🔁 Routes, multiple visas and the «90/180» rule without mistakes

If you're someone who travels to the region often, it's definitely worth thinking about applying for a multiple-entry visa. I totally understand, it's so important to know that a multiple-entry visa isn't 'unlimited' but is actually flexible within the overall limit of days. Now, let's take a look at some of the things that can go wrong.

🔄 Single or multiple entry — which one should you apply for?

If you're planning one or two trips and won't be staying in the EU for very long, a single-entry visa might be all you need. But if you already know that you want to:

• travel to Finland several times each season;
• combine Finland with other Schengen countries;
• fly for work or on business trips.
• In this case, it is better to apply for a multiple-entry visa (mult)

The consulate will make the final decision. It looks at your past trips, whether you have overstayed, and how accurate and clear your current application is.

📆 Is it realistic to get a visa that lets me enter and leave the country multiple times for 1-2 years?

Yes, for people who have a good history of visas, travel and following the rules, this is a very realistic situation. But remember that even with a visa that is valid for 1–2 years, the 90/180 rule still applies. The limit of '90 days in any 180-day period' is the same for all short-term Schengen visas, no matter how long they are valid for.

🇪🇺 Can you spend 90 days in Finland and then another 90 days in another Schengen country?

No, the 'total limit' principle applies here as well.

The 90/180 rule applies to the whole of the Schengen area, not to each country on its own.

You cannot 'rack up' 90 days in Finland and then another 90 days in France or Germany, for example, during the same period. That would be 270 days for three countries, but it should be no more than 180 days.

All days in any Schengen country are added together.

✈️ Do you need a visa for a transfer in the EU?

You need a regular Schengen visa for different things. For example, if you go to the general hall (landside), change terminals, pick up and drop off your luggage, or fly further within the Schengen area, you need a regular Schengen visa if you are a citizen of a 'visa' country.

You also need a regular Schengen visa if you have clean airport transit, without leaving the transit area. In this case, the rules for type A (airport) visas may apply for countries that fall under these requirements.

When changing flights within the EU and Schengen, the main thing to think about is whether you have a regular Schengen visa.

🧳 Visa from another country (like France). Can I travel to Finland with it?

If you have a normal Schengen visa from countries like France, Germany or Italy, and it doesn't have an LTV mark, you can enter Finland as long as you meet the 90/180 rule.

But don't forget:

• First, you must apply to the country that you're going to the most.
• When you enter the country for the first time, it's still a good idea to follow the route that's stated.

🚢 Does a one-day ferry trip to Tallinn or Stockholm count as one of the days?

Yes. Estonia and Sweden are both part of the Schengen area, which means that any entry there counts as a day in Schengen. Even if you took a ferry home for the day, that counts towards the 90/180 limit.

Short trips are handy and popular, but it's easy to forget about them when counting days, so it's best to record your trips in a calendar.

📚 Is it OK to have an old passport with a valid visa and a new passport?

Yes, this situation is common. If you have a valid Schengen visa in your old passport and the passport itself is about to expire, you will usually:

• travel with two passports at once: the new one and the old one with the visa;
• show both at the border;
• the airline may want to check both documents when you board the plane.

Before you travel, it's a good idea to check the details with the airline and, if necessary, with the consulate.

🧮 How not to lose count of the days?

The best way to make sure you don't forget is not to rely on your memory. Here are a couple of practical solutions:

• keep track of your progress yourself (by putting a mark in a calendar, table or on your phone note);
• check the result regularly using the official European Commission calculator.

Don't forget that the 90/180 rule is rolling: days are ‘returned’ one by one when they are more than 180 days away from today's date, rather than being reset to zero all at once.

Don't worry - a multiple-entry visa means freedom of travel, not 'unlimited' travel! The great news is that the strategy is really quite simple! All you need to do is apply for your main purpose, be sure to maintain a 90/180 ratio, and keep hold of your proof of trips.