New and Looking for Friends!

[kria]

Hi everyone,

I'm not necessarily new, but this is the first time I've ever posted anything on the site. I was mostly a lurker, lol. Anyway, I have realized that I'd like to have some friends who can actually relate to what I'm going through. I'm 21 years old, and I live in the USA. My boyfriend is also 21, but he, however, lives in Sweden. I really just want some friends to talk with and be social with others in this type of situation.

[D.4C]

welcome to lfad...well...welcome to posting anyway...lol...you've come to the right place for your situation...lots of useful stuff here that will be helpful to you...good luck

[Hollandia]

I am fairly new too. My SO is in Holland and I am in US. I deal with the same time zones as you if you are EST. I assume you also deal with the Schengen Passport laws too? I am willing to talk anytime I am around. I have other forms and I am even a Mod on one but I found this place and it is like a online support group and a godsend for me right now.

Three months without him is hell. How do people do it longer??? I could not wait the three months again and I am cheating and meeting up in Ireland to get around that Schengen problem. Does Sweden have as strict of residence permit laws as Holland?

[kria]

Thanks D.4C and Hollandia! =D Oh, and, by the way, what does SO stand for?

Yes, Hollandia, I am EST, but, no I don't have to deal with the Schengen Passport laws. Talking with others would be great, so anytime you wanna chat just send me a message!

I know how you feel. Three months is hell, but he and I use Skype every single day, so that's very helpful. We've been apart for almost two months now, but it feels like he's been gone for six months or more. I'm going to see him this December, so I'm excited. From what I have read about Sweden's residence permit, you pretty much just have to have a Swedish citizen who wants you there and with whom you can live and be able to support yourself (either by the citizen or yourself) and you're pretty much in. However, I have read other sites that says you MUST have a reason like work or study. I'm still looking into that. From what I have found though, it doesn't seem to be too strict when concerning the residence permit laws.

[LittleBox]

*waves* Hello (: Is your username in any way a reference to Vanilla Twilight by Owl City?

[Hollandia]

We use MSN to vid chat and Yahoo to IM. You are able to stay longer than 3 months in Sweden without a residence permit? Holland requires a reason beside that fact that I am his GF and he wants me there. He emailed the IND and they told him that. I am not in school in Holland, I don't have an employer in Holland and I don't have family in Holland. The only other reason I can apply for is for "family formation". We are not engaged or at that point yet. I am also not allowed to provide my own "proof of income" for family formation, he has too. I would have to register to live at his residence, we would have to registered as partners and he would have to show proof of income for both of us. I am not even allowed to work there unless we get married. With the Schengen laws, not only can I not stay in Holland for more than 3 months, I cannot move over to France or Belgium or Germany. They all count as part of Schengen. I am not allowed back in till the full 90 days are past. I have a business in the US and I am able to work remotely most of the time, but the Schengen laws make it still impossible to stay longer. I envy you if Sweden makes it easier.

I know in UK you can stay for 6 months on a tourist visa, but Schengen is 3. How are you able to get around it? Sweden is a part of Schengen.

SO stands for Significant Other.

[kria]

Lol, hi! -waves back- Yes, it is. I LOVE that song!

[Tooki]

In an ideal situation, I would be waiting approximately 4-5 months between visits. It's difficult because we both study, and flights are so expensive because of the distance that we need to stay longer to get more out of the money (close to $2000 for a roundtrip).

I also have to deal with the Schengen Zone restrictions but (luckily) it's very easy to get in and out of the Zone if you are visa-exempt. Plus if you have the cash and you want some extra time together on the same trip, you can go over to the UK/Ireland and extend your stay.

Thanks D.4C and Hollandia! =D Oh, and, by the way, what does SO stand for?

Yes, Hollandia, I am EST, but, no I don't have to deal with the Schengen Passport laws. Talking with others would be great, so anytime you wanna chat just send me a message!

I know how you feel. Three months is hell, but he and I use Skype every single day, so that's very helpful. We've been apart for almost two months now, but it feels like he's been gone for six months or more. I'm going to see him this December, so I'm excited. From what I have read about Sweden's residence permit, you pretty much just have to have a Swedish citizen who wants you there and with whom you can live and be able to support yourself (either by the citizen or yourself) and you're pretty much in. However, I have read other sites that says you MUST have a reason like work or study. I'm still looking into that. From what I have found though, it doesn't seem to be too strict when concerning the residence permit laws.

[Just quickly, if you don't have to deal with the passport laws, does that mean that you have an EU/EEA state's passport? You wouldn't have any issues with moving to Sweden then, get on a plane whenever you can!]

