I just booked my round-trip flight ticket to visit Cuba for two months, from January to March 2025. I’ve heard about the challenges Cubans are facing and the recent changes the island has gone through—economically (like the end of the dual-currency system) and administratively (the introduction of an e-visa)...
This is my first time visiting the country, so I’m still figuring out all the administrative steps I need to take before I go.
1) Can I apply for the electronic e-visa now (still 22 €?) from home on the website evisacuba.cu?
2) I read that I need to fill out a form 48 hours before departure on the site dviajeros.mitrans.gol-.cu/inicio. Is it possible to do this now to save time?
3) I’m a bit confused about the currency. From what I understand, there’s now only the Cuban Peso. Should I exchange my euros at the airport, or wait until I arrive at the *casas particulares* in Havana that I’ve already booked and ask the owner?
Based on my experience from my trip to Cuba in February this year:
- The Dviajeros form can only be filled out 48 hours in advance. If you go on the site, you’ll see you only have access to the next 2 days.
- To exchange euros for pesos, the best option is at the casas where you’ll be staying (we did it through our driver). Note that we used pesos to pay for restaurants, entrance tickets to the various sites we visited, etc. Casas, guides, and the driver were paid in euros.
- For the e-visa, I can’t help you there. I picked up my visa at the embassy.
If I only pay for restaurants in pesos and everything else in euros, the trip’s gonna cost me a fortune! And I’d have to juggle two currencies (euros and pesos) all the time—super impractical...
Is there a reliable app I can download on my phone to get real-time peso/euro exchange rates? How did you handle it personally?
Hi,
For those who know Cuba well and travel there regularly, the best option for me is to exchange money with trusted people (for example, in a *casa particular*)—even if it means losing a little on the exchange rate (you can think of it as their commission)—so you get the exact breakdown of bills you want (to avoid, for example, ending up with a bulky stack of small denominations).
As for euros or dollars, though, make sure to bring small bills.
A useful app in Havana for getting around at a fair price is "La Nave," a kind of Cuban Uber. It’s reliable and saves you from endless haggling with taxis.
- The Cuban peso can only be exchanged within the country.
- The reference you’re looking for regarding the exchange rate can be found on the website eltoque.com.
- As mentioned by another user, this rate is the maximum—just keep in mind that a small commission will be deducted. This commission can vary depending on the tourist region you visit.
- Yes, you’ll need to carry both currencies, but your trip won’t cost you a fortune—in fact, quite the opposite. So far, with calculations to back it up, it’s always been cheaper for me to pay for restaurants in pesos. The common practice for long-distance taxis and *casas* is to charge in foreign currency, but this doesn’t necessarily mean a higher price.
- The official rate at banks and exchange offices is much less favorable than the so-called "informal" rate. So it’s best not to rely on ATMs or banks, and make sure you’ve brought your entire budget in cash.
- Your bills must be in good condition and free of any writing, otherwise they’ll be rejected.
Thanks so much for these tips!
I’ll only be staying in *casas particulares*.
So, I’ll exchange my euros for Cuban pesos directly with my hosts—got it.
Still, if I have to pay for these *casas* in euros in small bills, and I need to carry all that cash on me (I never travel with a bank card), it’s gonna make my wallet pretty thick...
I took note of the "La Nave" app—I just downloaded it to my phone.
Looks like to create an account, you need a Cuban phone number already. Which I don’t have yet...
Thanks for the info!
I downloaded the "elToque" app—it’ll be really useful, thanks.
As I mentioned before, I’m planning to carry everything in cash (no cards), all in 50 and 20 euro bills, and I’ll exchange for Cuban pesos with my hosts in *casas particulares* when needed, avoiding banks/exchange bureaus.
I leave on January 15th, so it’s time for me to buy my tourist visa on evisacuba.cu. Since I don’t have a Cuban phone number yet, should I put my French phone number on the visa application form, or is it unnecessary to include one?
