Spain to apply to the EU for the abolition of the 90 / 180 rule for British citizens

Any EU citezen can stay in the UK for 180 days continues without a Visa...and yet a UK 🇬🇧  citizen can only stay in the EU for 90 days continues..I wonder  why the EU won't reciprocate with the UK. 

Hi Windy. Probably because the EU has one set policy for all non EU members. Non EU sovereign countries are free to decide their own immigration policies for their own countries.

Let’s say Syria, Sudan and Yemen had a total open policy with no restrictions (stay as long as you like) with EU citizens, would you expect the EU to reciprocate?

Presumably because they don't want to set a precedent for other countries to follow suit and undermine their generalised rules for those outside of the EU? Whilst also incentivising citizens to seek work and residence status in Spain ( and other EU member states)?

Perhaps they want to retain control and disincentivise other member states from considering leaving the EU?

But maybe the UK govt are content under the current circumstance to leave the status quo as 180 days  and seek some economic benefit from those who would remain in the UK for longer ( assuming they don't head elsewhere of course😉) and retain the status quo for those seeking seasonal work  ?

I suppose the main reason behind the 90 / 180 directive is down to the fact that the EU has created one massive headache for itself within the EU member states with a approximate population of 440 million people that are free to wander all over the borderless   EU without a passport like headless chickens ducking and diving..so the last thing the EU  would want is to let so called  3rd country nationals feel free to join that big melting pot called the European Union. ..personally I think individual countries should have borders that are manned to keep undesirables from skipping from one country to another when thing's are getting to hot for them..I also believe that Spain is a big attraction for undesirables and the Spanish government will have it's  work cut out keeping them under control...

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No Windy you are not getting it. The main reason behind the 90/180 directive is to restrict 3rd country nationals the same freedom that EU citizens have within the EU. The EU is like a club and members have privileges. It is a countries choice if they wish to apply to join and the EU committee’s choice to accept them or reject them.

Kavanagh  ...do these so called EU privileges include the right to duck and dive from one borderless EU state to the next with no questions asked...LOL

YES   

Oh dear and sadly incentivise people traffickers in that process?

There are some serious problems that need resolving in this whole scenario ( from a wider perspective) for all our sakes.

All this about the UK and the EU fighting it out or one lot lets you stay so long but the other a different time. Yet ignoring you can to USA for 3 months but those from the USA can go to UK for 6 months. Or you can go to Japan for 3 months but the Japanese can go to UK for 6 months. These are the visa free deals. Or even from Thailand, visa free for 6 month in UK but only 3 months in Thailand.

63 countries can enter the Schengen area visa free for up to 3 months yet the Brits seem to think they are getting picked on. It was also pointed out in the run up to the referencdum that freedom of movement would be limited but that the EU agreed on a visa free period that would match the rules for other countries. 

I take it those who want to come over for 6 months in the Winter period won't be telling the government so they don't claim their winter fuel allowance? 

UK is no longer in the EU (honest for those of you that missed it). A Withdrawal Agreement was put in place and agreed to. Yet some want UK to made a special case despite leaving. Other countries nationals can only come to Schengen for the 90 in 180 days. Please tell us why the Brits should be so special?

And our area still has Brits coming in and buying property. Property sales were up in the Costa Blanca region from pre pandemic years and 49% of those buyers were British. The bars and restaurants around here, even at this time of year, are pretty packed with all nationalities. Our residential area still has a majority of Brits and the 5 houses that have sold since Summer last year have all been to Brits. Yes, there are more Scandinavians, French etc in the town than I've noticed before. All using the restaurants, some of the bars but not the pseudo Irish and Brit bars. Maybe those type don't appeal to them. 

But enough. Some people seem to have an agenda but UK voted out 7 years ago and finally left 2 years ago. Time to get over it. 

Now I'm even more confused as I thought it was Spain asking for change from the EU not the UK?

"And I believe 3 regions in Spain have asked the central government to look into increasing the time. And Portugal approached the EU to extend the period but were denied."

Hi Mariedav. Spot on and well put.

Ads you took the words right out of my mouth....the Spanish government tourism minister  made a statement to the press a few months ago that he wanted his government to apply for the 90 / 180 directive to change to 180 days continues for the UK 🇬🇧 but as I said in previous post's I doubt this will ever happen due to the fact that Spanish government has released a few statements since... that they want to stop the British from buying properties and going on holiday to places like Benidorm and the Spanish Islands this is something that the Spanish government can inforce without the need to apply to the so called EU...but unfortunately for the Spanish government they cannot stop the ever growing number of very poor EU member states citizens from entering Spain without as much as pot to take a p##s in ....so good luck to the Spanish government with these people I have been living for almost 5 years in Los Balcones not to far from Torrevieja and it doesn't take long before you are approached by this new breed of EU citezen that can be seen openly  hooking and begging off the British ...the Spanish government and the EU don't want the British to come to Spain and spend money like we had no tomorrow I wonder why  ... I really can't see a long term future for Brits  that already live in Spain as a resident and wanting to stay amongst none English speaking residents before they unsticks and move back to the UK..this is probably why media platforms like Facebook are so popular with English speakers that live in Spain .

