Huge Overstay Fine

[deejah]

i have tried many resources and find this site most helpful

hopefully some people can shed some light on this one

prior to Thailand

i hit 8 countries in 7 months with no visas

the only documentation i had in my USA passport, entering countries, starting with Ireland in June 03, said 'permitted to land in Ireland for 3 months'

and an entry stamp from Norway with practically nothing but the entry date on it in July 03

my last country was Greece jan/feb 04

they hit me with about 1200 euro fine i never paid

they told me i couldn't go back to the EU until it was paid

i have done some research online and made many phone calls

and gotten nowhere

what i really want to know is how i can find out if the data is still on record

if i go to a different EU country (or heck even Greece for that matter) will they stop me?

is the fine still on record for all countries in the EU?

how can i find this out?

EU embassies and consulates can issue visas but they seem completely disconnected from the police or immigation, maybe i need to try every country's embassy in the EU or one i want to visit like germany

if the fine is still on record for all EU countries,

i would like to plead my case

my ignorance was confirmed to me by the Irish stamp

i thought i could be in any one country for 3 months!

dam, thats what it said right there in my passport, ireland, not europe

i know, i know, not right, but that's exactly what i thought when i looked into visas before i left the USA and then after i came to the EU because of the Irish stamp

if it is on record for the EU

what can i do, what are my options, how can i negotiate down or eliminate the fine???

i would probably pay 500 bucks to make this go away

but i am not paying 1200 euro, thats like 2000 us smackers, now, if not more

do the math in baht!!!

another step i think is an immigration lawyer in Greece

maybe do an online search

what a shocker that fine was!!!

constructive advice desired

emphasis on constructive

thanks all

[Crossy]

Why do you believe you should not pay?

You overstayed your 90 day Schengen visa exemption (you entered the Schengen region by entering Norway not Ireland, incidentally, Norway is not in the EU) http://www.immihelp.com/visas/schengenvisa...exemptions.html , I'm frankly amazed that they let you leave without paying your dues (I'm also surprised that the Norwegian stamp doesn't have an expiry date).

As to whether the data is on record, I suspect that it is not (at least not region wide, maybe Greece only), better make sure you have the funds in your pocket before again trying to enter a Schengen country http://www.eurovisa.info/SchengenCountries.htm.

NOTE The Schengen region is NOT the EU (possibly this is where your confusion started), you'll be just fine entering the UK, Switzerland and other EU non-Schengen countries.

NOTE2. I know it's too late now, but if you're entering a non-Schengen country it's always wise to ask that they stamp your passport (they don't always) in order to prevent this happening to you.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Crossy

[Samuian]

Well, try to return!

Then you know ...

[the scouser]

Schengen Information System - Wikipedia.

Scouse.

[cm-happy]

What is the point of this thread??

Is the OP trying to impress every one with how clever he is or bragging how he outwitted immigration authorities.

Maybe he'll get caught and have his pass port revoked

[expatwannabe]

Is the OP trying to impress every one with how clever he is ..

I'm sure he wasn't. He seems like an idiot to me, anyway.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Is the OP trying to impress every one with how clever he is ..

I'm sure he wasn't. He seems like an idiot to me, anyway.

Not the sharpest tool in the shed.