sandy456

Something strange happend to me at the Oslo Gardermoen airport.

I arrived by plane (from the Bulgarian coast), and was asked by an immigration officer how long I would stay? I was truthful, and said 2 and half months. He said ok do you have enough money, i said yes, but he wasn't convinced so he called up his boss to question me further in the special area they have for follow-ups.

His boss was suspicious of me from the start because I was couchsurfing in late autumn in Winter (almost unheard of because everyone visit Norway in summer). Also, the fact that my hosts had never met me before also through him off (after all i am couchsurfing, he didn't think that was a realistic way to travel, how wrong he is). Anyways, He found my story suspicious, and asked for my phone number, and photocopied my passport.

He looked at my entry/exit date stamps (in my Canadian passport), and said you have 5 days to stay in Norway. This is where he made his biggest mistake, because in the last 180 days, I've spent only 87 days in the Shengen zone. I planned my return to (norway) on the date where I wouldn't have any issue with immigration (as you know Canadians are allowed 90 days per 180 day period in Shengen). But, I think because he didn't like my story about couchsurfing for 2 months in windy, wet, dark, and cold Norway, with little money, and the fact I was going to stay with hosts (not hotels), as well as the fact I'd been to Norway before, he forgot to count the days accurately.

My question is what can he do if I decide to ignore his obviously wrong advice to leave after 5 days?

My date stamps speak for themselves, and I can prove I am legally allowed to be in Shengen for another 90 days. All anyone has to do to see that is to look at a calender. The officer was not very focused and he counted the months (6), not the days (180). Anyways, I am worried because he has my phone number, and told me to leave after only 5 days. Obviously that's a mistake. What can they do when I plan to leave Norway in 2 and half months? Can they fine me? deport me? ban me? What do they do to Canadians in Shengen? If it comes to a problem, I will fight it. I have the dates to back me up. I am not sure why he wanted my number, but do you think he will call me to see where I am after 5 days? Will he read my text messages, and listen to my calls too? He seemed very suspicious of me, but after 10 minutes he seemed fed up, and just let me go (because maybe he just wanted to go home)? It was late.

Let me you know your thoughts.

rjsol

Don't think you will have any problems while staying, No one is going to call you, there are not resources to check on tourists, but possibly when you want to leave us, in passport control ?

norween

The custom officer made no mistake : Norway is a full member of the Schengen Agreement, and if you have already stayed in the Schengen Area for 87 days, this gives you 3 days (and not 2 1/2 months) left on your (implicit) Schengen visa.
I suppose he said 5 : 3 + 1 arrival and 1 departure days.
Your problems may occur when leaving : i don't know exactly how strictly Norway applies the rules but you may get banned from the Schegen area for up to five years and have to pay a fine.

traveller1959

Norween and the customs officer are right:

You are allowed to stay 90 days maximum within a 180-day-period.

You better leave the Schengen zone within five days. Otherwise, you might be denied any further admission to Europe for the next 5 years.

Another option is to go to a Norwegian authority in order to obtain a visa ASAP. Maybe you are lucky and it works. Your host should help you.

tod

Well Sandy 456, What now?

hetismij

You state yourself that you have spent 90 days of the last 180 in Schengen countries and that you are only allowed 90 - so why are you surprised that the immigration officer would limit your entry time?
Even if you did still have time left on your Schengen entry (which you don't) any country still has the right to refuse or restrict your time within that country if they are not satisfied as to you intentions. You are lucky that he didn't refuse you entry all together. You do risk being banned from Schengen for 5 years if you over stay your time in Norway - and don't think they won't check - you are tagged as a suspicious person now, and will probably be in the Schengen database.

sandy456

Ok you guys think I messed up with the dates, but please look over the details of my situation:


I have date stamps showing I first entered Shengen on Apr 30th, stayed until July 25th (the differencce between these two dates is about 87 days, right)?

On July 25th I exited the zone, and returned again Oct 25th (a difference of approx. 90 days)

On Oct 25, I re-entered Shengen (in the same country: Norway). The difference between Apr 30, and Oct 25 (is about 180 days).

Within this 180 day period, I spent no more than 90 days in the zone, and about 90 days out.

On Oct 26 (today), a new 180 day period begins, right?.

Where can he prove I need to leave within 5 days? I specifically planned this through to avoid just this kind of problem.

Apres_Londee

Is this the same sandy who had all those questions about how to beat the Schengen system before leaving, and who scoffed at all the replies and advice telling him that breaking the rules was a bad idea?

I remember reading those posts months ago. This will be an interesting story to follow...

