Post: #201

Figured I'd share my experience leaving Hungary and coming back to back up ElJefe1's posts (thanks for the help, dude).

A refresher: I entered Hungary back in January via Budapest Airport. The immigration officer didn't scan or scrutinize my passport in any way, nor did she ask any questions. I handed it to her, she stamped it and handed it back. The process took about ten seconds.

I went to Lviv, Ukraine via train last Monday and left Hungary via the Záhony/Chop border crossing. After buying my ticket at the Záhony station (neither MÁV nor Ukrainian Railways can issue international tickets going in either direction for some reason), I had my passport checked by Hungarian immigration while I was boarding the train. The lady scanned it through a handheld computer (it took her a few tries to get it working), then gave me my exit stamp and let me board. There was no customs check of my baggage.

I came back yesterday. When my train arrived in Záhony, Hungarian immigration came aboard to check our passports. The guy scanned my passport through his handheld computer (again taking a few tries to get it to work), then stamped my passport. No questions asked at all. His colleague did a (very) brief check of my bag, but it took all of thirty seconds (they were just checking for cigarettes, alcohol or anything they could collect duties on). From arriving in Záhony to the customs check, I was off the train and back on Hungarian soil in ten minutes.

It was actually Ukrainian immigration that gave me way more scrutiny going in and out. When I went through customs at Chop, the officer who stamped my passport asked me where I was going (I told him Lviv and showed him my ticket), then I got held up after the guy checking my bag found my packet of phenibut. He asked me if it was hashish, I told him no, and he and his colleagues spent ten minutes Googling phenibut on their phones to find out what it was before sending me on my way. (Given that phenibut was invented in the Soviet Union, I thought it was really funny.) I think I was saved in part by the facts that I was wearing a suit and my passport lists my birthplace (New York), so they assumed I had money and were more likely to shake me down for a bribe than arrest me.

On my way back to Hungary, while going through Ukrainian customs, they did another search of my bag (ignoring the phenibut this time around), asked me where else I'd been in the country (I said only Lviv), and asked me how long I'd been in country (five days).

Moral of the story: Hungarians really like us Americans. Ukrainians? Not so much.

Other notes:

1. The Záhony/Chop border crossing doesn't seem to get a lot of traffic, particularly non-Hungarian/Ukrainian traffic. Foreigners stand out and attract attention. When I went back through Chop, one of the Ukrainian immigration officers recognized me, and the tiny little trains that MÁV and UR use to ferry people across the border were half-empty both times I used them. Additionally, when I was in line for Ukrainian customs coming back, this gross old Gypsy woman with a mustache tried begging me for money.

2. Aside from the immigration officials, the workers at the Chop station don't speak any English. Learn a little Ukrainian and have your translation software ready on your phone.

3. Tickets from Záhony to Chop (and vice versa) are handwritten by the station cashier instead of being printed out by the computer. I have no idea why, but it might explain why you can't buy them online.

4. Chop is a massive shithole. Záhony is significantly nicer.

5. There are no services in Chop aside from a hotel (I think) and a couple of vending machines outside the station. I don't even think there's an ATM, so when you're coming back to Hungary, remember to bring some cash for the Chop/Záhony ticket in case your card doesn't work (my cards seemed to work hit-or-miss in Ukraine for whatever reason). The cost of the ticket is 82.50 UAH.

Záhony has more services, but none of them are located near the station, so you're looking at a bit of a hike if you need anything. For some reason, there's a room full of Soviet memorabilia (including a huge painting of Lenin) in the station itself. The room was locked both times I was there, and their cafe was also closed both times. The only vending machine is a coffee one.

6. Ukrainian Railways SUCKS in terms of services and comfort: the trains are Soviet-era models with no AC and really uncomfortable seats. MÁV's trains are a lot better, with modern seats, WiFi, AC and electric plugs. Buy something to eat in either Budapest or Lviv 'cause you won't be getting anything else along the way.

7. At the Chop station, there are a bunch of taxi drivers who will pester you. There weren't any in Záhony for whatever reason.

8. The Chop station bathroom (as well as the Lviv station and both Keleti and Nyugati in Budapest) charge money. The Záhony station bathroom is free.

Post: #202

^, if you entered Hungary in January until April, how many days did you spend in EU in the first place? Did you spend 89 days in Hungary and then went to Lviv for 5 days and come back to Hungary again?

Post: #203

My friend just used the loophole in Hungary yesterday.

He went into EU via Hungary and exited from there as well. He stayed 89 days, he said there was no problem. It worked.

Post: #204

I found an explanation as to why Poland and other countries are allowed to exercise their immigration loopholes despite seemingly being in contravention of Schengen law.

Article 20(2) of the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement explicitly says that member states are allowed to continue exercising bilateral visa agreements that were in place prior to said country joining Schengen:

Quote:Article 20

1. Aliens not subject to a visa requirement may move freely within the territories of the Contracting Parties for a maximum period of three months during the six months following the date of first entry, provided that they fulfil the entry conditions referred to in Article 5(1)(a), ©, (d) and (e).

2. Paragraph 1 shall not affect each Contracting Party's right to extend beyond three months an alien's stay in its territory in exceptional circumstances or in accordance with a bilateral agreement concluded before the entry into force of this Convention.

3. This Article shall apply without prejudice to Article 22.

Full text here: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/E...0A0922(02)

Poland, Hungary, and other countries are legally allowed to keep exercising the bilateral visa agreements they have with the U.S. In fact, some other non-European countries have bilateral agreements with Schengen member states. For example, the French embassy in New Zealand spells out the bilateral visa agreements NZ has with France and other Schengen states on its own webpage:

http://www.ambafrance-nz.org/IMG/pdf/Bor...Europe.pdf

There's also an interesting note vis-a-vis Hungary in the above document. Given that New Zealand and the U.S. both have bilateral visa agreements with Hungary according to ElJefe1's link, this information may apply to Americans as well:

Quote:Note: Hungary has special requirements. Even if New Zealanders have already spent up to 3 months in the Schengen area, they may enter Hungary and remain there for up to a further 90 days visa-free. But they must then leave the Schengen area from Hungary, and must not go to other Schengen countries during their stay in Hungary if they have already spent 3 months elsewhere in the Schengen area.

Of course, given the lack of border controls within Schengen, if a New Zealander leaves Hungary during their "extra" three months, how are immigration officials going to know?

Post: #205

Hi guys, I'm going to Europe this summer. Arriving 27th June in London. Staying with friend first couple of nights, then I booked a flight to Krakow for 1 week, then planning to go to Wroclaw 1 week, before meeting up with a friend in Switzerland / Rome July 14-20. I would look for jobs in London as well as I just received a 2 year working visa there.

Here's my big problem. I've belatedly realized it's school break in most of Europe around this time so there's no one around in student cities like Krakow where I'm going to be in July.

Here are the options:
1) Stay with the original plan, a few days in UK, 2 weeks in poland, 1 week with friend... back to Poland until beginning of August then split time in London and travelling around Europe.
2) A few days in UK, leave for Krakow but stay there only for a few days, meet friends early, travel to "working" cities.
3) Abandon my ticket to Poland ($100), cancel my accommodation booked in Poland (free). Stay in London where it's not affected by the summer exodus so much and I can look for some permanent accommodation / look for a job. Replan trip to Poland and elsewhere in September / October.

Post: #206

As an aside - and probably off topic but getting a work permit for Portugal or Germany is a lot cheaper for an American (under under 150 USD easily) compared to the UK (10x-20x the price when you include the insurance surcharge).