Hello!
I am having trouble figuring out the whole Schengen Visa situation, and I’m trying to figure out if I can make a certain plan I have in mind work.
I’m planning to take a job in Switzerland from Sept-Dec. It falls fully within the 90 days of the Schengen Visa.
However, my brother and I also want to hike the Camino de Santiago through Spain in August and September, which would take 33 days. Ideally, I would just fly to Geneva after we finish so I could start my job on time.
Taken together, those 2 trips add up to more than the allotted 90 days.
Is there a way I can make this work? Should I apply for a temporary work Visa in Switzerland, even though I’ll only be there for 3 months, to cover the extra time I’ll be there? Should I just ignore it and pay the fine when I fly back to the states?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
You are making wrong assumptions.
A common Schengen visa only authorizes the stay in the Schengen zone as tourist or for business for up to 90 days in a six months period. Business is defined as attending conferences, trying to get new business contacts, promoting your company at trade fairs, or similar. It does not authorize gainful occupation in a Schengen country.
If you plan to take a job in Switzerland you will need to hold a work permit issued by the Swiss authorities and the appropriate visa.
http://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home/themen/arbeit/nicht-eu_efta-angehoerige/grundlagen_zur_arbeitsmarktzulassung.html ..
You may visit Spain before since a type D visa authorizes the stay in other Schengen countries for up to 90 days. You need to state that in your Swiss work visa application and also need to provide the appropriate documentation for the prior stay in Spain, otherwise the Swiss authorities will only issue a visa corresponding to the start day of your working contract..
http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps/nameri/vusa/ref_visinf/visusa.html#ContentPar_0014 ..
Ignoring immigration laws will just lead to the fact that you cannot travel to that country any more. If you ignore Swiss immigration laws it will automatically lead to a ban in 29 other European countries..