I'm pretty sure that you can get a residence permit, if you have the funds to support you. If you can't study, your only other realistic option is if you get married to your Swedish SO. I am aware that moving to places like Sweden is much easier than moving to the US (I presume that the obvious language barrier is a big deterrent, as it can be nigh-impossible to get a job without some knowledge of Swedish)

. Also, if it wasn't for Skype my relationship would have died months ago!

(SO stands for Signifcant Other; your partner)

[Tooki]

We use MSN to vid chat and Yahoo to IM. You are able to stay longer than 3 months in Sweden without a residence permit? Holland requires a reason beside that fact that I am his GF and he wants me there. He emailed the IND and they told him that. I am not in school in Holland, I don't have an employer in Holland and I don't have family in Holland. The only other reason I can apply for is for "family formation". We are not engaged or at that point yet. I am also not allowed to provide my own "proof of income" for family formation, he has too. I would have to register to live at his residence, we would have to registered as partners and he would have to show proof of income for both of us. I am not even allowed to work there unless we get married. With the Schengen laws, not only can I not stay in Holland for more than 3 months, I cannot move over to France or Belgium or Germany. They all count as part of Schengen. I am not allowed back in till the full 90 days are past. I have a business in the US and I am able to work remotely most of the time, but the Schengen laws make it still impossible to stay longer. I envy you if Sweden makes it easier.

I know in UK you can stay for 6 months on a tourist visa, but Schengen is 3. How are you able to get around it? Sweden is a part of Schengen.

SO stands for Significant Other.

You can get a 6 month long stay visa in any of the Schengen Zone members. I got one the last time I was in Estonia, and I just had to go any Estonian Embassy to get one (I went to the one in Helsinki, that is about 90km away from Tallinn ). I just paid for the visa and the consulate officer photocopied my passport. The visa was sorted out in one day. I didn't have to show him anything in terms of funds or travel insurance (which I had already). It is a Tourist Visa, so you won't need to jump through the hoops of getting a residency permit.

(I can't say how easy it is to get one in Holland, but if you have your own business you would surely have a good amount of savings in case they do want proof of funds)

[Hollandia]

I wish I could jump over to UK for more time with him. He has work and school and this next week is a miracle in itself. I think for me, It is more important to meet up during the "away" time than to the extend the "together" time. If you don't have a EU passport and only a US one, then I think the Schengen is pretty hard set. They are what they are. After 90 days you have to go through the individual country's residence laws. Most are very strict. The entire EU has been hard hit with refugees and is in dire straits, they are not letting just anybody in now. The are now forced to allow all other EU's in and so they are being very hard knocks with anybody that is not EU. That being said, once you get married, you can use Article 8 and get in regardless of any of those laws.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articl...n_Human_Rights

They even have to waive all fees if you qualify.

[kria]

OH, sorry! I thought you meant a permanent residence permit as if I were going to live there, not the three month visiting period. I didn't know that's what the Schengen laws were. I've honestly never heard of them until you just mentioned it. Well, I knew the three month thing and whatnot, but I didn't know the name of it. Hopefully, that made sense lol. Yes, I'm not allowed to stay more than three months in Sweden. However, I just have to apply for a residence permit because it says that I can live with anyone in Sweden that I know that wants me there. From what I understand, we don't have to be married, but we do have to have a place to live and some sort of income whether it is from him, his parents, me, or both of us working. He says that I would have to apply for work before I entered the country and such, but I should be able to get a job and such even if we aren't married.

[Hollandia]

DUP POST

[Hollandia]

It is 3 months for US citizens.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement

I have talked to Lawyers and the IND.

They don't care about my income, they care about my sponsors.

[Hollandia]

OH, sorry! I thought you meant a permanent residence permit as if I were going to live there, not the three month visiting period. I didn't know that's what the Schengen laws were. I've honestly never heard of them until you just mentioned it. Well, I knew the three month thing and whatnot, but I didn't know the name of it. Hopefully, that made sense lol. Yes, I'm not allowed to stay more than three months in Sweden. However, I just have to apply for a residence permit because it says that I can live with anyone in Sweden that I know that wants me there. From what I understand, we don't have to be married, but we do have to have a place to live and some sort of income whether it is from him, his parents, me, or both of us working. He says that I would have to apply for work before I entered the country and such, but I should be able to get a job and such even if we aren't married.

Yes, that sounds the same.
I have my own income but I want to stay for an extended time. I cannot simply show proof of income and buy a extended visa, you have to have a reason that they accept. Visiting is limited to 3 months. I would be able to stay for a year or more if they allowed me too.

[Tooki]

Yes, that sounds the same.
I have my own income but I want to stay for an extended time. I cannot simply show proof of income and buy a extended visa, you have to have a reason that they accept. Visiting is limited to 3 months. I would be able to stay for a year or more if they allowed me too.

I looked it up and noticed that the Netherlands doesn't offer the long term tourist visa (which most of the other EU states offer). My bad