Checklist Checkin: 5 months

There is a lot to be deconstructed accomplished before I can up and leave for my world-wide gallivant. I'm happy to say that I am well on my way!

Here's what I'm currently working on with five months to go:

-The great escape plan: Cruise booked. (Still need to book accomodations in Australia for when I arrive.)
-Lease termination: In the works. This is a bit painful because I currently live in the sweetest location, with the most ridiculously affordable rent, which is why I've lived here for six years. Getting rid of my place is not a decision I came to lightly.
-Sell my Car: Okay, I haven't done anything about this yet, it's too early. I still need to get around for the next five months. But I've come up with a game-plan. I'll try and sell my car myself in early September. If it hasn't sold by the time I leave, I'll take it to a dealership and sell it.
-Savings: On track. (Knock on wood!)
-Cleaning out/clearing away: I took a pretty substantial chunk of old clothing out of my closet a couple of weeks ago. Filled up two huge lawn and leaf trash bags with beautiful, hardly worn clothing. Yah, that was painful. I've also taken a first dive at paring down my huge book collection to just the essentials (classics and useful university books). The rest will go to the local library.

But most importantly, I'm doing my darnedest NOT to make plans. I want to be able to wander on this trip, to be flexible and just "go with it". And I'm a planner. This is a lot harder than it sounds!

Are you planning something big? 
Is it under-way? 
What stage are you in?

 Look familiar? That's a page from my finished/printed travel calendar project!

The Departure Lounge: Banking Abroad

 

BANKING ABROAD

"The time has come, the Walrus said, to speak of many things, of sailing ships and sealing wax..." and stuff like banking.

See what I did there? Crafty, that bit of poetry! I know. I'm a total nerd. Moving on...

In preparation for my upcoming move, I've done quite a bit of research into the best way to bank abroad. If you're not careful, you'll end up spending hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars in banking and credit card fees while abroad.

I'm headed to Israel in less than a month and thought now would be the perfect time to jump into an international-friendly checking account. My upcoming trip will give me the opportunity to test it out and make sure it's what I want while living overseas.

Here's what I've come up with as the best solution for me:

I'll be using a combination of money management methods, credit cards, my savings and checking accounts (US), Debit Cards and most likely I'll open an Italian bank account, eventually.

First: 
Credit Cards.

I purchase everything using credit cards. Everything. Then I pay them off monthly. This gives me points and miles for flights. Currently I favor using the Chase Sapphire card. But I also have a British Airways card. Both of those cards have zero foreign transaction fees. (To be perfectly honest, I'll probably get rid of my BA card as soon as I've used up all of my miles as the amount of miles needed to purchase flights are crazy high and don't include fees, which are higher than for any other airline out there because British Airways are based in the UK. And the UK has INSANE amounts of fees for flights. I get more for my mileage and money by using my Chase Sapphire card, which has a great, and very flexible, rewards program.) Both of the cards I just mentioned are "chipped," which is a feature that is required in credit cards in many European locations. If you use a non-chipped US credit card, odds are you'll run into this problem if you travel. It's annoying.

Second: 
Cash, Bank Accounts & Debit cards
I'm going to need cash while traveling. Most places in the US accept cards of some sort these days, but the further you get from big cities anywhere, the more you need cold, hard cash. Abroad, cash is still more readily relied upon than cards are.

Cash poses an interesting problem. If you exchange at the exchange booths, you're going to go broke, quickly. Those places charge exorbitant rates to change your money. Ridiculous. Also, you don't want to carry too much cash around with you, that's a recipe for disaster, or mugging, or both. The solution? A bank account with no international transaction fees and zero ATM fees.

