Question about work visas and 90 day tourist visas

I came to Poland to work as an English teacher in March and was given a 3 month working visa. I was recently asked by the school to stay on as a teacher for the 2012-13 school year, so sometime this summer I will reapply for a working visa for the following school year. My current working visa expires June 15. I would like to stay in Europe for the summer.

My question is will I be able to do that, stay in Europe this summer? Do I have to leave the Schengen Zone by June 15? What happens if I leave after June 15? Can I travel to the UK and re-enter the Schengen as a tourist for 90 days? I'm confused about the 90 days over six month rule and whether that applies to time spent in a country on a working visa.

Thanks for the help.

I am from the US, btw

The short answer is that I don't know the specifics, but consider the following.

I expect that one needs to leave Poland in order not to have overstayed, but I am not 100% sure. Why don't you see if someone at the school can find out for you.

You can spend time in Schengen as a tourist.

You can certainly try and enter the UK (or Ireland). Both countries allow US nationals to visit visa free for short periods of time (not to live of course).

Also it is possible to enter the Ukraine (Also Bulgaria and Romania) as a US citizen without a visa search this to your heart's content.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_t ... _1053.html

How do you plan to get a new Polish working visa? Do you need to go back to the States?

Thanks for the response EUsmile.

I also expect that I will need to leave Poland by June 15 in order not to overstay my visa, I was just curious if there was some clause that allows people from countries like the US (where you don't need a tourist visa to enter a country for 90 days) to stay for 90 days after their working visas expire.

I work at a very small school and they have no experience working with people from outside Europe, so no one at the school knows.

I will almost certainly be visiting a country like the UK or Ukraine next week, I would just like to know what will happen when I try to re-enter Poland, whether I'll be told my 90 days are up for this 6 months or if I'll be fine to stay the rest of the summer.

Can someone from the US stay 90 days in a Schengen zone country, leave the Schengen zone and then enter a different Schengen zone country within a few days and be given 90 days by that country?

I will apply for my working visa from another country in Europe (like Germany). I had previously been told by someone that I would be able to do this. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks to everyone for the help.

kbnet wrote: Can someone from the US stay 90 days in a Schengen zone country, leave the Schengen zone and then enter a different Schengen zone country within a few days and be given 90 days by that country?

Essentially the answer is no. Time in the Schengen zone counts for all. However, there are other countries not in the zone that allow easy travel for US citizens.

I'm not sure if your time spent on an employment visa counts towards your 90 days, but I doubt it. I expect that you could enter as a tourist after your work finishes and start 90 days afresh. It would be a good idea to check that independently for yourself (embassies, etc can be emailed).

Thanks again EUsmile for the response.

I have called and emailed the US embassy in Warsaw several times. They have been little to no help.

I researched more this morning and according to another forum I am able to re-enter Poland for 90 days as a tourist. My time spent in Poland on a working visa does not count towards my 90 days as a tourist. So, it's off to somewhere not in the Schengen for a few days!