Wondering if anyone is familiar with how long a Canadian registered bike is allowed to stay in Europe. I presume the time frame is the same for all EU countries. Could I cross into Turkey and get the same time allotment if I double back after a day?

In theory it is six months but in practice it can be a lot longer if you don't stay in one place too long, make sure it is insured and don't get any tickets that might start a paper trail.

I have had USA registered bikes stored here for over 3 years.
No issues.

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Assuming you are staying with the bike, make sure you are familiar with the ins and outs of the Shengen Visa requirements. The whole area is computerised and they DO object to any overstays. Even a few days will get you a stern talking-to. Three months in any six month period.

Obviously ways around it by going into the UK for up to six months, or to Morocco (three months), Turkey (three months) and some of the Balkan countries (often 90 days) so you can stay in greater Europe just about indefinitely. At least the cold weather may not be such a limitation for you as it is for us and anyway there is plenty of snowbirder country to spend the winter in.

Not really relevant because if there is going to be trouble, it will only happen when you take the vehicle out of the zone. Inside there are no borders and few roadside checks apart from along the southern borders, so you and the vehicle can probably stay within the Schengen visa-free zone forever and when you go to leave, the worst that could happen is a fairly large fine and or prohibition on returning for several years.
(pretty much the same as in the USA isn't it)

No, it is three months in any six months in the Schengen zone (which is the same as applies in Turkey)

Search on-line for a map that illustrates the difference between the European Union, Schengen Zone and Euro-zone. They are quite different and any country in the EU but outside of the Schengen zone usually allows 90 days free visa at the border and many do allow new period of 90 days when youy go out and come back in.

Always you need passport, proof of ownership of the vehicle AND either proof of insurance within the EU, or else can be purchased at the border - eg Turkey, Morocco, Kosovo, if they are not included in your european green card insurance (which often they can be added to the standard country cover either free or for a nominal amount).

Worth noting that some countries have special provisions with some Schengen zone countries - eg Australia has special deal with Germany and some Scandinavian country that allows us to spend three months in Germany (resettable by crossing the border for one day) and then three months in the rest of the schengen zone) Canada may have similar deals.

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But how do they know when you brought the bike in? It is not indicated in my passport and as far as I recall they don't take moto information when you cross the border. In fact last year I rode from Russia to Norway to Sweden to Lithuania to Latvia to Estonia and was only asked for bike documents when I left and entered Russia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_r...adian_citizens is a useful resource for Canadian citizens and if it is anything like the one for Australian Citizens then it is pretty up-to-date


From Germany to Turkey and back through the Balkans, we were asked for vehicle papers at several borders, so I imagine those would have been entered on the computer. In at least two countries, the stamp in my passport had a "V" within the stamp or written under it. A couple of times when we fronted the customs window, it was obvious they already had entered the license number and had all the details on the screen when we pulled up - evidenced by them telling us where we had entered the country and then waving us through. ALL border crossings have cameras and it would be very likely that numberplate recognition is tioed into a big database somewhere. Afterall if they can get you for not having paid tolls in most european countries using cameras, they can also tell where your vehicle has been.



As always, your experience may vary and shit hits the fan when you least expect it, but advice needs to be on the basis of what the law is rather than what someone has managed to get away with..

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Tony
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