After a bit of research, I decided to open a High-Yield Checking Account with Schwab. Many travelers these days LOVE this account (Windtraveler, Wandering Earl, etc.) The account is linked to a brokerage account that requires a minimum $1,000 starting balance. But after the brokerage account is opened, you can transfer that $1k into your checking account and use it all up to your heart's content. There is no minimum balance after the initial deposit in either the brokerage or checking accounts.
It seems like a little bit of juggling, but it's well worth it. Here's why:

-While traveling in a foreign country, the easiest, cheapest way to get cash is via ATM card.
-No international transaction fees (Often banks will charge a 4% "transaction fee" on whatever amount you withdraw overseas)
-No ATM fees, worldwide. (Any ATM fees you incur will all be credited back to your account. From anywhere. From any bank.)
-Link other accounts (other banks) to your Schwab account and transfer money, fee free. I don't plan on keeping a large sum of money in this "travel" checking account. I'll transfer money into from my primary banking accounts as needed. That way, if anyone ever gets ahold of my ATM card, I won't have much to lose.

Are you traveling abroad? How do you handle your money?

"Do yourself a favor and prepare ahead of time," says our resident Expat Expert, Mary of My Life in Scotland has some great tips about banking abroad. To read more about what she suggests, check out her blog!

Questions? Moving abroad yourself? Leave a comment and let me know what I can do to help! :)

The Departure Lounge: The Guilt Factor

Lately I've been a nervous wreck. Losing sleep. Addled brain. Distracted. 

I'm feeling guilty. 

Guilty about leaving my amazing sister and her adorable, growing family. Guilty about even thinking about spending the amount of money I know this move abroad will cost. Guilty about leaving an amazing job when so many are out of work. Guilty about doing something so inherently selfish, and finally, Guilty that perhaps this path might not be in line with the principles and religious values that I've been taught, and hold dear, ie: Marriage, family, etc.

The guilt makes me question - is this really the right path for me? Can I really do this? Should I do this?

In my pondering/sorting out my emotions and priorities process,I had a couple of great conversations, one with my sister and one with Mary of My Life in Scotland. These girls really help me sort out my head when it's swimming and I adore them. Sister reminded me about all of my reasons for going, more than that, she reminded me that this is who I am, I'm a traveler, an explorer and doing this will enable some of my long-term goals. Mary made a great point, she said that some of the happiest, most successful people have all given up something or taken a big risk at one point to get to where they are now. 

On the religion/marriage/family thing: I'm Mormon. I was raised Mormon. After much soul searching, comparison and exploration, I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not only the religion for me, I know it's true. Most people think of people with huge families when they think of Mormons. That's because we value the family. The idea that we should "Marry and replentish the earth" is kind of drilled into our heads from birth. So I went through childhood assuming I would get married and have a bunch of kids by the time I was in my mid to late twenties. My twenties happened, and so did working on Cruise Ships, attending University (or four) and accepting a Corporate job. And now I'm in my thirties. And the marriage and family thing still hasn't happened. There simply hasn't been a viable option for me, for that kind of path. And in a religion that believes in ETERNAL Marriage, and being of the opinion that divorce doesn't solve problems, it only breaks people, I really, really have no intention of marrying just to get married.

So I'm Mormon. I'm single. I'm thirty-two. And when push comes to shove, there's nothing wrong with that. It would be wrong for me to live a cloistered, depressed life thinking of what I don't have, rather than living a life full of what I can do. 

In thinking through the guilt and the emotional nagging, really, the question becomes, can I not do this? 
Could I live with myself if I didn't? 
Would I be satisfied spending the money on purchasing a home rather than the opportunity of a lifetime?

It's scary doing big things. But we can't let fear paralyze us, or hold us back.

Now I realize that these feelings of guilt and self-doubt are nothing more than the adversary trying to tear me down and prevent me doing what I need to do, and going in the direction I know I need to go in.

A leader in my church said this, and it's really spoken peace and relief to my soul: ‎"Beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

To be honest, I'd be worried about myself and my motives if I weren't going through this guilt trip, it's a natural part of the emotional/mental preparation process, I guess.

Photo from here

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Mary, of My Life in Scotland is all too familiar with the guilt factor. An American Expat living in Scotland, she's had her fill of ups and downs, she said:. "When choosing a path to live your life that is different from everyone you know there is going to be some guilt. Whether others make you feel it or you're worried about leaving friends and family it will probably be there even if just a little bit." 

