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"Foreigners" buying motorhomes in UK and visa issues


Spiritchaser

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Hi to all,

 

My wife and I are a couple of mature Australians, keen to travel to the UK, hopefully buy a motorhome and travel within the UK and Europe, possibly for an extended period of time and would like some advice on the following problems I have come across:

 

1. The usual registering and insurance problems for non UK citizens.

 

(Perhaps if we bought privately we could continue with the previous owners address and insurance with some obvious provisos and indemnities).

 

2.The Schengan restrictions of 90 days in 180 only in Europe.

 

(Do you ignore them at your own peril or travel back to the UK when required, which is no real problems as I believe we can get travel visas for 6 months each time we return. My wife can also get an Ancestry Visa [5 yrs] if required)

 

We are pretty keen to travel for a few years and as we have lived and cruised on a yacht for the last 10 years we shouldn't have much problem adapting.

 

They tell me that motorhomes go to windward pretty well!!

 

And of course, what type of motorhome should we buy...... but that's for another time I suspect.

 

Thank you all in advance.

 

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Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums.

 

As you say, obtaining insurance may prove tricky. These are a couple of related links

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=19626&posts=4

 

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-129234-insurance-for-foreigners.html

 

It would appear from this website

 

http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/how-to-legally-stay-in-europe-for-more-than-90-days/

 

that UK and Irish residents have limit-free access to the Schengan Zone.

 

I'm not sure if, when you say " Do you ignore them at your own peril or travel back to the UK when required...", you actually mean "Do we ignore them at our own peril...". As hardly any of this forum's participants will be affected by the Schengan restrictions, potential perils for infringing them won't be an issue when travelling outside the UK/Ireland.

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Hi

Has it not been noted in Oz, that we are NOT Brits anymore!! We are now EU citizens, as such can travel at will in Europe. Even non Eu persons (illegals) appear to have more rights than those born here!

 

On a lighter note, do you have any one who could be your UK address, for insurance purposes. Have met some Ozzies, on our travels, and they had bought a fairly new van, on agreement of a buy back, after travels.

We sold our boat and bought our Motor home,. Be aware that you can't put so much weight in the van, as you can in a bot!!

Best of luck in your quest

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UK is a bad place to start in my opinion because they won't let you park to shop with your MH they have a great fear of "travellers" even the traffic wardens are twitchy. In St. Albans we even had a ticket "saying address in Australia". It was in error and the cops sorted it for us but it gives you an idea

We found France great and friendly,postmen going offroute to show us a nice o/nighter..

1.We have previously used a firm called Downunder Insurances they were in Maida Vale in London,and they were excellent. The policies are especially made for travelling,they told us to specify as many countries as we could think of at no extra cost. English companies were as useful as the proverbial. First get a UK address, they love that.

2.Prices seem to be a lot less in Germany,with a good selection,don't worry about LHD, it's only a problem in NSW and Egypt.

3. As regards visas don't rely on travel agents, contact the relevant Embassy in Canberra,no disrespect to consuls but contact the embassy in ACT. They will be able to tell you actual rules re. times and conditions of entry.

Have a great time and don't do what we did,buying in April and selling in autumn. If possible buy in October or even November. Contact us direct if you have probs.

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