- Large foreign currency bills are welcome (and even slightly favored in terms of exchange rates). They’re useful for paying larger sums (casas, long trips). So, you don’t need to arrive with suitcases full of cash, but do bring a variety of denominations.
- Logically, your French phone number should work fine. For now, I don’t see any e-visa requirement for Canadian citizens—something to keep an eye on for me too. However, make sure to also fill out the *dviajeros* form, available starting 7 days before departure:
https://www.dviajeros.mitrans.gob.cu/inicio
- Before you leave, I suggest downloading the *maps.me* offline maps app—it’s super useful!
- I just made the transfer of 22 € for my visa to the Cuban Consulate in Paris.
On the evisacuba.cu website, they’re asking for a receipt for this transfer.
My bank won’t give me one, so I took a screenshot of the transfer.
I sent this screenshot to the Cuban Consulate and I’m waiting for their response within 72 hours.
- About the "dviajeros" form you mentioned, is it 7 days before or 48 hours?
- Thanks for the tip about the Maps.me app—I just downloaded it! Really handy, yeah!
- By the way, do you think I’ll need a VPN to connect to the internet in Cuba?
If so, do you have one to recommend that’s cheap but effective for browsing freely?
Visa: I can only answer based on my experience as a Canadian tourist. So far, the visa has been given to us for free on the plane. I’ll confirm this before my next departure.
- Regarding the "dviajeros" form you mentioned, is it 7 days before or 48 hours?
Last October, it was 48 hours, but I’ve read that the deadline has changed sometimes, so we’ll have to adapt.
- Thanks for the Maps.me app suggestion—I just downloaded it! Really handy, yes!
Yes! Note that this app still works even without a Wi-Fi connection.
- By the way, do you think I’ll need a VPN to connect to the internet in Cuba? If so, do you have a recommendation for one that’s affordable but effective for browsing freely?
Personally, I use NordVPN. It’s necessary for accessing certain US sites, like American Express. It requires a subscription.
I’ll stay careful about when I fill out that famous form. Okay, I’ve noted down NordVPN—I’ll get a subscription at the start of January before my departure.
I’m realizing I might’ve made a mistake with my visa application. It’s only late November, and normally the visa allows for 90 days in Cuba. But I just applied the day before yesterday and transferred 22 € to the consulate. The thing is, I’m only leaving from January 15th to March 18th… I’m worried I got it too early! !
Well, the Consulate called me to say they couldn’t find the 22 € transfer.
Even though I sent them a screenshot of the bank transfer in question—with the date, transaction number, account numbers, etc.
They hung up on me, then sent me an email ten minutes later to cancel my visa!
Unbelievable, really. And impossible to get someone on the phone—always voicemail.
Emails? They never respond. In short, I’ve lost 22 € and my time.
Not professional at all... Scam? Bad faith? Incompetence?
So, I decided to go through a specialized visa agency.
Obviously, it’s not free (54 €), but at least it should work.
They’ll send me my "visa" in 3-4 days...
A little heads-up for those who don’t know yet:
Recently, the embassy stopped providing a "Tourist Card" (equivalent to a visa).
Instead, they send a simple QR code by email, which you have to print at home.
All you need to do is present it at the airport when departing...
Hi there,
I’m leaving in a few days too. Just a heads-up: the D’Viajeros confirmation deadline has changed to 7 days as of January 1, 2025, due to the e-visa requirement.
However, if you still have the old Visa-TARJETA DEL TURISTA (no longer issued since the start of the year), that document remains valid until June 30, 2025.
Safe travels!
Eric
Just a quick update: I’ve been in Havana for 5 days now. At the airports (Toulouse-Madrid-Havana), I was surprised that I only had to show my e-visa form and my passport.
No check for my mandatory insurance or the e-visa QR code I bought for 22 €... odd.
Once I arrived at my *casas particulares*, I exchanged some of my euros: 1 euro = 300 Cuban pesos.