To read more about Mary's experiences with travel, guilt, living in Scotland, etc, check out her blog, My Life in Scotland.

Questions about preparing for ex-patriotism? Leave a comment for Christy!

The Departure Lounge: Products Abroad

 

The Departure Lounge: Products Abroad

When I think about my upcoming move to Italy, I’m not going to lie, a couple of things unnerve me. One of those things is where on earth I’ll get the products I use every day and like. I'm not Mary Poppins and I don't have a magical bag with an unlimited supply of everything I'll ever need. Wouldn't that be nice? When I move abroad I'll have verrrry limited space to pack everything I'll need for six months. Or at least everything I'll need to get me started, and functioning, long enough to find replacements when I run out.

In my case, the products I’ll be looking for abroad are toiletries and maybe some over-the-counter (in the US) medications. Yes, I know, toiletries. Oh-so-very-girly of me. But if you know me at all you know that my makeup and skincare products are probably the girliest thing about me, they are my concession and my extravagance. Also, I’ve done enough traveling abroad to know that it can be a real inconvenience to try and find things like lotion and sunblock if you don’t speak the language. Not only is the written language different, but also the very type of packaging is different abroad. Shapes, sizes, colors – it all looks different. It’s confusing.

Lets face it, if you’re a woman, you’ve probably spent a great deal of time and money on finding the “right” skincare, makeup, lotions and other products. You’ve probably got a stash of half-used shampoos and lotions under your sink, stuff you bought and didn’t like and will never finish using, but you don’t want to throw it out either. Well, I don't have room for all of that stuff in my backpack, and I won't have money to blow on things I don't actually use, so it's important that I only carry around the essentials. Living out of a backpack also means that I won't have room to tote around a six-month supply of every product I use. And if you know anything about the Italian postal service, you know you can’t really rely on it to deliver, well, just about anything, so shipping stuff from the US is not really a feasible option for getting my favorite products to me.

Let's get personal...

I'm going to tell you what I'm worried about being able to find while abroad. This is down-and-dirty personal stuff, so be prepared to get to know me a little bit better than I ever thought I'd let you... ;)

 These products are what I'll probably run out of while traveling and need to replenish:

-Skincare: I love Philosophy’s eye creams, face creams, hand creams… well, just about every kind of cream they make. I’ve been uber-impressed with their products, which work better and cost less (sometimes by as much as 1/3) than some of the other department store brands I’ve tried. These products aren’t something I buy frequently, maybe every six to eight months, so odds are that I won’t have to replenish my stock while on this trip if I take full jars when I leave. But what if my bag is stolen or a jar breaks? After a little online research, I found that the nearest place to buy Philosphy products to Italy is all the way over in the UK, at Boots stores. Quasi-inconvenient, yes, but I’ve got friends over there I’d love to visit, so if I’m running low I can make sure to visit a Boots store while visiting those friends. (No, I'm not going to fly to London solely to buy eye cream.)

-Facial Cleanser: Proactiv. Yes, I use Proactiv. I had acne (horrible acne) as a teen and even into my early twenties. I use the stuff to this day because it works. Or maybe it worked and I don’t need it anymore. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll cut ties and see… maybe not. But if I don’t, is it available in Europe? I need new bottles of it every 2.5 months and the bottles are too bulky to think about carrying around a 6-month supply.

-Makeup: This doesn’t worry me too much. All of the brands I use (Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Lancome – told you I splurge on my makeup.) can be purchased at most Duty Free shops abroad (many airports in Europe are like luxury shopping malls). I plan on making a ton of side trips from Italy to... lots of places, so replacing my makeup when needed can be easily done in airports. This isn't often.

-Feminine Products: Men, skip this one, obviously. I’m fiercely loyal to my feminine products, mostly because the brands I use haven’t ever let me down. That's why I still use them. Logical, n'est-ce pas? Girls, you know what I’m talking about. Sure, women all around the world suffer from the monthly plague, but are Tampax and Kotex available in Italy? I don’t know. These products are sooooo bulky that I'm going to have no choice but to rely on what is available in Italia. Oyvey.

