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[Hollandia]

Have you ever considered flying through Charles de Gaulle in Paris? As long as you are not a male ethnic minority (French immigration policies are some of the most disgustingly racially-motivated in Europe), I would say with 90% certainty that you would pass through with no problems. The only time I have been questioned in France wasn't even at customs, but by the ticket agent at check-in once when I was returning to the US.

It is actually in my plans for one of my next visits, but I have avoided it because Paris is about 6 hours away from where we are in Netherlands. I have a ton of luggage with me for three months and so I get nervous about carrying it all around in train stations. I have thought about him meeting me in Paris and taking the train back together. My next attempt is Brussels, his parent's claim they should not care but time shall tell, I am leaving from Brussels this April to check out the airport in advance.

[Moon]

It is actually in my plans for one of my next visits, but I have avoided it because Paris is about 6 hours away from where we are in Netherlands. I have a ton of luggage with me for three months and so I get nervous about carrying it all around in train stations. I have thought about him meeting me in Paris and taking the train back together. My next attempt is Brussels, his parent's claim they should not care but time shall tell, I am leaving from Brussels this April to check out the airport in advance.

I think I see the problem, though please, correct me if I'm wrong. Or just ignore me

You're leaving these EU airports to take trains, that's why you're getting grilled, because you are entering the EU at your stop. I never get bothered because, while I am entering the EU at various airports, I'm not staying in the country that processes me into the EU, and after a few, perfunctory questions, I get waved through, and onto my connecting Helsinki flight, in which I am now considered a domestic flyer. Once in Helsinki, I exit like any other EU citizen, as it's now considered an EU flight, and I'm not international anymore. I hope like hell that makes sense. I'm not leaving the airports in which I'm processed through border control, just passing through, and they know that.

Heathrow and their security is different, you'll still get processed in NL, or wherever you land in the EU. If you fly into France, like CQ suggested, then FLY to NL, I think you'll have a very different outcome. When I flew into Dusseldorf, they processed me onto my next, now domestic, flight to HKI, and I wasn't Germany's problem, so-to-speak.

I hope that makes sense.

[Hollandia]

I think I see the problem, though please, correct me if I'm wrong. Or just ignore me

You're leaving these EU airports to take trains, that's why you're getting grilled, because you are entering the EU at your stop. I never get bothered because, while I am entering the EU at various airports, I'm not staying in the country that processes me into the EU, and after a few, perfunctory questions, I get waved through, and onto my connecting Helsinki flight, in which I am now considered a domestic flyer. Once in Helsinki, I exit like any other EU citizen, as it's now considered an EU flight, and I'm not international anymore. I hope like hell that makes sense. I'm not leaving the airports in which I'm processed through border control, just passing through, and they know that.

Heathrow and their security is different, you'll still get processed in NL, or wherever you land in the EU. If you fly into France, like CQ suggested, then FLY to NL, I think you'll have a very different outcome. When I flew into Dusseldorf, they processed me onto my next, now domestic, flight to HKI, and I wasn't Germany's problem, so-to-speak.

I hope that makes sense.

No, I have never done that yet. I have always gone through border control after landing from a plane at airport. I run into the problem because they really look at my passport and see tons of stamps in and out of NL for almost 90 days. That is pretty much all it takes and the grilling starts. I have flown direct into AMS from PHL, and from PHL via layovers in LHR into AMS or Rotterdam and now Dusseldorf. I told Germany I was not staying there but until I said "I am staying with Him in NL." and pointed to my SO standing there with his Dutch passport that were not impressed. In their opinion, I could have been lying. If I landed in Dusseldorf as a layover it would have been different but I still would have had to deal with the border control at my final destination. I did not have a train involved until after I was already in EU and through security last time. I can't get around landing in EU as a domestic flight because yes my LHR layovers don't count. I have not tired Paris yet, because of the distance from my destination but we are thinking about it if Brussels in no better next time. I really don't think they would even care about how much times I came if it were not for such long stays. I am doing what is permitted by their own laws and so that is what frustrates me and my SO and is causing him to make an appointment with the IND here to see if anything can be done about it.

I think if you stay for 88-89 days multiple times, they are all going to give me a problem. I really hope that after I submit documentation and references to the IND, I can at least get a letter stating they are okay with me staying my allowance of the 90 days every 180 days.

[TwoThree]

Have you ever considered flying through Charles de Gaulle in Paris? As long as you are not a male ethnic minority (French immigration policies are some of the most disgustingly racially-motivated in Europe), I would say with 90% certainty that you would pass through with no problems. The only time I have been questioned in France wasn't even at customs, but by the ticket agent at check-in once when I was returning to the US.

Good advice. It's great that you're going to do this, Hollandia. I've ALWAYS flown through CDG when going to Finland, and I have never had the slightest problem. And citizens from my country tend to be much more scrutinized than US citizens. Basically they ask you why you've come to France and the second you tell them that you're just transiting to another country, they stamp your passport and let you through.