Hi, I tried last night—so the 21st—for a departure on the 28th, but it wasn’t possible. The date field stayed red, so I’ll wait 72 hours before trying again. Thanks anyway.
Hi Eric,
Did you get back from your trip to Cuba planned for January? How did it go?
My husband would like to return to Cuba, but doesn’t the country’s economic situation cause too many problems for tourists?
Like on our last trip, we’d rent a vehicle in Havana and stay in *casas particulares*, and do the same for restaurants.
Thanks in advance for your reply.
To answer your question, no, the economic situation isn’t TOO much of a problem. The country remains diverse, warm, welcoming, and lively. My last visit was in 1999—since then, you can now dine in private restaurants (much nicer) and stay in *casas* instead of state-run hotels, where the service leaves a lot to be desired. Otherwise, things have deteriorated a lot in recent years, according to locals and tourists, with shortages worsening due to embargos against Cuban leaders and local agricultural policies.
Protests are reportedly severely repressed.
Havana is less affected, while the eastern part of the island is hit harder.
The fuel shortage leads to frequent power outages—beyond the 1- to 3-day blackouts reported in the media, there are also very frequent but shorter local outages. In big cities, try to book *casas* near public buildings, especially hospitals, which are spared. Otherwise, bring headlamps or flashlights for getting back after dark.
Plan to eat dinner with a light—cooking with charcoal takes longer (sometimes an hour for one dish), and since there are no fridges or cold storage, the menu is very limited. You’ll adjust quickly, though—chicken, pork, and fish (PPP) are still available. No fuel also means no garbage trucks. Be prepared, as this also means fewer gas stations or 3- to 4-hour waits for a fill-up. No ATMs either, so bring euros in small bills (5, 10, 20) and some USD. Banks have long lines because, to cope with shortages, an underground private economy has emerged, and it runs on cash—so banks are short on bills. On top of that, the official exchange rate is 1 € = 120 pesos, but in your *casa*, it’s 1 € = 320/330 pesos.
Shortages to anticipate: medication (bring your prescription with extra and a first-aid kit).
In the provinces, especially in the eastern part, bottled water can be scarce—keep a reserve of a 6-pack of 1.5L bottles in the car. It’s all manageable, though.
Nothing is too much of a hassle if you adapt—if one dish isn’t available, you pick another. Yes, sometimes prep time is very long (charcoal) because gas is also scarce.
If you’re driving on your own, I’d be wary of fill-ups. We opted for a car with a driver because these companies are army-owned, and you can guess the perks… priority access.
You can look up "shortages in Cuba" online, but the country’s beauty and the warmth of its people (you know this already) make you forget the minor inconveniences, which you can ease by planning ahead a little.
The current political regime seems less economically effective than the Castro brothers’ even at their worst. Fortunately, it turns a blind eye to the underground economy—as long as it stays underground.
Have a great trip and enjoy it to the fullest. Such a beautiful island, and it remains a wonderful memory.
Eric
A huge thank you for your quick and thorough response!
During our last trip in January 2015, we did a tour of the island, and that’s what we’d have loved to do again, especially the Baracoa region, which we really enjoyed. But given the fuel supply issues, it might be very tricky, so we’ll wait for the situation to improve before going back...
Have a great evening.
Hi,
I’m thinking of going to Cuba in mid-November for three weeks (if I can find a reasonably priced flight), which probably means visiting the Oriente region a bit (unless I’m mistaken, two weeks should be enough for the rest?). But I’d be without a driver, so only public transport—buses or shared taxis.
Do you think that would be complicated?
Same question for everything else: restaurants, booking casas online (Wi-Fi)...
Water shortages—this seems really serious to me! Have any of you visited the island more recently and noticed the same issues?
For cash, if you pay with a large euro bill, do they give change in pesos at the unofficial rate? At the current rate (520), how much do you actually get?
Hello!
For public transport, I haven’t tried it—the fuel shortage means it’s rare, and hitchhiking is more common outside the cities. In towns, shared taxis are the main option. If you speak Spanish, they’ll understand you, even if it’s Cubañol (Cuban Spanish).
