Europe 2011/12 Advice

[hannah_0601]

Hi All, just after a bit of advice from anyone who is willing to give it.
I'm planning on going to Europe in August. My parents are currently living in London until November so i will stay with them until then. From there i will move on and begin travelling around as much of Europe as i can see. While i don't have a concrete plan i do have places i know i want to go and a general idea of what i want to achieve. Basically, i want to keep travelling without staying any more than about a month in any one place. Hopefully where i can i'll pick up casual work in cafes/restaurants/bars or really doing whatever. Before now i thought my parents were going to be staying there for longer and i therefore was going to apply for a 2 year Working Holiday Visa for the UK. However, now i'm thinking that it might be smarter to not waste that opportunity as i can never get it again. If my parents are not going to be there i have no intention of remaining in London; i'd much rather just be travelling around.
Really, my question is whether you think it is smarter to brush the visa idea altogether and just keep moving around, or to get the visa because it will be easier to have a base to come back to where i can get work legally if it's available?
I don't plan to be working the whole time, though i do foresee the need to work here and there for a couple of weeks just to keep my spending money topped up allowing me to stay longer. I hear it is not extremely difficult to find work around Europe, especially big tourist destinations like Ibiza as long as you are flexible and not totally reliant on having work at any one certain time. Does this sound right? What should my expectations be for obtaining work?
Also- without a visa, what are the restrictions for staying in Europe? I know there is a 90 day policy for the Schengen Area, but are there any regulations for the continent as a whole?
Thank you, any advice is welcomed and appreciated

[paul88888]

There's no regulations for the continent as a whole; any country that's not in Schengen has separate arrangements.

So, without a visa, you can spend 90 days in the Schengen Area, then three months (maybe six, I'm not sure) in the UK and Ireland, and usually three months in each of the other countries that aren't in Schengen.

[Amy121]

You will find it very difficult to get work without a visa in most countries, not to mention that you can get into serious trouble if you get caught. If you decide to go without a working visa then you need to be able to prove to customs that you have the funds to support yourself and that you have a flight ticket to get back home. If customs feel that you intend to work illegally to fund your travel as you go along they could refuse you entry at the airport. This is a worst case scenario but something you need to consider.

There is under the table work in tourist areas like Ibiza as you mentioned but it often consists of jobs handing out flyer's or trying to get people to go to certain bars and you will barley earn enough to get by.

Sorry if it sounds a bit doom and gloom but as I see it you have two options:

1. Get a work visa, travel around, look for a job and stay on longer.
2. Just go as a tourist for a shorter amount of time that you can fully fund and enjoy travelling around.

[hannah_0601]

thanks guys, i appreciate the advice

[warrigal]

warning advise
Over the last few month i have had conseltation service with imigration specalist uk, I have spent $1300 on two different visa applications.

I am just told I can't get a UK work visa
My look on this is than I can't get a visa because i don't have a university Education. And this company won't refund my money.

I find this extremly unfair to Australian citizens, that are ancestors of the UK,
Most of us, are decended from the UK or British Isles, My family came from the UK 5 generations ago.

[Nothing But Adventure]

Hi Warrigal, the uni degree should only apply to the extended Visa, which is called 'highly skilled'. You should still be able to get the 2yr Holiday Maker?

I know a lot of countries are cracking down on Visa's so this may have changed or perhaps they are only taking certain job types.

If the companies haven't provided any service for the money you have paid then I would suggest contacting your bank and doing a chargeback as 'Services Not Provided'.

I got my fingers crossed for you...