# Travel within Schengen Area on a German/Swedish Working Holiday Visa



## Guest

Hello All,

If i get either a German or Swedish Holiday Working visa, does this entitle me to travel within the entire Schengen area for the validity period of the visa? or just within the main country (Germany or Sweden).

I am currently staying in the Schengen area just on a normal at-the-border "stay for 3 months in every 6 months" visa.

thanks all

jimbo


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## Bevdeforges

My understanding is that the Schengen visa is precisely the "stay for 3 months in every 6 months" visitor's visa. However, if you get a longer-stay visa from a Schengen country, it does allow you to travel (as a tourist) within the other Schengen countries during the validity period of your main visa.

Just be careful as not all countries offer "Holiday Working" visas.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Guest

Ok thanks Bev, that seems to clear things up somewhat.

I am an Australian under 30 and my country has a reciprocal arrangement with both Sweden and Germany for the "Holiday Working Visa Program" (as well as several other countries)

So as long as I get a Visa for one of those 2 countries, and as long as I do not work outside the country of the Visa, could I then travel within the Schengen area for the entire duration of the visa?

Eg: Say I get the 12 month German Holiday Working Visa, could I then go and travel within say France for 11 months? Or would I then be restricted to the 90 days in 6 months rule??

thanks!


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## Bevdeforges

I think the idea is that you spend the bulk of your time in the country for which you have the visa, with visits to the other Schengen countries allowed. You may want to check the websites for the German and Swedish consulates in Australia for details.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Guest

hi thanks again for the reply. i guess i will be primarly basing myself in Berlin for the period of time, i just really want to go spend time with a girl in sweden and travel around the rest of europe.

i tried looking on both the embassy sites but didnt have much luck finding the information i needed.
and i am a little bit hesitant to contact them as I fear it may jeopardize my chances of being granted the visas...

any other ideas or sources where i may be able to get some more solid information on the rules?

thanks!


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## nigelbrown

Hi Jimbo, 

Just wondering where you ended up with this. I'm in exactly the same situation... I'm Australian, already in Paris with a working holiday visa and wondering about my options for travel in the Schengen zone. Specifically, whether I'm limited to 3 months within every 6. My French WH visa reads: FRANCE (+1 TRANSIT SCHENGEN), which has me a little confused. 

Have you found anything definite in writing anywhere (I've been searching but can't find anything concrete)? Or are you already in Europe and have tested it out?

Thanks, 

Nigel


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## JGLAM

Hi

Same question from me, i am in the same boat.

Want to visit Europe for more than 90 days and had the idea to get a German WHV.

Can i visit all other Schengan countries for the duration of my Germand visa?

I.e. can i basically tour all Europe on this German visa if i wanted too, without worrying about the 90 days in 180 day rule??

Some help wuld be great! what have others done before us?????


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## Bevdeforges

JGLAM said:


> Hi
> 
> Same question from me, i am in the same boat.
> 
> Want to visit Europe for more than 90 days and had the idea to get a German WHV.
> 
> Can i visit all other Schengan countries for the duration of my Germand visa?
> 
> I.e. can i basically tour all Europe on this German visa if i wanted too, without worrying about the 90 days in 180 day rule??
> 
> Some help wuld be great! what have others done before us?????


If you come on a working holiday visa, you're assumed to be resident in the country that issued you that visa. The "Schengen" bit means that while resident in Germany (for instance), you have the right to make short trips to other Schengen countries without having to get a separate visa for that country.

But the Schengen rights don't extend the duration of your base visa (i.e. the German working holiday visa) and it doesn't allow you to take up residence or work in any other Schengen country.
Cheers,
Bev


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## nigelbrown

I've since had some good feedback (though not good news!) on my situation that may be of use. Unfortunately can't post the links here as apparently I haven't made enough posts. ( 1. You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you become an Active Member and have made 4 posts or more.)

Search "Europe travel on French Working-Holiday Visa" on a site called 'bootsnall'

An update is that after spending 5 months in France on my Working-Holiday visa I made a short trip to Spain, not really knowing if they'd let me in or not. As it turned out no one even looked at my passport entering/exiting Spain (I was at a small airport, not in a major city), nor reentering France. I've been told this is a common situation with travel within the Schengen zone. 

The following is printed on my working holiday visa:
FRANCE (+1 TRANSIT SCHENGEN)
TYPE: D
NUMBER OF ENTRIES: MULTI
REMARKS: VACANCES TRAVAIL/AUSTRALIE
DISPENSE TEMPORAIRE DE CARTE DE SEJOUR

I've been told by someone in the Visa office at the Prefecture de Police in Paris that this does not entitle me to travel freely to other Schengen countries. I'm just hoping it doesn't preclude me from the usual 3 months out of 6 as I've been in France over 5 months now. 

I've got more Schengen travel coming up, will post again if there's anything worth knowing. 

Good luck. 




nigelbrown said:


> Hi Jimbo,
> 
> Just wondering where you ended up with this. I'm in exactly the same situation... I'm Australian, already in Paris with a working holiday visa and wondering about my options for travel in the Schengen zone. Specifically, whether I'm limited to 3 months within every 6. My French WH visa reads: FRANCE (+1 TRANSIT SCHENGEN), which has me a little confused.
> 
> Have you found anything definite in writing anywhere (I've been searching but can't find anything concrete)? Or are you already in Europe and have tested it out?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Nigel


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