Schengen fun - Airport transit and the 90 days

[toffee]

Passports returned complete with French 6 month Visa



Only remaining question is how to formally record when we leave France as there's no border post to get a stamp into Italy. I can find no information on how to do this; any advice welcome otherwise we'll just wing it and hope photos with time stamps will persuade Dutch officials on exit that we haven't overstayed.

Get a cheap return flight back to the uk.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Get a cheap return flight back to the uk.

How many seats should we book for the Tandem?

 

[Sallar55]

Just leave the tandem at a hotel, we left the bikes at a hotel. An issue at home required us to fly home, returned a few days later and carried on with cycling. Will be watching this develop, how many days cycling ( not counted for the 90 days with visa ) in France compared to the rest of the EU ?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I think posts here are now getting mixed up on two issues: (1) getting home mid-tour for a few days, and (2) getting more than 90 days in Schengen.

Since the original post, we changed plans on discovering a long stay visa in France solves the problem vs Schengen. We'll be in Schengen for ~110 days altogether of which ~25 will be in France. The 25 are knocked off the 110 meaning we are securely >90.

On getting home mid - tour, yes, we will leave the tandem in Kosovo somewhere, then fly out and back before continuing.

 

[toffee]

I think posts here are now getting mixed up on two issues: (1) getting home mid-tour for a few days, and (2) getting more than 90 days in Schengen.

Since the original post, we changed plans on discovering a long stay visa in France solves the problem vs Schengen. We'll be in Schengen for ~110 days altogether of which ~25 will be in France. The 25 are knocked off the 110 meaning we are securely >90.

On getting home mid - tour, yes, we will leave the tandem in Kosovo somewhere, then fly out and back before continuing.

If you want absolute proof you have left France you are going to have to go through a manned border. Anything less and you will be appealing to the good nature of the border guard. One of the easiest ways is to fly out and return. No need to bring the tandem.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

If you want absolute proof you have left France you are going to have to go through a manned border. Anything less and you will be appealing to the good nature of the border guard. One of the easiest ways is to fly out and return. No need to bring the tandem.

Don't see how that would help?

Flying out of France and back leaves us still in France. Flying out of Italy and back proves we're in Italy then, but not when we entered Italy. We'll get a stamp out of italy on entering Albania anyway.

I've probably misunderstood something.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Only remaining question is how to formally record when we leave France as there's no border post to get a stamp into Italy. I can find no information on how to do this; any advice welcome otherwise we'll just wing it and hope photos with time stamps will persuade Dutch officials on exit that we haven't overstayed.

I would imagine that there will be little problem given your (presumed) situation.
To improve the veracity of timestamped photos, I'd suggest emailing the relevant photos to yourself. Perhaps with an accompanying position on Google Maps.
Perhaps also have the French visa documentation (in electronic form) emailed to yourself and on the phone. Sometimes being heavily prepared will discourage too much interrogation. A decent map of your route is bound to be distracting too!

Allow plenty of time for the exit process in NL, be patient and smile. A lot. If things aren't going your way rather than arguing directly, try to ask questions such as "are you sure?", "can you check that, please?" etc.
Your situation will not be "normal" and may invite closer scrutiny. Being calm and pleasant can help enormously. Being prepared even moreso. It took me a while to learn that lesson in NL!

Edited to add: I'm just a randomer on the internet.