Ads, no wonder you are getting confused if you read things that aren't there.

Now I'm even more confused as I thought it was Spain asking for change from the EU not the UK?

Pray tell where it says anything about Spain approaching the UK for a change? 3 regions have asked the central government (the Spanish one) to look into increasing the time ......you then read that as increasing the time by asking the UK when it doesn't say that at all. I though the bit about Portugal being rebuffed by the EU might have made it clear that Spain would have to ask the EU, nowhere is UK mentioned at all.

Mariedav,

it was your further inference "Please tell us why the Brits should be so special?" that I was referring to. 

To be honest I'm not comfortable when the discussion reverts to such divisive rhetoric, as I fear it distracts from a common purpose to address the many vulnerabilities that have arisen across Europe as a whole,  as a consequence of illegal migration, people trafficking, etc. let alone individual member states or UK concerns that have arisen relating to specific EU decision making or recent external factors.

I have been seeking clarification of rules which for many appear quite complex.

Hello ads

Members are trying to help you.

Under the terms of Schengen, non-EEA nationals cannot spend more than a total of 90 days within a total period of 180 days without a visa. Furthermore, once you’ve used up your quota of 90 days, you cannot return to Schengen until 90 more days have passed.

Yes and sincere thanks for that but please don't underestimate the impact of divisive or inciteful language in this educative process. That's all I'm saying. 

Moving on, it would appear that there are also other new rules in the pipeline coming  for 2024…namely ETIAS (the European Travel Information and Authorisation System). So it’s important to comprehend this too. And I wonder how many are aware of this?

https://www.etias.info/

https://www.etias.info/travelling-between-uk-eu-2023/
 

But this is confusing….

“Border officials may also ask to see a return ticket and/or proof of financial means to cover the entire trip, passengers should have this information to hand.”
So I wonder what form will proof of financial means to cover the entire trip will this take?  So even more need for detailed clarification I’m afraid.

Adds, many people have bank statements on the phone these days, plus most have a credit card with bags of credit, unused or not, I would believe if you went on holiday with 3 quid in your pocket then your in trouble 

Hello ads

Are you just seeking to find problems that don’t actually exist?

“Border officials may also ask to see a return ticket and/or proof of financial means to cover the entire trip, passengers should have this information to hand.”
So I wonder what form will proof of financial means to cover the entire trip will this take?  So even more need for detailed clarification I’m afraid.

This statement applies worldwide when travelling. You can easily purchase a flexible return ticket and have either a credit card or a couple of grand in your pocket. No country wants a skint person with a one way ticket.

The ETIAS has been known about for some time. It matches the ESTA required for travel to the US and was proposed by David Cameron after the Paris bombings in 2015 so before the referendum. It will apply to all 63 visa free countries to the Schengen area and is proposed to start in 2024. The ETIAS will cost €7 and be valid for as many trips as you like up to 3 years or until your passport expires and provided it is within the 90 days in 180 rules.

The UK is also introducing the same thing call the UK Electronic Travel Aurhorisation (UK ETA). This will be required for all those allowed visa free travel to the UK and will probably cost £7 and be valid for 2 years or until your passport expires. 

The ETIAS and UK ETA will be virtually the same. Both will be completed before travel in much the same way as the current Advanced Passenger Information sheets but will include extra information such as criminal records. 

Proof of financial means to cover you for your trip applies in virtually every country including the UK, the same as having to show a return or onward travel ticket. 

Credit cards, debit cards, bank statements, cash etc is acceptable in all these countries as proof of financial means. I doubt it will mean queues at airports to check your bank balance and Mr and Mrs Bloggs from Scunthorpe with their two kids on a package holiday will not be stopped but the single backpacker in torn jeans and down at heel flip flops may be. 

Residents of an EU country will not have to complete an ETIAS before travel. 

Apart from those countries above, you are also required to complete an ETA to go to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and probably other countries as well. Canada ETA is $7, Australia and New Zealand $17. US has increased the ESTA fee to $21. 

Oh gosh this is hard work Kavanagh.

For goodness sake I'm not looking for problems just clarification of what is required and how you prove it!

The inference from baz is that this would take the form of a bank statement, but not everyone have statements on their phone, nor do they carry large sums of cash in their person. 

 So the detail of what is required as proof needs confirming to eliminate ignorance in this regard , wouldn't you agree? 

I would suggest stop looking for problems or intimating any other agenda, when it doesn't exist!

This is so silly!

P.s. Just seen your posting Mariedav.

Much appreciated, thanks.