-Midol: Another bit guys might want to skip... Actually, do I really need to explain this one? Didn't think so. All I will say is that Midol Complete is a miracle of modern science.

-Excedrin and Ibuprofen: I’m not big on taking painkillers, really. I know you don’t believe me after listing Midol just above, but I’d rather suffer through most things (other than cramps) than take painkillers. That said, time and place for everything. I was dang glad I had ibuprofen with me when I dislocated my thumb last year. One thing to be aware of while abroad is that Ibuprofen is not Ibuprofen outside of the US. It's got a different name. In Italy, it's known as Moment. In the UK it's Anadin, Galoprofen, Ibugel, Oribefen, Rimafen or Anthrofen. Lots of times, things that are available over the counter in the US are only available with a prescription abroad. I don't want to have to go and see a doctor because I'm a klutz and want some normal-strength painkillers. (No, I'm not a drug specialist or a pharmacist, I looked all of those names for Ibuprofen up online.)

Lets see what our resident Expat Expert, Mary, of My Life in Scotland, has to say about where to find your favorite products while abroad. Perhaps she even knows where I can find a few on my list…

Part of the excitement of living abroad is putting all that I know behind me and heading into the unknown. It is a chance to learn, try something new and step out of my comfort zone. It isn't easy, but it is fun. When I moved here I took just what the airline would allow--two checked bags and a carry-on. Not much. What did I feel was important enough to bring with me and what wasn't? It took a lot of thought. I had very limited room.  Once I got here to Scotland I had some trouble finding my favorite American products. Because, well...I'M NOT IN AMERICA ANYMORE!! This is the point of my post. Sort of. No, Scotland doesn't have most of my favorite American products or foods. That's OK. I moved to try new things. I moved to open my horizon's not hang on to the past. Even if it is in a package of laundry soap. I actually know people who had food/products shipped to them {in obscene amounts} because they didn't want to be without their favorites. As if Scotland didn't have food or something. This is fine, but are you really living the life of an expat if you are afraid to eat like the locals? Or are you hanging on to your previous life? Not to mention the cost of shipping!! Scotland is a civilized country. Even if they don't have Mexican food at the ready. They have a plethora of products  available. I wasn't really too worried if I would find what I needed here. I use a different shampoo, face wash, and eat differently than I did in America but this isn't a bad thing. I see it as embracing my new culture.    Trying to actually remember what products I used before I lived here was a bit hard for me to remember. Isn't that funny?! I do remember that I kind of freaked out when I couldn't find Tampax Pearl. I hadn't used a cardboard applicator since high school! Then about a year ago I saw *NEW* staring back at me on the shelf. My beloved Tampax Pearl! I'm pretty sure I sang the Hallelujah chorus right there in the supermarket. Here are some of the products I use now in Scotland.

  

01. {Simple Refreshing Face Wash}  Keeps my skin looking fresh!

02. {Simple Replenishing Moisturizer} It's so light and gets the job done.

03. {Galaxy Chocolate} Best. Chocolate. Ever. 

04. {Tampax Pearl} I'm so glad we now have these in Scotland! 

05. {Dr. Pepper} This is my 3pm snack when I'm about ready to jump off a cliff from the tough day. 

06. {Debenhams Sheer LipGloss} I don't always have time to wear make-up now that I'm a Mom but I can easily swipe some of my new favorite lip gloss on and feel a little bit more put together.

07. {Body Shop Olive Body Butter} My skin has never felt so soft! I also used this on my belly while I was pregnant. Kept the stretch marks away. I really love Body Shop products.

08. {Comfort Fabric Softner} I couldn't make it here without fabric softner. Using the dryer takes 90 min not to mention the cost in electric is extortion. It's easier to hang clothes to dry. I'm obsessed with a new Tropical scent they have!

