Can we go over 90-day EU visiting limit for a funeral in France?
Limits on entering Schengen Zone are in place for all visa-free travellers
There are penalties for staying longer than 90 days in the EU
EQRoy / Shutterstock
Reader Question: A close friend of ours who lived near our second home in France has died and we have been invited to her funeral, but we have used our full 90 days in the Schengen zone, and will not have any new days until November. Can we travel to the funeral under special circumstances?
This is a difficult situation for you to be in, but unfortunately the 90-day rule is strict and in place with the same rules for everybody who has visa-free travel.
Staying in the Schengen area for more than 90 days can lead to fines and even travel bans for re-entering the bloc.
If you were already in France, and wanted to stay for longer than 90 days, it is possible to apply for a temporary extension to remain in France due to emergency circumstances.
These circumstances usually apply to a family or medical emergency, and the funeral of a friend is unlikely to be seen as sufficient reason to stay.
Read more: Can I extend my 90-day visa-free period in France in an emergency?
It would be even more difficult – essentially impossible – to come to France if you have used your full quota of visa-free days, especially for the funeral of a friend.
You would be stopped at the border by security officials, and need to explain why you are attempting to enter the EU when you have used up all your days. It is unlikely they would let you through.
In addition, the incoming Entry/Exit System (EES) will digitise border crossings, and see people with no allowance left on their passport refused entry automatically.
Read more: New EU border control checks to launch November 10 - official
If you need to come to France in an emergency, it is sometimes possible to ask for an ‘emergency visa’ by pleading your case to the French consular services in London, but communication with the consulate can be difficult.
Obtaining this may be possible, for example, in the case of the death of a parent or child, but is highly unlikely to be accepted in the case of a friend.
Your remaining option would be to apply for a traditional visa, which can be used on top of your 90-day visa-free travel days, but this would not arrive until long after the funeral has taken place.
For such reasons, it is wise to keep a few spare days of your 90-day allowance for use in case of emergencies.
