not being updated) and that I would have to apply for an extension when the time came. I didn’t think 2 weeks was a big deal and didn’t plan on extending, until now, after reading this page. My question is: is there anything I can do now? Since I have entered illegal status, am I even allowed to apply for an extension? (In the article you said no, but could the fact that my semester isn’t finished yet change anything?) If I do go to apply for an extension, will they see that I am illegal and deport me?

Yikes!

P.S. What a valuable website, for everything…I wish I found it sooner!

A - Hi there. There are no visas for over 90 days at this time; it has nothing to do with their system being updated. The thing that strikes me is that you were told from the start that you would indeed need to apply for an extension, but didn’t.

Since you are over the 90 days, you can no longer apply for an extension, although I’m sure they would have given it to you because you have a legitimate reason. You can’t apply because an extension implies they are giving further validity to something that is in force. As your visa is expired, there is nothing valid to extend.

Nowhere in the article do I say you can be deported for overstaying your visa. Deportation usually happens for a serious reason — working illegally, committing a crime, being caught sneaking into the country, violating a blacklist, etc.

When you leave GR, border/passport control will decide what to do with you as I detail in the article. Let you go or not, fine or not. They may be sympathetic if you show them your paper, but maybe not. It’s up to them, and there’s nothing more you can do. Just hope for the best!

Dee - Your comment was moved to the relevant article and answered. “How to get a visa and residence permit based on independent means”

I am a student studying on Paros Island for three months. I arrived in Paris Feb. 27 and will be leaving on June 2. This means I am on day 68 of 97 days in Greece.

I was somewhat aware of the regulations before I got here, but didn’t have enough time to get a student visa since the process takes quite some time. I have been traveling in The Netherlands and Italy as well, which I know are both part of the agreement, but at not time has my passport ever been stamped. I entered the E.U. through Paris (as my first stop from Boston) and arrived in Greece 8 days later, but was never stamped at any time. There is no record of my arrival within my passport, and I don’t believe it was ever scanned upon entry.

Should I be concerned? When I leave on June 1, I am flying to Amsterdam first, not directly to the states, so I am staying in the Shengen. Will I be questioned in Greece before I leave? And how would I go about trying to get an extension for 90+ days if I do not have a stamp letting the authorities know when I arrived here? Your guidelines say that would be necessary.

Thanks so much for all this information. Hopefully it will help me figure out my return home.

Hi B, a student visa might not have mattered in your case, since it would have still only been for 90 days maximum, however (like the previous commentator, Angie) your overstay will not be huge. You’re in a situation where you could apply for an extension, however it will cost you 464 euros. Is that a lot for 7 days? Depends. If border/passport control lets you pass without a glance and without a fine, then 464 euros is a lot. If border/passport control does NOT let you pass and fines you 600-1300 euros, then 464 euros is a small amount. In lieu of a passport stamp, you could provide plane ticket stubs or an itinerary. Your passport was most certainly scanned when you came into Schengen.

The problem is, none of us has any idea what will happen to you so it’s impossible to say which is better. It then comes down to what you’re comfortable with and what chances you want to take.

Greek authorities might let your layover country (Netherlands) deal with you since that’s your last point of departure before the USA. They may be more lenient than GR, so that’s something else you should consider (and be happy about). If you’re a respectable girl, and I expect you are, that’s also a plus.

All the information posted on this site has been highly appreciated and I would like to thank you in advance for any suggestions you can give me.

My situation is the following:
I am a canadian ctiizen and have been living within the European Union (between spain and italy) for quite some time now. ( I have been living illegally for three years and have only been able to do so since finding a route where officals do not stamp my passport when I leave..) I have no visa or permit and have not returned to canada since last august 07. (Therefore the last stamp I have was on re-entering spain in august 07.)

My parents are coming to visit me this coming june and we have planned a trip through Greece and Turkey. I am starting to stress out about going to Turkey because I know I am at risk of not being able to return back into the european union or be overly fined for my long overstay. My questions are 1) Will I have to pass through border control leaving Greece by Ferry boat to Turkey (or just as Im hoping, pass border control only when entering Turkey)? 2) Can Greek officals ban me from entering the Shengen zone again after leaving, or just fine me?

