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I am a Bangladeshi citizen and came on April 18th, 2017 to watch a football match in Spain. My spanish Schengen visa expires (today) on April, 21th 2017 and I am currently travelling to Germany from Spain by car, but I am still in Spain now. My German Schengen visa starts from April 22th, 2017 and is valid for a year, but I want to go back to Bangladesh on April 30th, 2017.

So do I need to leave the Schengen area today and come back tomorrow to Germany or does the German visa allows me to remain in the Schengen area?

Thorsten S.
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Shaf
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    If both visas are class "C" valid for the entire zone, you do not have to leave. – Gayot Fow Apr 21 '17 at 10:43
  • Hi Mr Gayot, thanks very much for your reply. I really appreciate it. The problem is I have my Spanish Schengen is class "C" which expires today and German Schengen is class "D" for business which starts tomorrow. What should I do do now? Shall be waiting for your reply. Thanks a lot. – Shaf Apr 21 '17 at 13:23
  • Right. This is a case where opinion divides, even between experts. @HenningMakholm (answer below will most likely amend his answer). He's an expert so you should mark his answer 'accepted' once he updates it. – Gayot Fow Apr 21 '17 at 13:50

2 Answers2

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You do not need to leave the Schengen zone in order to transition between back-to-back C visas. Issuing visas back-to-back is the normal, expected way to "extend" the validity of a multiple-entry visa. You just need to follow the 90-of-every-180-days rule at any time -- the new visa does not give you a "fresh account" for that.

hmakholm left over Monica
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  • Hi Mr Henning, thanks very much for your reply. I really appreciate it. The problem is I have my Spanish Schengen is class "C" which expires today and German Schengen is class "D" for business which starts tomorrow. What should I do do now? Shall be waiting for your reply. Thanks a lot. – Shaf Apr 21 '17 at 13:22
  • @Shaf: See this older question which covers the C-to-D situation with a more extensive discussion, but the conclusion is probably the same. Since the situation is today for you, you probably won't have time to arrange a visa run anyway, so just relax; you're not likely to get into trouble. – hmakholm left over Monica Apr 21 '17 at 14:18
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Croatia would be your best bet by car if you really have to leave the Schengen area. Though it is quite out of your way.

Were the authorities aware of the other visa when you made this plan? As it seems a remarkable coincidence that one begins just as the other starts if so. I'd guess that they're valid; One expires at 23:59:99 and the other begins at 00:00:00 so there's no time you're actually outside of a visa.

At absolute worst I don't think such a minor oddity is going to get you in trouble. Though of course best to check with the authorities.

the other one
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