SPECIAL REPORT EXTENDED CRUISING IN THE BALTIC

Sweden offers cruisers a warm welcome for winter - Janneke Kuysters has advice on how to boost your sailing time in the region

- Janneke Kuysters

Sailing in the Baltic is increasingly popular, and for all the right reasons: beautiful cruising grounds, lovely weather, interesting history and hospitable countries. But the 90-day limit for non-Schengen passport holders makes it harder to explore destinations further away, such as Finland, the Baltic countries, the Gulf of Bothnia and Poland.

More and more cruisers are looking for ways to extend their stay in Schengen and Sweden is offering the opportunity to do just that.

SIX MONTHS IN SWEDEN

The Swedish Migration Agency, Migrationsverket, has a special residence permit available for visitors who would like to stay for a maximum of six months extra, on top of the Schengen-related 90 days.

This visitor's permit can be applied for online initially, but an interview at a Swedish embassy or consulate is necessary if the permit is applied for in the visitor's home country. It can be applied for when the visitor is already in Sweden, and this also involves an interview.

There are some specific requirements: first, you need to submit a detailed itinerary of your cruising plans. Second, applicants need to have sufficient funds for their stay (SEK450 per person per day) and third, travel insurance that covers all medical emergencies, including repatriation. The procedure may take some time, so it's recommended to start at least three months before sailing to Sweden (see migrationsverket.se).

Whether a Schengen visa is required depends on the country of residency.

The Migrationsverket website lists nationalities which require visas.

After the application is submitted, the Swedish Migration Agency makes the decision if the residence permit for visits is granted. The length of a residence permit for visits varies, depending on the purpose of the visit and what the applicant states in the application. For tourist purposes, the length can amount to a maximum of six months.