Shan and I are currently in Rhode Island planning our summer 2015 cruise on North Star to France, Spain and Portugal with the intention of arriving in Canaries in November and crossing to St. Lucia in early January. The problem is Schengen 's 90-day limits for non-EU residents.

I am currently looking into the possibility of applying for a French visitor visa for 1-yr residence (D Visa). We want to cruise leisurely south along the west coast of France, linger in the rias in Spain and Portugal and make an unhurried passage to Madeira and Canaries. The biggest issue seems to be not having a fixed residence to list on the application.

I have not heard of anyone doing this successfully. On the CA website one suggested that it was possible. Has anyone been successful in finding a way around the 90-day Schengen limits for non-EU residents?

Hello David,

Assuming everything looks alright, a non-visa-required foreigner is usually granted leave to stay of 6 months in the UK on initial arrival.

However, when we arrived in the Isles of Scilly in 2015 and called the National Yachtline to report our arrival, we were granted admission in the UK and yet our passports were not stamped. So, if one does not have evidence of how long one's leave of stay is, how can one substantiate the legality of one's stay? We only stayed in the UK for a few days before sailing for Brest.

Did you get stamps on your passport when you arrived in Shetland? How long is your leave of stay?

Cheers,

OH
At anchor, Marmaris