Would you find it hard to be without your favorite products? What couldn't you live without? Are you willing to try something new? 

Here are my tips for Christy's favorite American products:

• When I come to visit you Christy I will bring whatever you want from Boots! 
• I've never seen Midol over here in Scotland, so I'm not sure they'll have it in Italy. Stock up girl. 
• They will have Ibuprofen but probably not Excedrin. 
• Your favorite femine products will be a toss up. Good luck with that!
• I'll find out about ProActiv for you! 

Have any questions for Christy or Mary? Leave us a comment!

 

The Departure Lounge: Visas {Part 2}

In case you missed it, catch Visas {Part One}

 

Welcome back to the Departure Lounge!

Today, Mary (of My Life in Scotland) and I will be covering the second half of our Visa discussion. Last week we talked about ways to enter a country, long-term, that we wouldn't/haven't opted to take. This week, I'll discuss my actual plans for entering Italy and Mary will tell us a bit more about her experience with moving to Scotland. She'll also tell us about how her Venezuelan/Portuguese husband was admitted to the US.


So, when I move to Italy, here is what I actually plan on doing things in this order:

-I'll enter the country on a Schengen Visa. 

-Once I'm in Italy, and settled into an apartment, I'll begin the process of securing a more permanent visa.
As an American moving to an EU (European Union) country, who has not secured a job, has no spouse living in the EU (or anywhere else, for that matter) and I am not a student, the options I have left are these: 1. Apply for Italian Citizenship. 2. Obtain a Guest Resident Visa. While I LOVE Italy, citizenship is not something I'm ready for (yet).

So it's the guest resident visa that I'll be going for. Italy is one of a very few countries that allows for this type of visa. Perhaps it's the country's longstanding love affair with arts and artists that make this visa possible. I mean, can you imagine artists not being able to journey to the veritable Mecca of painting, sculpture and architecture that is Italy? Me neither.

The main thing about this visa is that YOU CAN'T WORK. Not Italian jobs. I think there is some leeway when it comes to freelancing or writing, so long as your employer is in your home country. As long as you have enough money to live in Italy without working there, Italy is happy to host you.

So far as I understand it, I'll need to file a bunch of paperwork once I'm in Italy, including a form called a Permesso di Sogiourno.  Along with that form, I'll need to supply the following information: proof of a place to stay, proof of an income to sustain you, medical insurance, (which you can buy, rather inexpensively, if you so desire, from the Post Office. Yes, I said the Post Office.) a letter stating your reason for the move and a document from the police stating that you have never been convicted of a felony. (Information from: http://expatsinitaly.com/node/2)

 

Confusing enough? I'm sure I haven't got everything perfectly right. And I'm really not worried about it. I'll take care of it when it's time to take care of it, that's just how Italy works. Other countries don't operate in the same, laid back manner. Right now, the important thing, for me, is to be aware that there is a process (however confusing it may be) that I will need to participate in. Beyond that, for now, Que Sera, people.

 

 

Let's see what else Mary has to say about her experiences with Visas:

If you're wondering what Visa I have, I am living in Scotland on a Residence Visa. It basically states that because my husband is Portuguese {a member of the European Union} I am eligible to reside where he does. It is good for 5 yrs. I will be able to renew it easily enough for a small fee. Or I can become a dual citizen of Portugal and the USA and have my very own Portuguese passport. 


They quoted me 6 weeks to get my actual Visa. It took 18 months. Yikes! I did receive a letter 2 weeks after I filed that basically said I was good to go and work etc but my actual Visa was not ready yet. That took quite a bit longer. So, be prepared for the red tape.

For those of you whom are not marrying foreigners and would like to live abroad, Christy {The Departure Diaries} and I have a few options for you:

My husband lived in the USA for 6 months on a Student Visa. He attended a language school in Utah. I previously thought Student Visa's were for those in a degree program abroad. It's not! If you want to learn a new language, why not apply for a Student Visa? You're sure to immerse yourself in the language and get more out of it than you would a class at your local college. 

