[dontuan]

I'm currently researching ways to stay in Europe, specifically Poland, beyond the 90 days limit. Hopefully for at least a year. I've looked at all the common possibilities and the one that looks easiest is to get a student visa.

Since Polish schools are quite affordable, my plan is to find and enroll in the cheapest polish institution that would grant me a student visa. What do you guys think? Any suggestions?

If anyone has some good ideas or figured out a way to do this, I'd love to hear details.

[Spike]

That still sounds expensive to me. Not familiar with the European visa rules but can't you do a border run to Belarus or Russia and come back for another 90 days? Russian visa doesn't come cheap but i'm sure that's cheaper then a Polish education.

[EU Explorer]

(08-13-2012 10:59 AM)dontuan Wrote:  

I'm currently researching ways to stay in Europe, specifically Poland, beyond the 90 days limit. Hopefully for at least a year. I've looked at all the common possibilities and the one that looks easiest is to get a student visa.

Since Polish schools are quite affordable, my plan is to find and enroll in the cheapest polish institution that would grant me a student visa. What do you guys think? Any suggestions?

If anyone has some good ideas or figured out a way to do this, I'd love to hear details.

I suggest landing in Poland and seeking asylum from potential dictatorship of Mitt Romney?

[wolfpack10]

If you research GAP programs (students/new graduates take a year to live abroad), there are a bunch of programs between european countries and North American governments, depending on what nationality you possess. There are certain companies that offer packages to take of the paper work for you (for a few hundred dollars), but doing research on your own and you can do it yourself through embassy's, but these companies give you an idea of which countries are an option.

It may only be a year (possibly renewable), but a big longer then 3 months.

[finton_the_toole]

Depending on your financial status, you try try an entrepreneur visa. The rules vary from country to country, but I believe the Czech Republic, next door to Poland has a reasonably favourable regime.

[allgood]

The false assumptions by people who have not looked into this are that a) you can just go across a border and come right back for another 90 days and b) you can stay in one EU country for 90 days, then go to another one for 90 days, then another one for 90 days. But you can't do this in the EU. You can do it in South America, and other places, but not with the EU.

Note that the EU is not exactly the same as the Schengen Zone. Some members of the EU are not members of the Schengen Zone, and vice versa. For example Britain is a member of the EU but is not in the Schengen Zone. Switzerland is in the Schengen Zone but is not a member of the EU.

To stay in Poland, which is a Schengen Zone member, longer than 3 months, you need a visa. Otherwise you have to leave (The entire Schengen Zone, not just Poland) and not return for 6 months, after which you can stay for another 3 months. Rinse, repeat.

So your choices are:
1) Student Visa
2) Entrepreneur Visa
3) Work Visa
4) Political Asylum (Refugee Status)
5) Immigration
6) Staying illegally

All of these except #4 & #6 cost something. They have various fees and requirements. For citizens of most countries there's no free and legal option that allows you to stay in a Schengen Zone country for as long as you want. If you want to stay you will have to fill out at least a minimum of forms and pay some kind of fee - they want to see that you have a reason for being there other than simply being a tourist. You may even have to pay taxes to their national tax collection agency.

Your citizenship is also a factor. Not all passports are treated equally. For example, British and Swiss citizens can live and work in the Schengen Zone indefinitely, but Americans, Canadians, and Japanese cannot. It's up to you to find out your specific requirements by deciding which type of visa works best for you, checking with your Embassy, and cross-referencing it with the requirements for the Schengen Zone country you want to live in.

[polish rumble]

Marry the fattest bitch you can get, than divorce after month. You will obtain Polish passport and citizenship

[EU Explorer]

(08-14-2012 01:54 PM)polish rumble Wrote:  

Marry the fattest bitch you can get, than divorce after month. You will obtain Polish passport and citizenship

That's an even better idea than my political asylum one from Mitt Romney
God help America if that waste of oxygen is the next President.

[Baldwin81]

(08-14-2012 02:01 PM)EU Explorer Wrote:  

(08-14-2012 01:54 PM)polish rumble Wrote:  

Marry the fattest bitch you can get, than divorce after month. You will obtain Polish passport and citizenship

That's an even better idea than my political asylum one from Mitt Romney
God help America if that waste of oxygen is the next President.

OK, we get it...

You don't like one of our "illusions of choice" for President.