I never had major issues with water, except for 24 hours when we had to pay more due to a shortage of bottled water for sale. The real hassle is the frequent power outages—be prepared. Bring a flashlight for restaurants, as what you end up eating might not be what you ordered (cooking is done over wood fires if there’s no gas or power), so allow extra time. This is especially true in the eastern part of the island.
It’s best to bring small bills like 5, 10, or 20 euros and 1 USD notes since we don’t have 1 € coins. There’s also a shortage of bills (long lines at ATMs when the power’s on!), so having exact change is ideal—otherwise, the exchange rate won’t be as good.
In February 2025, the official rate was 1 € = 100 pesos, while the black-market rate was 1 € = 300 pesos in Havana and 320–330 pesos in the provinces. Note that some state-run hotels or restaurants only accept cards, so you’ll get the official rate. But everything happens with good humor and singing! I spent 30 days traveling around the island at the start of the year without rushing.
Je voudrais savoir si quelqu'un a de l'expérience pour l'obtention d'un visa canadien pour un cubain. Mon mari est Cubain et a immigré au Quebec il y a 14 ans.…
Nous arrivons à Santiago de cuba le 6 mars et repartons le 5 avril soit 31 jours j'ai vu que ce visa n'etait valable que 30 jours ou 1 mois? Merci d'avance…
Nous partons a Cuba l'année prochaine, et j'aimerais savoir si je fait le visa touriste via l'ambassade et comme je prend l'avion depuis miami pour cuba, il ya…
I’m a bit embarrassed because I need to travel to Quebec from February 27th to March 13th. I’m a regular visitor to Canada—this will be my 10th trip since 1997, plus a year as a permanent resident (2000–2001) and a cross-country run from Vancouver to Halifax in 2011. So, I’m definitely not a terrorist!
But since our last trip in July 2015, they’ve introduced this eTA thing. Seems more like a way to make money than to actually secure Canada, if you ask me, but anyway, that’s not the point.
I applied for an eTA for myself, my wife, and our two kids. They all got approved within hours, but not me! I was asked to create a GC key and then an IRCC account, which I did. Normally, you get news within 72 hours, but since Monday, January 15th, nothing!
In the "message" section of the account, it says "explanation letter (required)" with a deadline of January 25th, but I can’t find any explanation anywhere—despite searching the Canadian government website and Google. No links, nothing!
I’ve emailed them but haven’t heard back yet. I’m thinking of calling the Canadian embassy in Paris tomorrow. Even though I’m not stressing yet, it’d be a bummer if everyone else got to go without me!
If anyone’s had this issue before or knows what this explanation letter is about, I’d love to hear more.
hi there
I’m heading to Seoul in September, and to do that I need to get a travel authorization that we apply for through K-ETA....... turns out I can (barely, I admit) fill out the form up to the address of our "stay location," but every address I’ve entered has been rejected by the system. I’ve tried my hotel, the Lotte Hotel (which is well-known in Seoul), the airport—basically, I’ve entered at least 20 addresses, all rejected....
So, to anyone who’s successfully gotten the authorization, could you tell me which address you used to get that "elusive" approval?...
Question for those who’ve done it:
In theory (French national), I’m visa-exempt for a 30-day tourist stay, but on France Diplomatie it says on this page
Hi there,
I know there are similar topics here and elsewhere, but they’re a few years old, and I need an up-to-date answer to make sure I don’t throw over 1000 € out the window. Thanks for your patience.
I’m planning a trip from France to Alberta/British Columbia, and I’m unsure about which bank card to use for the security deposit with the rental company (I’m thinking of going with AVIS).
I contacted Avis Canada, and they told me a credit card is absolutely required. I asked my bank for a credit card (a *real* credit card), but they only offered me a deferred debit card.
