# Can US citizens work in Europe under Schengen visa?



## Ilovecake (Nov 9, 2015)

Does anyone know whether citizens from the US can work in Europe on a Schengen visa?

I ask because I live in Germany and have a business providing legal support. American lawyers come here and depose witnesses. However, the lawyers have been bringing their own legal support staff (not legal experts but videographers) and using a Schengen visa to get into the country. 

Is this legal under the Schengen rules? What consititues "business"? If an American is taking away the work of a resident in the country, is that allowed?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Have moved you here to the Germany section since you're asking about Germany specifically.

No, Americans cannot "work" in Europe on a Schengen visa - however, a Schengen visa can be used for "business trips" where someone comes to the country for meetings or to conduct business for their regular employer while there for a period of less than 90 days.

Actually, the rules say little or nothing about depriving a local national of work. The idea is that a foreigner can do their regular job while "visiting" Germany on a Schengen visa as long as they maintain their residence and employment back home and return back there when they are done with the work at hand.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Tom09 (Nov 6, 2015)

I think Bevdeforges isn totally right.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

I think the only person(s) who can answer this question accurately are the German authorities.

I can easily imagine a system which permits an American (or whatever) attorney to come to Germany to take depositions but still requires that locals be hired for tasks such as video recording and such.

The deposition must obviously be performed by the attorney because he/she knows what questions are to be asked initially and how to follow up based on answers received. The recording of the event, on the other hand, is routine in nature and does not require any special talent beyond that possessed by any capable videographer.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

But, if the videographer is working for the attorney, I think it's permitted within the "business" aspect of a 90 day Schengen visa. What they mean by "working" in Germany is taking employment and residing there.

However, you can always check with the German consulate in the US, or with the local officials if you have doubts. Given that the attorneys and their videographers are coming from the US, I suspect they have the full range of rights while on the Schengen visa, since it's a simple "courtesy visa" - a mere stamp in the passport on entry. Those nationalities who have to apply for an actual Schengen visa seem to be subject to more thorough control of their documents and their reasons for being in Germany.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

It comes down to how one defines "business trip" and what sort of work is allowed for short periods of time. As a practical matter, if two professionally dressed individuals get off the plane in Frankfurt and tell immigration that they're staying for a week on business, those passports will be stamped instantly. If they're staying ten weeks, it might raise an eyebrow, but based on my experience, probably not.

I can see where the OP is coming from, though. He/she thinks that the support staff (videographers) are coming over and doing work that he/she could be doing. Fair enough, might have a point, but I'm not sure how one would go about convincing the authorities of this, and if one did, one might make such an enemy of one's self that one might never be hired by any visiting US lawyers anyway.


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