How to bring a dog into Europe for six months

Can anyone help me? I am an Aussie girl living in Thailand for the past 9 yrs. I wish to return to Australia but I have a small dog that is like a child to me and Australia will not let her in direct from Thailand. Therefore I need to take her to Europe for a min of 6 mths (any approved country and all are). Now the problem I have is that I am only allowed to stay 3 mths.

There may be a chance I can get a friend to take care of Molly for the other 3 mths but not sure. If I can get someone to take care of her, I can exit to UK for 3 mths but thats just too expensive for me so I may return to Thailand for 3 mths to wait and then fly back to get her and arrange her paper work to travel to Australia.

What I really want to know, is if there are any loop holes. E.g. do they have border controls in Switzerland. I know it is not Schengen so can I cross into there, get a stamp to prove I have exited Germany, then cross back in to Germany without a stamp so they dont know, then cross back to Switzerland 3 mths later without stamp, then come back in with a stamp??? Or treck over the mountains if I have to :-) Also does the 180 days begin again consecutively...eg I enter mid June...stay 2 mths, exit 3 mths, go back 1 mth. Does it then begin again mid Dec so possible for me to go back the 1 mth, then stay another 2 mths???

Hope I havent confused you. This is an absolute logistical nightmare, getting my dog back to Australia...and a very expensive exercise. Any help would be appreciated. How hard is it to get an extention visa with the truth of my story. :-)

No loophole unfortunately.

There was another thread on this recently...

Tricks for extending a 90 day non-EU tourist visa. You can read there, but I think the conclusion was as written by Rilana.

thanks guys for your help. After reading that other thread, I am still confused as to whether the 180 days begins again immediately my first 180 days expires. E.g. if I arrive 1/7/07. My 6 mths would expire around 1/1/08. I can stay any 90 days within that period yes? Any days...e.g. in 1 mth, out 1 mth, in 2 mths, out 2 mths. Like that. Now does my next 180 begin exactly 180 days after my first entry of 1/7. So I can begin again 1/1/08? I just need to work this out so I know when to return from Thailand. When we exit into Switzerland, do they get suspicious if you ask for a stamp?

Why Germany?
Do you know someone here or something?
Where will you and your dog stay?
Thousand other questions, but to lazy to type them just now.

I'm not sure about that - you'd need to contact the embassy and they can tell you re the rules. I just know from what came up in the other thread that you can't just pop out to Switzerland and pop back in and thus have your stay extended. I doubt they'd be bothered about the stamp...

I am actually going to Amsterdam, then Copenhagen, then Hamburg, Frankfurt, Heidleberg then Munich. I worked in a resort on Koh Samui, Thailand for 10 yrs and these are all guests from the resort who I am staying with...they became good friends. Most of them I know, live in Germany so thats where I will be spending most of my time. Also its easier to get my dog into Germany from Thailand. She has had all the tests done (sent to Germany and approved) and is ready to go. I cannot take her to UK, only Schengen countries (for min 6 mths). Does anyone know how much a blood test for a dog in Germany is. I have to get another one done immediately we get there? Also how much is a PETS Passport, does anyone know this? I will find out when I get there I guess.

Pets don't have a Passport. What they get is an immunization pass. Most vets give this freely with the shots. Hell, even I have one of those. I would suggest that you touch down in Germany first, go to the vet and get the needed documents started. You can then travel with said pooch for most of Europe with no problems. During that time, you can con one of your friends into keeping the pooch for a bit longer while you return to Australia and then you can pay someone to "escort" the dog into Australia at the appropriate time.

I phoned the Germany embassy in Thailand and he was so rude. He told me to phone Australia. I told him I was living in Thailand though so if I needed visas or anything, I would need to get them in BKK. He just repeatedly said "please check this website...www.canber...etc" I asked him how come he doesnt know the information himself. He said, he doesnt get Australians applying for stuff like that in Thailand, why would they, he gets only Thais. So they were no help at all. The German man in the Melb embassy was fantastic and he told me to just get there and then go to immigration and tell them my story. He said they may be nice if they are having a good day, or they may tell me how I can go about applying for a work permit. I can work in Austria if I want but not sure they want to do it all above board . Was going to work in the black for a Thai restaurant coz I speak Thai. Dont speak any German though. Do you think I could get away with "G'Day mate?" to welcome guests :-) hee hee. I am lucky I have met so many people I can stay with...Germans are so lovely and I am looking forward to my stay there.

The PETS passport is only if I want to go to UK after the 6 mth period but I doubt I will want to do that anyway, too much hassle. they require a blood test 6 mths before the PETS passport is issued. Might just forget about that and take her directly back from Germany to Australia. She then has 1 mth quarantine. Damn...this is harder than having a kid I think :-)

If you dont get a pet passport I think you have to have at least an International Health Certificate for your dog. I couldnt get a pet passport but I have an international health certificate for my cat.