Post-Brexit holiday homes: can you stay longer than 90 days in the EU?
Are you looking for a retreat in the sun you can head off to each year, but want to stay longer than just taking short visits to your holiday home?
Since Brexit, Brits now have to limit stays in the Schengen Area to 90 days out of every 180 day period. But there are ways to stay longer, legally, although visa rules vary from country to country.
Here’s how you can extend your stay in some of the most popular destinations in Europe, including France, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy.
France
British citizens planning to stay longer than three months at a time in France must apply for a Long Stay Visa – visa de long séjour – at the French Consulate in London (or the country where they are living). This allows you to stay in France for three to twelve months.
There are several types of long stay visas, however the main two are:
The VLS-TS: this visa is normally issued for one year and is renewable. The VLS-T: this visa is issued for one year and is not renewable. These are generally for work or business purposes, to study or to join family members. The official French website for visa application highlights which visa is most appropriate. To extend a stay for more than one year, British citizens must apply for a residence permit in France. This residence permit – carte de séjour – is generally valid for one year and is renewable up to five times. British citizens who have lived in France for five continuous years on a renewable carte de séjour can apply for permanent residency. A carte de séjour costs €270 and is available for the local prefecture.