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I am currently living in Germany, using a one-year working holiday visa. When that expires, I hope to move to another European country, and continue this pattern of moving countries for as long as I'm eligible for visas.

I know that without a visa, as an Australian I can only stay in the Schengen area for 90 days out of every 180.

  • Is it going to be fine to apply for a Schengen visa (probably another 1-year working holiday) visa for another country, immediately consecutive to my current visa - i.e. starting the day my current one ends?

  • When my visa here expires, do I need to leave the country immediately, or can I stay for up to 90 days before leaving?

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So you will apply for a Schengen visa giving the authority your passport with a Schengen visa already in it. Unless the consulate worker will choose to ignore it you won't get another one. – Karlson Apr 20 '12 at 16:21
@Karlson, if you have a Schengen visa, can you not apply for another (in another country)? That sounds like an answer to what I am asking, and worried about. – David M Apr 21 '12 at 5:54
You can certainly apply but since visa is the same for all of those countries... – Karlson Apr 21 '12 at 13:36
"..."? I hate to sound stupid, but I don't know what goes after that ellipsis. Is it not normal / possible / legal to have two working holiday / Schengen visas one after the other? Although it gives access to all countries in the zone, it's issued by a specific country, isn't it? – David M Apr 21 '12 at 21:46
Let's apply a little of common sense. Since you are applying to Schengen Visa which applies to all countries doesn't it mean that a visa granted by one country would be considered the same as visa granted by another? So why exactly would France grant you a new visa in violation of treaties, if Germany granted you visa already? – Karlson Apr 22 '12 at 0:50
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I think this need to be put to bed. Here is the text of the Schengen Aquis and HTML version of the same, which defines the length of stay on the territory of any of the Contracting Parties in articles 5, 10, 18, 20, 21, 22.

The basic premise of all of them is by default any member of the Contracting Parties will be allowed to grant a visa for the presence of a visitor for the total period of 3 months for the 6 month period starting from the day of entry. So if one member of the Contracting Parties grants you an entry visa another member of them will not grant you another short stay visa in violation of this contract.

What they can do is extend the visa for longer stay within their borders according to the laws of the country where you will be staying. So if you choose to stay in Germany for an extended period of time Germany can grant you permission to do so under German law.

Now to the second part of your question: Please see the question I have linked before.

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Thanks Karlson. I appreciate getting links, they help give a quality answer. So does that mean: (a) it is illegal for countries to give out a visa if another Schengen-zone country has already given a visa, and (b) from your second link... um... you have to leave when the visa expires, you don't have another 90 days? – David M Apr 25 '12 at 20:32
@DavidM They can do it if they choose to ignore the law. As far as short stay visas are concerned Schengen-zone can basically be viewed as a single country if it makes it simpler. (b) You will be in violation of the short stay visa. About 1 week border control could choose to ignore 90 days will probably result in fines and possible subsequent entry ban. – Karlson Apr 25 '12 at 20:56

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