How to (Legally) Stay In Europe For More Than 90 Days

This is a rather common query we get from travelers visiting Europe. Young travelers or older unmarried non-EU visitors are strictly not allowed to trail around the continent for more than 3 months. However, some loopholes can change these rules for explorers who wish to maximize their experience of Europe. Let’s take a look-

Get Accessible Visas

If you want your stay to be completely legal, you will have to get an accessible visa. By accessible I mean a Visa that is fairly easy to obtain. Perhaps even easier than your travel visa.

1. Europe Student Visa 

You can get a student visa as long as you are accepted by and enrolled in a European university. There are some short-term courses (up to 12 months) that you can apply for here. Moreover, there are free universities in Europe as well where you will have to give zero costs. You can also try student exchange programs. Below are some European countries where your student visa should cost very little-

• Finland- Zero yearly tuition fee
• Norway-  Zero yearly tuition fee 
• Austria- Zero yearly tuition fee or $400
• Germany- Zero yearly tuition fee or $1000
• Hungary- $1000
• France- $1000

 2. Work Visa

You can get a normal work Visa where you sign a contract with a European country. This can be in the form of transfer, internship, part-time, or a full-time job. Work transfers are fairly common in companies that encourage cultural exchange programs as well. Other options include-

3. English Teaching Abroad

You will have to get a work visa or a working holiday visa first. Conduct proper research on recognized schools and institutions that invite foreign teachers for educational purposes. It is possible to teach with a student visa as well. Countries open to English-teaching jobs include:

• Czech Republic
• France
• Hungary
• Spain
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain

4. Language Assistant Programs

These programs are run by different governments. Usually, you are expected to offer aid in the English language and are even paid to do so. The countries that offer these are given below-

• France- You must come from their 60 partner countries. Also, you should be between 20-30 years of age with a basic knowledge of French and 2 years of University. 
• Italy- You must be an American resident with Italian proficiency and a 3.25 GPA.
• Spain- Should be a resident of the USA, Canada, Australia, China, New Zealand, or EU. Should know Spanish of basic level and must be a University graduate or in the last year of University.
• Switzerland- Must reside in Spain, Italy, France, Austria, Ireland, Great Britain, Canada, or The US. Should have a sound knowledge of regional languages and must be between 21-30 years of age. You can be a university student or a graduate.

5. AU Pair

Being an AU Pair is being a domestic assistant. You shall live with a host family that will provide free accommodation for you along with basic amenities. This is usually done for 6 months or more. Other than childcare, you might have to cater to different household needs and take care of chores. The best part is that you get paid for it.

7. Freelance/Digital or Nomad/Self Employment Visa

There has been a rise of digital nomads and remote workers in the current century. Countries have also been seeking more tourism after the onslaught of COVID. Since then, a new form of VISA has been made operational by various countries. For instance, self-employment visas for online and remote freelancers. Digital visas can be easily procured for countries like Estonia, Germany, Iceland, and many more.

8. Become a Volunteer

These are similar to the English teaching jobs described above. However, this is not a perfectly legal way to prolong your stay in Europe. Examples of these jobs include fruit picking, hostel work, cleaning staff work, etc. To become a legal volunteer for a long time, you will have to get a work visa. If not, then you should sign up for accredited volunteer programs that can provide a work visa for you. Although most of them carry a fee, if you are lucky, you can get some affordable ones as well.

9. Cultural Homestay

This is a very formal arrangement that you will make with a non-profit organization and a foreign country. These organizations seek travelers like yourself and send you to host families elsewhere. For instance- Cultural Homestay International has a ‘World Explorers’ program. Herein you will get a 3-month worth of free accommodation as long as you share your native language with the hosts for 15 hours every week. If you wish to travel for a year, then they can combine multiple programs in different destinations. IF you ever plan to visit the The Red Force rollercoaster as it is one of the best rollercoasters in world. 

10. Conventional Ways

• Family Reunion
• Marriage or Fiancé Visa
• Cohabitation
• Home Stays
• Ancestry and Naturalization

Conclusion

The solutions given above should prove most effective when it comes to prolonged stay in Europe. We’ll be honest, there are only limited tricks you can apply to tour the continent beyond 90 days. The points above are more than tips but are actual legal programs run by different countries. If you can make the best of them, you are set for a delightful staycation in Europe.