My question: For a rental with Avis Canada, is a Gold International Mastercard deferred debit card usable for the security deposit needed to finalize the rental? Is the "CREDIT" label enough? (Some cards say "CREDIT" and others say "CARTE DE CREDIT"—seems minor, but it’s actually a big deal in how the card works.)
I’ve seen conflicting info everywhere I look... My bank says it’s *usually* okay (the deferred debit card), while Avis Canada insists it *must* be a credit card, not debit—even when I mention the deferred debit card.
I know the whole credit card concept is already confusing, and on top of that, some sites say a deferred debit card counts as a credit card, while others say it doesn’t.
Thanks to anyone who can share a recent experience!
Have a great day
Hi there,
I’m heading to Senegal in January for a month and was wondering if I just need my French driver’s license or if I should get an international permit?
Thanks!
JL
Hi,
I’m bringing Seresta, an anxiolytic (tranquilizer) from the benzodiazepine family,
to help me sleep.
I’ll have the prescription with me.
Will this be a problem at customs, and do I need to declare it?
Same question for antibiotics?
Thanks a bunch!
I’m heading to Laos next spring, but I have a question about the Thai arrival/departure form. I’ll be flying PAR-BKK, then taking the train to Laos (so exiting Thailand), and later re-entering Thailand by train to catch my return flight. Do I need to fill out two forms in this case?
Hi there,
I have a 9-seater passenger vehicle that I use for my business in Paris, transporting people.
I’m planning to go to Algeria with my family.
The vehicle registration lists my company as the owner.
Can I get a TPD (Temporary Admission Document)?
Will I need a KBis extract or a power of attorney?!?
Thanks for your help.
Worst case, I can add my personal name as a co-owner on the registration, but that would be a real shame!
Hi,
I’m writing to ask for some info—I’ve heard that you **must** have travel insurance to land in Zanzibar.
What’s the process, and which insurance should I get?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best,
Seb
Hi, are there any travelers who’ve recently crossed the border between Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) and Beineu in Kazakhstan?
It was closed for a while.
Thanks for any info!
I bought a one-way flight (Ryanair) and a return flight (EasyJet) to spend a week in Morocco in April.
My passport expires 3 weeks after the return date.
Some websites say the passport must be valid for 3 months at the time of entry.
However, it will still be valid both on entry and return, but its validity will only be 1 month at the time of entry (and 3 weeks on the return date, everything prepaid).
It's an individual family trip.
The consulate can't give me an answer—they're still looking into it (really!)
Last year, we stayed for 3 months in Thailand, north of Khao Lak, and were able to benefit from the 2-month visa exemption, renewable for one month by going to Takua Pa to validate a 1-month extension (1,900 baht).
This year, it’s a disaster for us—not only were we planning a 4-month stay, adding a visa run in between (which some say is quite risky), but the law is apparently changing in the coming months with the return of the 1-month exemption (plus the usual 1-month option). So, we looked into applying for a 6-month multiple-entry visa, allowing a maximum of 60 consecutive days in Thailand. However, I can’t find anywhere the minimum time required outside Thailand between two stays—do any of you have an idea?
Thanks for the info! If you’d like tips on Khao Lak and the surrounding areas, we’ve got some experience, though things change fast!
Cheers,
Bruno.
My partner, our 8-year-old daughter, and I are going on vacation to Gex.
We’ve decided to spend one day in Switzerland and another in Italy. Will we need ID (national ID card or passport)? Do we also need ID for our daughter?
Hello,
We’ll soon be moving to Madagascar long-term.
As a French national, I need to obtain a short-stay visa that can be converted to a long-stay one. To do this, I have to send the required documents to the Madagascar embassy in Paris.
No issues with that procedure so far.
If I get this visa, once I arrive in Madagascar, I’ll need to provide the same documents to the Ministry of the Interior in Anosy. I’m trying to find an email address or website for the Ministry to check which documents I need to submit (I think they ask for additional ones).
If you have any info on this, I’d appreciate your replies.