Any answers or suggestions will be more than helpfull

…besides the obvious suggestion of getting legal residency in the european union…which im working on
Thanks, Aimee

Aimee, in response to your questions:

1) Your passport will likely be checked both when entering Turkey, and again when re-entering Greece. After all, you are crossing the border to another country that isn’t in Schengen or the EU, then back again. When you enter Turkey, local authorities can grant you permission to travel visa-less for 72 hours or you’ll have the option to purchase one on arrival, since Canadians technically need one; I assume you knew that since it is easily looked up on the Consulate’s Web site.

2) According to the major companies I consulted (Minoan, Blue Star, Superfast, Louis), they all say the same thing. All passengers are required to have a valid passport and other travel documents (visas, etc.) to travel to another country. In the event authorities find an irregularity and/or prevent you from continuing yr journey, you will be responsible for whatever penalty is assessed. If immigration officials refuse you entry back to Greece, you can be sent back to Turkey or Canada at your expense. There’s no way to predict what Greek authorities will do in your case, if anything. That’s a risk you’ll need to assess.

One last note, there’s no way you can establish legal residency without proof you entered Spain, Italy or any EU country legally. And that proof usually comes in the form of a passport stamp or at least being scanned by a computer when you entered if there is no stamp.

Cheers and best of luck!

My boyfriend has dual citizenship American and Greek. He went to Greece and extended his ticket which went over 30 days. He was detained at the airport and told he had military obligations and needed to serve another 60 days.

3 years ago he left Greece and was supposed to have gone back and finish within 6 months. He ended up staying in US for 2 1/2 years. He obviously made a huge mistake by extending his ticket and now is stuck there until August when they will serve him his papers. He is not able to leave until he serves his 60 days.

He is starting school at the end of June and is desperately trying to think of ways to get out of there. I did some research and came upon your site which was very helpful. But I still have some questions.

Can he take a boat to Italy and then leave from there with his American passport without a problem? Or will his name show up in the computer system in Italy, if so what happens then? Do they send him back to Greece? Will it make a difference if he leaves from a non Schengen country? Will he even make it out of Greece?

I understand what he did was dumb on all counts and I dont think he should do anything stupid which most likely would land him in jail. I just want to know if there is any way for him to get out without getting in trouble.

I look forward to your reply.

Tina, very interesting case, but as you never posted back with answers to the below questions, I can only hope your boyfriend found a solution and is on his way home.

a) Did he use his Greek or American passport to enter Greece? It makes a difference.
b) Are you saying that he started his military duty years ago, and never finished it?
c) Did he have the permanent resident abroad certificate? From the statement you made about ‘30 days,’ I’m guessing the answer is ‘no.’

If he leaves on a ferry from GR to Italy, his passport will not be checked because it’s still Schengen, then he can depart from any airport in Italy to go home. His military obligation is a Greek national issue, not a Schengen issue and I’m under the distinct impression he will not be flagged in the computer. He would only be flagged and stopped if he departed from GR.

In three days, I’ll go to Greece for an international exchange project- being part of a children camp team. I’ll spend 66 days in that camp. My schengen visa can be used within these three months, but the duration of stay is allowed 30 days only. (The travel agency did the wrong application) I plan stay 4 days in Rome before I go back (non-Schengen country).
Is it better to apply visa extension than overstaying? And the extention really costs 456 euros?

The same thing I said to Britt a few comments above also applies to you. The cost is 464 euros for an extension, not 456. If you overstay and passport control does NOT assess a fine, then 464 euros is a lot. If you overstay and passport control assesses a fine of 600 euros or more, then 464 euros is not a lot. Since you will be departing from Italy and not Greece, it’s possible Italy will be more lenient with you, but there’s no way to predict what will happen.

I’m guessing it’s too late to apply for the correct length visa or force your travel agency to admit their error and fix it??? I always apply for visas very early, and I hold people accountable for their mistakes.

The duration of stay means exactly that — 30 days total in the entire Schengen zone. That means 30 days within the next 90 days, whether it’s one continuous stay used all at once or 10 days this month, 10 days next month and 10 months in two months from now.