Here are some of the hoops you'll need to jump in order to obtain a Student Visa:

-Apply for the school of your choice. You need to be accepted into your program/class before you can apply for a Student Visa. 

-Once you're accepted, they will send you the documentation to apply for your Student Visa. {approximately 6 months before you travel}

-Get a Sponsor. A sponsor is someone takes full responsibility for the candidate {ie: you}. You can apply without a sponsor but you will need to show that you have enough funds in your bank account to sustain you. This amount is usually far greater than your stay will actually cost. You won't need to live with your sponsor, they are just your "guardian" in a sense. 

-Save, save save!! Save as much money as you can. While you are studying you'll also be travelling around the country. You'll need to make sure you have enough funds. My husband came to the USA in 2001 with $5,000. I'd say that's a steal! You'd need a lot more than that now. But, that was sufficient for him at the time. You probably won't be allowed to work with a student visa. If my husband would have been in a degree program he could have worked his 2nd yr for a few hrs per week. But, if you are planning on just a 6 month stint to learn the language or take a fun class you won't be allowed. Make sure you have the funds to sustain you. 

My husband said it was fairly easy to obtain but the sponsor was the hardest part. He is fluent in English now and his accent is diminishing with each year. He had a great time and learned a lot!!


LD did say that he knew people arriving on a Student Visa, and planned on staying in the USA. Do not do this. If you enter the country on a limited time Visa, make sure you abide by all the rules. If he had overstayed his Visa then, we would have trouble getting him a Visa today now that we're married. You don't want to miss any future opportunities to travel because you broke the law. 

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That's it for this week in The Departure Lounge. Check in next week for another column of The Departure Lounge!


Are any of you planning on moving abroad? Have questions for Christy or Mary? Leave us a comment!

The Departure Lounge: Visas {Part 1}

Visas, Part One

By: Christy

& Mary of My Life in Scotland

Christy:
If you're thinking of moving abroad, one of the first things you'll need to secure is permission to enter and reside from whatever country you want to move to.

You have options. A multitude of options, most likely. (Depending, of course, upon where you go.) And the process can be VERY confusing. Pick up the wrong form or speak to the wrong person, or even file your paperwork on the wrong day and you could miss your window of opportunity or have to start the process all over again. Volumes have been written about the crazy things people have had to endure while securing visas!

Wherever your destination, be sure to research your options and choose the one that best suits your situation. If you choose the wrong option, you could end up in BIG trouble: Fines, deportation, imprisonment (seriously, a friend of mine found himself in a chinese prison once because he tried to re-enter Tibet with an already-used single-entry Tibetan visa!) or you could get yourself banned from ever entering a country again -- TROUBLE!

This post is part one of two on the subject of Visas in the Departure Lounge series. Today, Mary of My Life in Scotland is going to discuss the different ways she and her husband COULD have approached expatriotism, and I'll discuss options that I have for entering Italy that I won't be taking when I move there next year. In next week's post, Mary will tell us how she DID enter Scotland with a Visa and I'll write about my gameplan for entering Italy.

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Mary:
I personally feel that your Visa {permission to stay} in the country of your choice is the most important piece of documentation that you will need. Period. Don't try to out smart the authorities. You could land yourself in a heap of trouble sooner or later. You can live abroad, but there is a process. Do it legally.  It will be worth it.


When LD and I got engaged we had to choose where we wanted to live. My husband was born and raised in Venezuela to Portuguese parents. He was living in Scotland. We knew we needed to get our future spouse permission for where we wanted to live. Scotland or America? We decided I'd come to Scotland. I thought it would be a great adventure, and it is!


We thought about these Visas:

-Fiancée Visa {takes a few months to get and you need to be married within 90 days of receiving}.