Best regards,
M. Buisson Eric
I’d like to know if anyone has already applied for a private visa to Russia with an invitation from a Russian resident.
I traveled earlier this year with an e-visa, but since I want to stay longer, I’ll be visiting my friend who lives in eastern Russia.
For the visa application, does the invitation need to be on an official paper form issued by the Russian ministry? And most importantly, do I need to present the original for the application, or is there an electronic version that can be sent directly to the consulate in France?
Thanks for any info if you’ve gone through this process before!
I filled out the B2 form to apply for a visa, created an account on Atvis to pay the visa fees and schedule a meet-up, but every time I try to pay with my Boursobank Visa 1st card, they refuse the payment with a message telling me to check my details (address), even though everything is correct. Does anyone know why this is happening, or maybe they don’t accept Visa cards? Are you aware of this?
Thanks for your feedback!
Elisabeth
There are rumors going around about the ETA: it must absolutely be on your smartphone in the "ETA" app.
Paper documents might not be accepted.
Is this real or just a hoax?
Thanks, I’m leaving in 3 weeks. My passport is good to go and my ETA is still valid for a year, but I only printed the email I received.
Thanks everyone.
Hi there,
We need to apply for a B2 visa because we visited Iran in 2018. It currently costs $185, but they’re planning an additional $250 fee per person for the same visa—it’s been approved but not yet implemented. Does anyone know when this fee will take effect?
Thanks in advance!
Elisabeth
Hi there,
In November, we're heading off on a 4-month trip. We'll be landing in China and plan to leave the country via a land border into Vietnam.
I’ve read that China may ask for proof of exit within 30 days (flight ticket or other reservation). Since we’d be leaving by land, I’m wondering how this works in practice.
Has anyone here been in this situation recently?
Did the airline ask for an exit ticket before boarding?
Did Chinese authorities require proof upon arrival?
Is a train/bus ticket to Vietnam sufficient?
Is a cancelable or flexible reservation accepted?
Hi there,
Just a question that’s probably been asked before (though usually the other way around for my situation :))
My wife and I are heading to the US.
On her ticket, it only has her maiden name (e.g., Martine DUPOND).
On her passport, it’s written as Martine DUPOND épouse AVRY.
No issues for travel, I hope I did the right thing with the ticket?
Then for the ESTA, is just Martine DUPOND enough, or do I need to include the "épouse AVRY" part like on the passport?
Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
I’m spending a few days in San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) and would like to cross the Argentine border to make a loop toward Salta and then return to Chile to drop off the rental car.
I’ve heard that crossing the border can be tricky!
Is it possible with a rental company’s authorization? Which company, and at what cost?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Best regards,
Arnale
I saw on the French Embassy in Peru’s website and the Peruvian Consulate in Paris’s site that the rule is to have a passport valid for 6 months *after the arrival date* (not the return date).
I arrive in Peru on August 13, 2019 (for about twelve days), and my passport is valid until February 16, 2020.
That’s 6 months and 3 days after my arrival date in Peru. In my opinion, I’m good to go.
But could I still be denied entry if they say I don’t cover the return date or that I’m too close to the 6-month mark?
I read on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that it’s possible to apply for a temporary driving permit in China, valid for 1 month.
I’m planning to rent a car (without a driver) to explore part of the country next August, so I was wondering:
Has anyone here already gone through this process upon arrival?
How long do the formalities take on the spot?
Is it possible to handle these steps in advance, before arriving in China?
Hi there,
My departure is slowly approaching, and now that I’ve got my Russian visa sorted, I’m fine-tuning the rest of my trip to Tajikistan. Since the Tajik visa is no longer required for stays under 30 days (for French nationals), I’ll need to visit the Ministry of Interior (OVIR) to register within 10 days of entering the country. No big deal, though, since I had to go there anyway to apply for my GBAO permit. 😉 However, I’ve *seen* several reports from travelers (mostly motorized) mentioning that you need an entry permit for Kyrgyzstan, which has to be arranged in advance at the Kyrgyz Ministry (consulate?) in Dushanbe. Otherwise, you’re *stuck* at the Kyzyl-Art border (with no Wi-Fi, of course, to try and sort it out). The most recent report was from a year ago, so I’d love to know if this is still the case and if it’s indeed at the Kyrgyz Ministry (consulate?) where you need to go for this pre-authorization.
