# Travelling with a Working Holiday Visa in the Schengen Region for Australian



## Jayrum (Jun 13, 2012)

Hi everyone,

I am an Australian citizen looking to travel to Western Europe in September for about a year for holiday. I will be doing home-stays (organised through Workaway and HelpX) and obtain a Working Holiday Visa for one of the countries if possible and pick up incidental work.

Before purchasing my airfare or applying for a WHV, I am trying to get my head around the Schengen agreement. I’m finding it difficult to get the information I need from the individual country’s embassies in Australia and the Schengenvisa.cc site. 

Regarding the Schengen area:
-Am I able to spread these 90 days over the 180-day period OR is it a 90-day consecutive period every 6 months?
-If I AM able to spread these 90 days out, and I first arrive in the Schengen area on January 1st and my 90th day in the area is June 30th, can I just return July 1st to begin the new 180-day period (or do I even need to go out and come back in?) 

-If I were to obtain a WHV for Italy (allowing me to stay for up to 12 months) would I be able to use Italy as my ‘base’ and any time spent there will NOT go toward my 90 days/180 days in the Schengen region? So hypothetically, could I spend my 90-days visa-free, January – March travelling around the OTHER Schengen countries, then return for my other 90 days to Italy in April – June? Then set off again July – September to the other countries and return to Italy for October – December? 
Ie. If I have a WHV for one of the Schengen countries, could that act as my 90 or 180 days “outside” the Schengen region?

-I understand that your passport will be no longer stamped at the countries borders once within the Schengen area. If I hold a WHV for Italy in my passport and it is checked by the authorities, how will they know if I have or have not overstayed my 90-day time in the other Schengen countries?

Apologies for my ignorance – I am not sure how to interpret it all! But any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks!


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## KimMii (Apr 29, 2010)

I have an Italian visa (Permit to Stay) and travel freely throughout Europe...mine was issued because I am under the care of an Italian Doctor (Medical Visa) but it gives me the freedom to come and go as I please.


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