-Married Visa {I'd be a spouse of an EU member, but I wouldn't be living in Portugal, so this one would be complicated to obtain at the present time}


-Residence Visa {I could reside with my husband in his country of choice}


I think these are the easiest ways {probably} to live abroad. Just marry yourself a foreigner and you're good to go! There was a lot to think about though. If LD was to move to the USA we'd have gone through rigorous questioning and a lot of expense. We chose Europe because the process was cheaper and faster. We had more options. We could get married when we wanted and I'd be able to move straight away. This was our main reason for choosing Scotland. We were married in Ohio Feb 2008 and I moved to Scotland 3 days later! It has been quite the adventure. 

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Christy:
Thanks Mary!

So, Mary's needs for entering Scotland are a bit different from my needs entering Italy. Mary needed to move (permenantly) abroad, while my plan (for now) is a six-month abroad plan. As an American going to a European Union country (Italy), in general, there are several options available.

-Student Visa (I won't be going to school there, so this isn't an option for me.)
-Work Visa (It is VERY difficult for Americans to obtain permission to work in the Eurozone. There aren't enough jobs in Italy for Italians right now, so unless your company is sending you to Italy, you should probaly not expect this one to happen.)
-Spouse Visa (I'm not married, so this is right out)
-Non-working guest resident visa (For this visa you have to prove that you have the means to live in Italy without working an Italian job while there. There is base income chart you will have to prove you have the funds to cover for the length of your visa. There are also other requirements you'll have to meet, but income is the main factor here.)
-Holiday (90-day Schengen) visa
-Visa run (more on this in a minute, this goes hand in hand with a 90-day Schengen visa)

The best two options for me are the non-working guest visa and the Schengen (90 day visa) and resulting Visa Run.

Before I go any further, a bit of explanation on what a Schengen visa is, just in case you wanted to know:
"The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement five years later. Together these treaties created Europe's borderless Schengen Area, which operates very much like a single state for international travel with external border controls for travellers travelling in and out of the area, but with no internal border controls."
(From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement)


For the purposes of this post, let's say that I'm not a student, not going to Italy for work, I'm not married to a EU resident I don't want to be bothered trying to secure a guest visa. After all, I'm only going to be in the EU for six months, and I may not spend all of that time in Italy, so why get an Italian residency visa? In this instance, the best option for me would clearly be to simply stay in the EU for 90 days and then leave the Schengen zone. Here's where things get sneaky. You can only be in the Schengen zone for 90 days out of a 180-day period. After that, you have to leave for the remaining 90-days. Pain in the butt!
Ways around, if, like me, you want to stay in the Schengen zone for more than 90-days:

-Some countries aren't as stringent about administering this visa. I've heard tales of travelers in Greece legally extending the visa for two months by paying a fee and waiting in a couple of lines.

-The legendary "Chunnel" -- you fly into London, get your UK stamp, (You ARE required to have an exit flight from the UK within 90 days, so the easiest thing to do is probably to buy a cheap flight to anywhere on ryanair or easy jet and just let it lapse... or get a refundable fare.) then you simply take the tunnel into France. Your passport isn't stamped on entry into France when entering via tunnel (though this won't work the other way around, you will get an exit stamp from France). Now you've got an unstamped passport. But this in and of itself could be quite problematic. You could end up in a secure room with a toilet and a group of passport abusers getting grilled about why you don't have a stamped passport. This option may not really be the best. 

People do this all of the time, and since I only expect to stay in the EU for six months (two 90-day visas) on a very long holiday, I could *possibly* get away with it.

The downside of doing things this way:
-You can run into problems doing visa runs if you continually do this over a long period of time. If any country suspects you of doing these visa-runs with the intent of LIVING overseas, they can detain, deport you bar you from entry. (If you've read Elizabeth Gilbert's Committed, something similar happened to her husband.)
-Round Trip tickets to/from the US are VERY expensive. For the cost of a round trip ticket home for a visa, I could take two or three nice holidays in Europe... I mean, holidays on my holiday... nice.

That's it for this week. Come back next Wednesday for the second half of our Visa discussion!

Are you planning on moving abroad? Have any questions for Christy or Mary or suggestions for topics about moving abroad? Leave your comments below.