Does anyone have any recent info on this?
Thanks in advance!
Hi everyone.
I’m leaving for almost 3 months in the Philippines (11 weeks total) starting in early May.
I already have my round-trip ticket.
The problem is, I don’t have time to get a 2-month visa because the process takes nearly a month.
From what I’ve read here and there, I need a return ticket valid for less than a month when I arrive in the Philippines to prove my good faith.
After that, I can apply for a 30-day extension at the immigration office.
I’m planning to either buy a fully refundable ticket to the nearest country or a fake ticket.
For 3 months, I’ll need to extend my visa two more times before my return date to France.
My question is this:
Will immigration ask me each time I extend my visa by one month to show proof of an exit ticket matching the new visa extension date?
Is it possible to extend directly by 2 months before the initial 30 days expire?
Thanks in advance for your experiences and tips! 😊
I’ve been to Thailand several times, but it was about 20 years ago…
There’s a new system in place now, it seems.
TDAC – Thailand Digital Arrival Card.
Before arriving, I apply for a TDAC, okay.
If during my stay I cross the border to spend a few days in Malaysia and then re-enter Thailand,
do I need to submit a new TDAC application?
Do I use the same TDAC as when I first entered the country?
Or do I initially have to pay for a Thai multi-entry visa?
Thanks in advance for your insights—I can’t find the answer online.
My partner (Mexican) entered France on January 21st as a tourist. She was therefore entitled to stay for 90 days in the Schengen Area. She’ll be leaving for Mexico on April 16th, so she’ll have “used up” 86 days.
She plans to return to France on July 18th. According to the European Commission’s Schengen calculator, this new stay “may be authorized for a maximum of 90 days.” That’s not very clear ("may be," "for a maximum of").
The text of Article 6 of the European regulation (2016/399) states that for a stay planned in the territory of the Member States, not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period, one must examine "the 180-day period preceding each day of the stay." That’s not very clear either.
My partner wants to return to France for a 90-day period starting on July 18th. Is this possible?
There are two ways to look at it:
1) The first day she spent in the Schengen Area was January 21st. That day will drop out of the calculation 180 days later, on July 20th.
From July 20th, she’ll get back 1 day of possible stay; on July 22nd, 2 days; and so on. All the days from her previous stay (January 21st–April 16th) need to be outside the 180-day rolling window.
The last day of her stay was April 16th. Looking 180 days ahead, that brings us to October 13th. From that date, she’ll be able to return for a full 90 days.
2) The number of allowed days is calculated for each day of the new stay. In other words: the 180-day window is recalculated every day, not fixed at the entry date.
If she re-enters France on July 18th, she’ll only have a “credit” of 4 days. But with each day of her new stay, one day from the previous stay (January–April) will drop out of the calculation. The rolling window allows her to “replace” days from the previous stay with those of the new stay, without ever exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period.
In this case, my partner could stay in France for 90 days starting on July 18th.
The Prefecture doesn’t provide any information, nor does Air France, and in the forums I’ve checked, opinions are divided. Thanks for any insights you can share!
Hello,
We’re planning to travel to Indonesia (Sulawesi with family) next July and August for a stay longer than a month (about 6 weeks).
I’ve seen that it’s possible to get a 60-day visa before departure, but I’ve also read about people having a lot of trouble getting it (some even didn’t manage and had to leave without it).
We absolutely need to have these 4 visas BEFORE leaving because once we’re in Sulawesi, I’m not sure we’ll be able to go to an embassy to request a visa extension after 30 days.
In short, how can we **100% guarantee** that we’ll get our 4 60-day visas before our trip this summer?
