Over 90 Days In Europe

Applying for a visa in the French system will result in a visa for France, not accepted in Spain. Countries control their own visas over 90 days.

Yes, I think the 183 day requirement also extends to the option to renew. There’s also the issue of €32k income requirement for a couple. As you say, more suited to people aiming to take up permanent residency than tourists spending the winter in the sun. Sadly as far as Spain is concerned 90/180 strictly applies and there’s no easy way around it unless the Spanish change current arrangements - not easy given status quo is based on EU wide agreements. I guess there might be an economic case for doing so, but haven’t heard anything to suggest it’s on the agenda?

For the well healed there is also the option of a ‘golden visa’, all you need to do is invest €500k in Spanish property, popular choice for Russians apparently.

Is that definitely the case? Although the Spanish equivalent isn’t really feasible for most people, if you did jump through all the hoops and get one you can travel freely within Schengen.

But does that apply with a visa ?is it a schengan zone visa ?, from a country outside the Schengen zone?

Not sure I understand the question. Spain is in Schengen and if you held a Spanish long-term visa you can travel freely within Schengen for the duration of the visa irrespective of the 90 day requirement. If you stay in Spain for 183 days each year you have the option to renew the visa and after 5 years apply for permanent residency.

A Schengen area visa is limited to 90 days - it is for people from countries who have to have it.  We don't - we get the 90 days allowed without having that visa 

Beyond 90 days EU countries issue their own visas - at wildly differing prices as has been said.   A French long stay visa,  once they start issuing them again , can be for a specified period up to a year. It does allow you to go into Spain for part of that time. For how  long?   90 days. 

I have worked out trips that we would like to do using the Calculator and have found that we will be fine to carry on with what we have been doing for the last 10 years since retiring. Should we want to go to Spain in the winter months (jury still out on that) then we will just go later in the year.

We have been going for around 10 weeks April - June, then again Sept - Nov. This has worked out well in the past. However we have talked about going to Spain from Nov - January. We do have to be careful as we have a timeshare in Lanzarote which we go to in the first 3 weeks of March. If that interferes with our plans then it will just mean going with the van to Europe a bit later in the Spring. 

The calculator is very easy to use and does save the old grey matter getting overload.

Maybe we will use the winter to discover some other countries. 

The situation is a little more complex but may help some people.

If you look at the faqs at www.eeas.europe.eu you will find the following

"A long term visa or a residence permit issued by a Schengen State allows you to travel or stay in other Schengen States whilst respecting the maximum duration of a short stay (a stay of "90 days in any 180 day period")

My brain is starting to hurt so I will add no more!

Moderator Comment - Link Edited

Above link doesn’t work, try this:

https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/frequently_asked_questions_en.pdf#page4

Moderator Comment - Link Edited. Can members try and remember to set links to open in a new window, thanks

Bill, that link is for a visa for a short stay in the Schengen area (90 days in180) but British citizens do not need that type of visa - we have exemption from it. The problem is for longer stays than that .