Which, if you think about it, is kind of a crappy attitude. I mean they are supposed to act as border control for the whole Schengen area, so they should pay attention to who comes in and out, but they just seem to care about people going specifically to France. They don't care about other countries. But hey, no reason to complain

[CynicalQuixotic]

No, I have never done that yet. I have always gone through border control after landing from a plane at airport. I run into the problem because they really look at my passport and see tons of stamps in and out of NL for almost 90 days. That is pretty much all it takes and the grilling starts. I have flown direct into AMS from PHL, and from PHL via layovers in LHR into AMS or Rotterdam and now Dusseldorf. I told Germany I was not staying there but until I said "I am staying with Him in NL." and pointed to my SO standing there with his Dutch passport that were not impressed. In their opinion, I could have been lying. If I landed in Dusseldorf as a layover it would have been different but I still would have had to deal with the border control at my final destination. I did not have a train involved until after I was already in EU and through security last time. I can't get around landing in EU as a domestic flight because yes my LHR layovers don't count. I have not tired Paris yet, because of the distance from my destination but we are thinking about it if Brussels in no better next time. I really don't think they would even care about how much times I came if it were not for such long stays. I am doing what is permitted by their own laws and so that is what frustrates me and my SO and is causing him to make an appointment with the IND here to see if anything can be done about it.

I think if you stay for 88-89 days multiple times, they are all going to give me a problem. I really hope that after I submit documentation and references to the IND, I can at least get a letter stating they are okay with me staying my allowance of the 90 days every 180 days.

Would it be prohibitively expensive to get a connecting flight from CDG to Amsterdam? To be fair, I get student prices, but I can't imagine that, booked well in advance, a round trip flight would cost more than $250.

[Tooki]

Have you ever considered flying through Charles de Gaulle in Paris? As long as you are not a male ethnic minority (French immigration policies are some of the most disgustingly racially-motivated in Europe), I would say with 90% certainty that you would pass through with no problems. The only time I have been questioned in France wasn't even at customs, but by the ticket agent at check-in once when I was returning to the US.

Yeah, when I went through Paris CDG I only got a bonjour and a stamp in my passport. My only other seamless experience was in Estonia, which doesn't really help you.

[Hollandia]

Would it be prohibitively expensive to get a connecting flight from CDG to Amsterdam? To be fair, I get student prices, but I can't imagine that, booked well in advance, a round trip flight would cost more than $250.

Hmm, not sure, I would have to book the initial flight with the miles and then see what flights would cost from CDG to AMS. So, if I land in CDG and get stamped and board another flight to AMS, they don't send me through border control again? How does that work? Is their a special place you get funneled into for a domestic European Schengen flight? I have always wanted to fly inside of Schengen but so far we have only used travel miles and money to see each other.

[Moon]

YESSS! That's what I was trying to say, badly. Don't buy separate tickets though, just get a typical flight with a connection in the EU (that's the important part, do not connect in London!). Let's say your flight is Philly-France-NL, you'll get off in France, follow the signs for connecting flights, go through border control, and then go to your next terminal. When you get on your flight from France to NL, you are considered a domestic passenger, and you get dumped off into the domestic terminals in NL. You get your bags and walk out, no border control in NL!

[Moon]

Also, I know the easiest way is to use BA, and your points, and many Philly flights connect through London, but that won't work. If you go through London, you'll have to go through border control in NL again, London's security and EU agreements are different than the rest. I've flown Air France from Philly, it was nice. Delta and Lufthansa are other options, too. You might have to give up on BA though, in order to get processed through using a connecting flight.

[Hollandia]

I still have like over 40 grand in BA miles, so for now, I have to use them. I am going to try to land in CDG through my BA miles and see if I can get a domestic stand alone flight to NL. I am hoping it will be a moot point, SO is making an appointment for IND soon.

[80anthea]

BA fly to Manchester which has connecting flights to Amsterdam.

[80anthea]

My latest trip was a whole series of misadventures...

On the way there I had to go from Leeds-Bradford down to Heathrow but I missed my connecting flight due to a delay so had a hotel stay in London, I then flew from London to Philadelphia just when the snow hit so there were no connecting flights down to Virginia from there, I ended up an a horrendous Amtrak journey after sleeping in Philly train station as there were no hotels: total travel time was nearly 48hours in the end!

On the way back i was supposed to fly out on Monday but ended up in a US hospital with stomach cramp and severe bleeding, BA messed up booking my flight so I had to wait until the following Monday. Coming home yesterday we were just in front of a severe road accident which held us up for an hour, then his car broke down so we had to wait on his Mom rescuing us and driving us there, I just made my flight to find it was delayed so I ended up with ten minutes in Boston airport sprinting from one side of the other to make my connecting one.

I may have vowed to rip up my passport and never travel again.....he's only coming here from now on!

[Hollandia]

BA fly to Manchester which has connecting flights to Amsterdam.

Yes, but some still have to go through Border Control in AMS.

[80anthea]

Yes, but you still have to go through Border Control in AMS.

Does the EU thing that Moon is describing not work though?

[Hollandia]

Does the EU thing that Moon is describing not work though?

Not for UK, because it is not a part of the Schengen. You as an UK and EU citizen are still allowed into Schengen as domestic travel, but I as an American am not. I am actually allowed to stay in UK for up to six months on just my passport, so sometimes I really wish my SO was British.

I landed in Dusseldorf and tried to do the just passing through thing and they grilled me too. I do plan on trying Brussels next time, but if that does not work I will give the idea of Paris a try. I have also thought about him taking a train or ferry to meet me in London and us taking a train or ferry back.