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?

Ted,
There is another post on this at http://forum.oceancruisingclub.org/uk-and-northern-europe/988-changes-to-schengen-definition-of-a-short-stay#1357

I have no expertise on this but wondered if visiting the non EU Channel Isles might re-set the clock? Similarly Morroco?
Simon

Shan and I have continued to pursue alternatives. We heard that cruisers were not able to get a long stay D visitors visa in Italy. They said the Italian consulate was looking for large bank balances and intent to reside in Italy. We have also heard from cruisers in Cartagena Spain that they were successful in getting their long stay visitor visa from the French Consulate in San Francisco. They said they provided credit card charge history, picture and title for the boat, and contract for the marina (which was not looked at).

We live in Rhode Island and have contacted the consulate in Boston by email and asked the question about proof of accommodation which asks for lease papers, rental agreement, etc. Their response was that title for our boat and contract with the boatyard for a month was OK if we provided an address in France. Not clear whether they mean the address of the boatyard or another point of contact. Just to make sure we have all bases covered we will provide the address for both the boatyard and resident friends.

The French LSV reads to allow residence in France for up to a year, requires orientation at a local immigration and integration office in France, allows travel to other Schengen countries while the LSV is in effect. I will post the results of our visit to the consulate next week.

Ted, keep in mind that Ireland is a member of the EU but outside the Schengen agreement. The cruising grounds, especially along the west and south coasts are magnificent, but challenging.

The following information was provided by OCC member Kingsley Ross who is following this matter very closely:

OCC Touring Visa Announcement

The European Union Commission is considering legislation that would create a Touring Visa. If passed, the proposal could allow citizens from nations that are not members of the Schengen Treaty to stay in most of the EU and several other countries for up to one year. As proposed, the visa could be renewed for a second year. Currently, the Shengen Treaty allows visitors to stay 90 days out every 180 days. The Schengen Treaty is what made it possible for most citizens of the EU to move freely across the EU without needing to check into each country they enter. Today it involves 26 countries (see http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-11-608_en.htm?locale=en and http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/schengen-fact-sheet.html#1).

The proposal will undergo a long review process and is not expect to be acted on finally before 2015.

Vice Commodore, OCC 

Ted - The latest on Schengen Touring Visa is that it will not be implemented until 2016 at the earliest and through separate emails, you already have been in touch with Walt Kass who obtained a French term visa recently.

Please keep us posted on how you meet the French requirements so all of us can benefit from it. Thanks.

The touring visa certainly will open future year stays in Schengen countries. For the time being we will have to be satisfied with the French Long Stay Visa (LSV). The consulate has a detailed check list for their requirements for the visa. The only one problematic requirement was "medical evacuation" and "repatriation", but thanks to suggestions by other cruisers like Kingsley Ross we will get by this one before our meeting at the consulate. I think the major impediment was the cost of travel insurance. I am somewhat of a penny pincher and did not want to pay for parts of the insurance that I did not want or need; on some policies the term was limited to 30, 45, or 180 days which doesn 't help for a longer overseas cruise.

Ted - while it is not on your radar we just received our Italian Type D visas via the Miami consulate. It only about a week for them to issue it. They had no problem with us living on our boat.

We have heard from others who were not successful with the Italian D Visa. Glad to hear of your success. There seem to be many variables that can lead to either success of failure. Thanks for the feedback.

The wording of the Schengen Agreement is such that after 90 days the non-EU resident needs to spend 90 days outside. Yes, it would reset the clock if you could spend 90 days there. Spending the winter in Britain might be another option that would work,

Shan and I ventured up to the French Consulate for our appointment with the Visa Officer Wednesday. We received a FEDEX today (Friday) with our passports and approved long stay Visas (LSV) which are good for a year stay in France! (We will still need to check in with the Office of Immigration and Integration when we get to France to validate the visa within 90 days of our arrival.)

The meeting with the Visa Officer was conducted with both of us present, but processed individually. He just marched down the check list on their website and we handed over the papers as he asked for them. He kept all the papers I gave him. He was satisfied with North
Star 's USCG registration copy and the marina 's emailed estimate (devis). We purchased a Seven Corners policy for emergency evacuation and repatriation since the Navy retirement medical did not cover that. The coverage period needed to fit our planned stay in France. No mention of any deductible limits. We provided both income and investments since we are retired.

We will be cruising south along the west coast of France and then west/south across the coast of Spain and south along Portugal leading to Madeira or Canaries. The French LSV allows for passage through other Schengen countries back to France, and does not mention a time limit to be in transit. If the time limit in transit were 90 days, it would not limit our cruise because at the end of our cruise we plan to return to US via France anyway. Although obtaining the visas required some effort to get them, we think it was well worth it. We appreciate all the helpful feedback we have received so far.