I’m officially adopting “Schengen” as a cuss-word substitute in my vocabulary.

Schengen!

Son of a Schengen!

That’s full of Schengen!

So, we recently learned that we could not just plan Europe travel willy-nilly based solely on where we would like to travel and when. Oh, no..o…o!

There is a magical thing called the Schengen Agreement that must have powerful say in our travel plans. In brief, a whole bunch of EU nations decided that they would be good neighbors and allow citizens of those participating nations to travel over borders without requiring extensive documentation and border checks.

That is awesome… if you live in a country that participates in the Schengen Agreement. If you are a citizen of a nation that does not participate, there are various limitations and requirements, most of which boil down to a magical Schengen region math formula: 90 days in every 180 day period.

I happen to be a citizen of a nation that does not participate in the Schengen Agreement. So, I can travel within Schengen participant nations for 90 days in every 180 day period.

Here’s the thing: knowing nothing about this whole Schengen thingy, we had planned an amazing itinerary. Then, boom, we learn about Schengen and start counting. And then we learn that not just European nations participate, but periphery nations we hadn’t really considered Europe-proper, like Iceland and Greece, turn out to be part of the Schengen dealio too.

So, all of a sudden, we realize we have inadvertently planned about 105 days in the Schengen region. Which, in case you aren’t very good at math, means we are about 15 days over the 90 day limit! Holy Schengen!

To make matters even more complex, there are nations who have applied to become a Schengen participant, but haven’t been approved yet. (Croatia and Cyprus, I’m looking at you!) If we went to those countries, those days might end up counting as well if they get approved before we arrive.

Groan! I’ve wanted to go to Croatia since it was still Yugoslavia!

Hence, every part of our June to December plans have to be reconsidered, making certain we don’t exceed the magic 90 day limit. What happens if you do? There are a Schengen-load of potential negative consequences, so we don’t even want to risk it.

I am so sick of creatively counting to 90 as we try to plan Our World Edventure! Planning around Schengen tourist visa restrictions is a steaming pile of Schengen!

Update 2/12/16

After ridiculously long hours of seeking out additional information to ensure our plans are compliant with the limitations placed on US residents visiting the Schengen region, we have learned the 90 days are retrospectively counted within the previous 180 days. This means, with a few minor adjustments, our looping trip through Europe and the Mediterranean should meet the 90/180 requirements.

Further, as Europe copes with the influx of refugees from Syria and other nations, it has begun to impact how various countries are dealing with their borders. The crisis and regional tensions make it almost entirely unlikely that Croatia’s application will be accepted before we arrive. So our Croatia days will likely not need to be counted as Schengen days.

Of course, the minor inconveniences of our travel plans as they relate to the Schengen Agreement seem embarrassingly petty when compared to the desperation, need, and courage of the refugees who continue to pour into Europe seeking safe asylum. We pray for their safety, support those organizations on the front lines of this humanitarian crisis, and encourage communities and countries to move beyond fear to actively welcome the stranger as a friend.