Nonconformist

I'm pretty sure that you can't start a new 180 day period now, because you're still in the original one. I think you might have been OK if you had waited to return to Norway until after the whole of the original 180 days had expired.

You should consult a lawyer to be sure.

In any case, I believe the immigration authorities always have the authority to refuse entry if they believe you don't have sufficient funds for your stay without your being likely to work illegally.

Maybe they've been reading your various threads here.

hetismij

Yes this is the same Sandy.

Your logic is not good Sandy - you are still in your 180 day period - the clock doesn't reset to a new period whilst you are in a Schengen country.
Since you wish to remain longer in Europe after Norway I would get out now, wait somewhere non Schengen for a considerable time, at least 90 days, before re entering Schengen. Otherwise you really do risk being deported from which ever country you try next, or from Norway.
You can certainly be banned from Norway if you overstay the time the immigration people gave you - and get your couch surfing hosts into serious trouble for harbouring you illegally. Not a very friendly thing to do to such generous folks.

nona1

I make Apr30 to Oct 25 179 days inclusive. You entered within the 180 day period. You should have been more careful with your adding up instead of using 'about' and left it a few more days.

annhig

sandy,

the thing to do is to do a trip to the Uk. we are not in schengen.

then you can go back to Norway again.

but NOT if you have overstayed and been chucked out. then WE might not want you either.

being chucked out of anywhere [and having that on your passport] is a REALLY bad idea. you will spend the rest of your life with immigration officers giving you the most careful scrutiny.

good luck,

regards, ann

sandy456

Ok, what if I leave the Shengen zone in another country, one that is less likely to scrutinize passport technicalities, like exact entry/exit date stamps/ I remember Spanish officers barely looking over my passport when i spent 3 months in Spain, I entered in Barcelolna, and left to Morocco, barely a look, the whole thing took 15 seconds. Perhaps what I should do is fly to another Shengen country, and exit the zone there. Maybe Italy, Greece, or another relaxed country. Hopefully the officials there will overlook the mistaken dates, after all it's only 1 day we're talking about here. And I'm actually done with Europe after this trip in Norway. I won't be coming back for a long time.

Nonconformist

I believe Greece is the opposite of relaxed on this.

I don't see any benefit to you to flying out of Norway to another Schengen country, then almost immediately out of Schengen. You still have to leave both Norway and Schengen in the next few days. Or were you hoping you could get admission to another Schengen country and stay another 90 days now? I really wouldn't count on it.

sandy456

I was thinking about ignoring the unfounded suggestion to leave within 5 days, and spend the remainder of my NEW 90 days in Norway, and then fly to another Shengen airport, perhaps in Italy, and exit the zone there (around mid-January). That way, I don't have to exit from Norway (and therfore deal with the Norwegian authorities), and there are no checks between Oslo-Rome, or Oslo-Nipoli, and I look Italian as an added bonus.

From the airport in Italy, I would like to leave Schengen zone for years to come (by choice, of course. Fingers crossed).

What do you think about that?

nytraveler

I think you're working so hard not to folow the rules that you're going to end up deported, paying a fine and banned for some period.

As for couch-surfing - that's a really bad idea to talk to any immigration official about that. They do NOT want you to couch surf. They don't want you n the country if you can;t afford a hotel. And they don;t want you to become a charge on their social service system (all very understandable).

You may be lucky and get away with this - or you may be caught - and have some serious difficulties. No matter which Schengen country you exit from.

I would follow the rules and leave Schengen now.

Padraig

I think you are wasting the time of those who offer you advice, because you seem intent on doing things your own way, and writing your own rulebook.

Do it, and if it misfires, accept the consequences.

Nonconformist

But you're still exiting from Norway when you leave to go to Italy. Do you not think they will check your passport then, even if they don't catch up with you while you're in Norway? (And I think perhaps you haven't quite understood the way the 180 days are calculated, hence your "unfounded" comment.) I really would advise you to seek a lawyer's advice.

sandy456

leaving Norway to go to Italy is not really an exit, as far as immigration goes - they are the same zone. If I fly Oslo-Rome, there will be no passport control, only a herd of people walking directly through. Unless I look like an Arab or African, or make direct eye contact with the customs guy (who is the only official I'll probably see) there should be no reason why anyone would need to see my passport.

And I think 1 day is too small of a difference for any busy immigration official to bother me as I exit Shengen in Italy.

And by the time I talk to a lawyer, my now 4 days remaining will be over, so I might as well go for plan A.

grapes

Sandy, please follow your own counsel and cling tightly to your inability to count to 180 (necessary number of days out of shengen zone). After you are caught, please post your first hand experience and the penalties you receive for breaking Shengen Law. Your experience may be invaluable to others.