propper documents for u.s. to europe travel

[catingeorgia]

i was invited by my bro who is in the army in italy to come stay for a lil while over the summer. im getting ready to purchase a passport and wondering what type of documentation is needed. i was told by a friend that you dont need to purchase a visa and only need a passport if your stay is going to be less than three months...is this accurate? does anyone have experience and can help me with some advice so i can get started? im suppoesd to go in the summer around june july. thanks

 

[cranberrydavid]

Your US passport gets you 90 days travel out of any 180 days in the Schengen zone, which includes Italy and most of western Europe. They've got a pretty efficient system of logging you in and out of the computer when they read your passport. If you're planning on staying longer than 3 months, apply for the visa, or go spend some time in Eastern Europe.

 

[catingeorgia]

do you know if romania is included in the Schengen zone? thanks

 

[cranberrydavid]

do you know if romania is included in the Schengen zone? thanks

It wasn't last time I was there, but they're moving in that direction. Check out the map. It'll answer most of your questions.
Schengen Area - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[catingeorgia]

ok fuck europe...i love my fucked up country and im a stayin yall

 

[barefootinbabylon]

For those of you who are/have gone to Europe, and kind of 'slummed it' whilst there... I read all these ominous-sounding things online about how you have to show 'proof of sufficient funds,' proof of HEALTH INSURANCE, for Gods' sake, as well as proof of onward travel... I completely understand countries' desires to make sure that people entering them are going to be able to SUPPORT themselves while there, as well as have made plans to leave. Is the reality of the situation any different? I don't believe that telling customs officials that I'm planning on WWOOFing/dumpstering/busking would work all that well... IcelandAir has incredible deals, really; something like $430, and that's a stop-over flight (7 days in Iceland), and it's just SO FUCKING TEMPTING!! However, definitely don't have health insurance, definitely don't have what would be considered 'sufficient funds' by any 'normal' tourist accounting of it, but I do have my wits about me, and I can live off the refuse of society like nobody's bizness (as can most of us). Any info. would be much appreciated... Kthanx.

 

[Matt Derrick]

For those of you who are/have gone to Europe, and kind of 'slummed it' whilst there... I read all these ominous-sounding things online about how you have to show 'proof of sufficient funds,' proof of HEALTH INSURANCE, for Gods' sake, as well as proof of onward travel... I completely understand countries' desires to make sure that people entering them are going to be able to SUPPORT themselves while there, as well as have made plans to leave. Is the reality of the situation any different? I don't believe that telling customs officials that I'm planning on WWOOFing/dumpstering/busking would work all that well... IcelandAir has incredible deals, really; something like $430, and that's a stop-over flight (7 days in Iceland), and it's just SO FUCKING TEMPTING!! However, definitely don't have health insurance, definitely don't have what would be considered 'sufficient funds' by any 'normal' tourist accounting of it, but I do have my wits about me, and I can live off the refuse of society like nobody's bizness (as can most of us). Any info. would be much appreciated... Kthanx.

ive travel to amsterdam twice, and each time no one checked any of those things about me. i literally just walked through customs and no one even gave me a second look. no questions or anything. as for health insurance, there's traveler's insurance for as little as 25 dollars (good for 1000 dollars of health insurance) which would count as health insurance if that's an issue.