Hi, I am an American student currently working/studying in Denmark. I have a student residence permit that extends from May 5th until August 15th, but I am planning on finishing early on August 1st and spending a week on Kalymnos Island. I would fly out of Athens back to LAX around August 10th or 11th, but I was wondering if I would get hassled by the Greek border patrol for leaving Greece to go to the States instead of Denmark? Does a residence permit in one country in Schengen allow you to travel within Schengen within the time denoted on the permit? I wasn’t concerned about it until I read the postings above and now I’m a bit nervous and wondering if I should cancel my flight to Greece and spend some time in Italy instead?

Sadly, the question doesn’t end there. My boyfriend is also travelling with me and we’re very afraid about his overstay. His 90th day from the day we arrived in Copenhagen in August 6th. Doesn’t seem like a big deal right? Just a few days over, but there is a problem. He was on a climbing tour without a visa in Spain earlier this year for about 5-6 weeks. He came back to the US but was only back in the country for 70 days, not 90. So I guess all of this information is going to pop up on the Greek computer and we’re going to be in a heap of trouble because we are backpackers (sort of - we don’t look like it - and our backpacks will be checked in the terminal).

I can still cancel the trip to Greece and book something else for the two of us. What would you do? He is currently in the South of France and had no problems leaving Denmark and the French customs officials didn’t hassle him either. Should we play it safe and go elsewhere and come back to Greece six months from now to avoid being slapped with a fine? I insisted that he come on this trip, so I would gladly pay the fine. However, I don’t really carry that much cash on my person. How do you go about paying these people if you are (worst case scenario) caught and slapped with an enormous fine? Can you charge it or is it a chack/bank transfer? I don’t want to look like an ass asking a border patrol officer if he’ll swipe my Visa card, but 1300 euros is approximately $2015 and that’s more than I keep in my checking account when I travel. I would have to put it on a credit card. I’m scared about this trip now and it looks like backing out and scheduling something else would be in our best interest. Any thoughts?

By the way, this site is great. I had no idea what it would be like to go to Greece!

Thanks!

Hi Kate, I haven’t been to Denmark in ages, but I now have a good friend in Copenhagen so I suppose I’m due.

With regards to you, they can’t do anything to you if you have a residence permit valid until Aug 15. It doesn’t matter if you’re returning to Denmark or not. You’re legal.

With regards to your boyfriend, this is one of those ‘human factor’ situations in which no one can predict the outcome. They may let him go, they may not. Even if it doesn’t pop up in the computer (though I’m pretty sure it will), they can assess all of his stamps and do the math. IF they fine him, I doubt it will be 1300 euros if you’re polite and respectable, which it sounds like you are.

With regards to method of payment, cash is still king and everyone I know has paid such. I don’t remember seeing any swipe machine, but that may have changed. If it didn’t change, someone may take your card to a terminal and get it done, or they’ll ask you to visit an ATM or bank counter and take a cash advance from your credit card.

In the end, it will be up to you and your boyfriend to decide whether to risk it or not. August is high, high season, so if you’re looking for sun, sand and pressing the flesh in a party atmosphere without care for money, you should still come on over. If being here in December when it’s a bit chillier, quieter and less expensive is OK with you, maybe it’s not a big deal to postpone.

Whatever you decide to do, have a great time!

Bless you! As others also affirm, this is an incomparable website. Thank you!

Just a quickie- i understand all policies, visas, non-visas, extensions etc. but nowhere did I see any kind of reference to any sort of grace period. I too, like the Paros gal studied there for the three month period, but ended up being 10 days over, due to the program not being finished. I was uninformed and found myself interrogated for a few brief moments on the way back through Munich. I met someone very special and have been planning for years to go back and reunite with him. The finances have finally proved to make it feesable…but now, down the line, i remembered that incident. I began investigating and came across some resources that said there is a 10 day grace period to leave the country after the 90 days are up, without “being in trouble” or even subject to fine.

I TOTALLY understand your case-sensitive rational here, which i’ll cross my fingers for! But just wondering if you know of any official documentation of a grace period being allowed when fine cannot be enforced? I know, a long shot…as it looks on here many have suffered from just the day over scenario. Shoot! Any info on the topic?

Thanks a million!

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