Hi - I am wondering if anyone has overstayed their tourist visa while in Portugal? I am looking to go to Lisbon but I don’t meet the digital nomad visa requirements (10k in the bank, plus there’s a huge wait).
Do borders check how long you’ve stayed? Has anyone got a fine? Which countries are strict and which are not?
It is absolutely not worth taking the risk with what you are proposing. You’re suggesting overstaying a few extra days/weeks while risking getting banned from entering the Schengen region for several years? Is the juice really worth the squeeze?
A friend (US passport holder) overstayed in Greece and got locked out of the Schengen zone for five years. Plus, he’s frequently asked to step out of the queue at immigration elsewhere (Indonesia and the Philippines) and asked to explain why he’s been blacklisted from the Schengen region. Each time, he’s been let through, but the experience of being pulled aside for “enhanced questioning” is also stressful every time.
Your details will be recorded on a database when you enter and leave the Schengen region - irrespective of whether you’ve been stamped in physically or not. The system will check if you’ve overstayed and flag your profile if you have. These are automated checks so the immigration officer won’t even have to lift a finger to do them.
My question is this: Why test the system?