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Overstaying Visa in Italy

What would happen if my boyfriend overstays his tourist visa in Italy by five months? Hello Anna, To answer your question simply: Your boyfriend is playing a game of chance. He may be caught, he may not be. There is no telling. But if he does not exit the Schengen region from Switzerland or Germany [...]

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What would happen if my boyfriend overstays his tourist visa in Italy by five months?

Hello Anna,

What happens if you overstay your Italy tourist visa?

To answer your question simply: Your boyfriend is playing a game of chance. He may be caught, he may not be. There is no telling. But if he does not exit the Schengen region from Switzerland or Germany his chances of leaving without a fine or ban rise exponentially.

There could be problems though if you intend to fly through the UK (I don’t know where you are from) on your way home, as I have heard of them denying travelers who overstayed their Schengen visas.

You can read more about this here:
Overstaying Visa in Europe

More information on overstaying Schengen visas can be found here:
Overstaying Visa in Germany

Travel to UK/ Ireland after overstaying Schengen Visa

Penalties for Overstaying Visa to Work in Italy

If your boyfriend decides to travel with you to Italy, he will have three months on the ground to see the situation for himself, talk to people, and figure out what he wants to do.

I hope this helps.

If you find any of this information different than what you experience, please let me know so that I can pass the word along to other travelers. Thank you.

Walk Slow,

Wade

If you appreciate me answering your travel question please consider making a contribution. Vagabond Journey.com is funded from reader donations. Thank you

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Original question about overstaying Italian visa

I will be attending school in Florence Italy for eight months and my boyfriend would like to come with me. However, we haven’t found a way that he could stay for the whole eight months without him going to school also. But, that means a lot of money. What would happen if he would overstay a tourist visa by five months?

Do you have a Schengen visa question?

If so, then take a look at our Schengen visa community forum. It’s a community just for people who have questions or concerns related to Europe’s Schengen immigration zone.
Filed under: Italy, Travel Help, Visas

About the Author:

I am the founder and editor of Vagabond Journey. I’ve been traveling the world since 1999, through 91 countries. I am the author of the book, Ghost Cities of China and have written for The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Diplomat, the South China Morning Post, and other publications. has written 3694 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.

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  • Marshall Lentini October 19, 2009, 8:23 am

    They won’t bother you about it. I’ve overstayed in Italy, France, Spain, Andorra and Holland — never a problem. One gendarme in Marseilles scrutinized me a bit longer than most, but ultimately didn’t care. DO NOT overstay in any of the Germanic countries (except Holland), ESP. GERMANY AND AUSTRIA, bc THEY WILL snag you. DO NOT try to go to UK on an expired Schengen and DO NOT overstay while there: they WILL catch you, scratch a big black X in your passport, hold you in a weird little room with drunken Poles, talk down to you, and deport you forthwith. British and German immigration officials despise Americans.

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  • omar October 26, 2009, 8:02 pm

    overstayed for 8months — 6 years ago
    hi,

    i am a filipino and applying for a tourist visa again. Will they give me
    another tourist visa if i overstayed 5 years ago? (overstayed for 8months). in the application letter sasabihin ko po ba na pumunta na ako sa italy noon? italy – milan

    in addition —we have a friend from italy who invited us together with my bf. We have all the requirements and invitation letter ready for pickup this coming oct 30. I am not sure if I will answer YES or NO —- Previous stays in this or other Schengen states ?????? will the italian embassy know that i overstayed even that was 5 years ago??? will i grant and given another tourist visa with my bf? need some advice thank you.

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  • Gina June 12, 2010, 1:31 am

    Ciao!
    I am a Filipina, married to an Italian. I am expecting baby. My husband and I had decided to get my sister or my mother from the Philippines before I will give birth to our first child just to help me out at home or atleast I have my own mother to take care of me while I will not able to do some houseworks during that period since my husband is working. Is it possible to hire my sister directly to work in our family or to apply my mom as a tourist visa for 3 months. Which one is better? I need your good advice. Thanks a lot! Have a nice day!

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  • Marissa March 22, 2011, 9:40 am

    Hello,
    My mom recently received a Schengen Visa through the Italian embassy, but they only gave her 21 days of stay. What would happen is she stays an extra month?

    Thank you!

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  • Ram rai September 28, 2011, 7:07 am

    I alredy finished my visa so is there any problem to over stay in italy?

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  • rajdeep jhally February 17, 2012, 1:06 pm

    hi
    my wife finished visa italy with overstay , in this time she living in india she want aply visa itly

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  • cuyco December 17, 2021, 6:45 am

    My son and I are both Italian Citizen. What will happen if my husband overstay for 27days in Italy?

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