Master prompt
Overstayer recovery — SIS alert + EU re-entry ban (Schengen/EU)
Client overstayed Schengen visa or national residence permit. Map SIS II alert risk, EU re-entry ban (Schengen-wide), voluntary departure, and country-specific tolerated-stay pathways.
EUSchengenOverstayerSIS IIRe-entry banVoluntary return
[CLIENT_NAME] is unlawfully in [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] — overstayed on [VISA_EXPIRY_DATE]; today is [CURRENT_DATE]. EU consequences include SIS II alerts + Schengen-wide entry bans.
§1 — IMMEDIATE TRIAGE
Days overstayed = compute days between [VISA_EXPIRY_DATE] and [CURRENT_DATE].
EU/Schengen consequence framework:
• Voluntary departure within national grace period: typically NO Schengen entry ban
• Forced departure / removal order: SIS II alert under Article 24 SIS Regulation (typically 3-5 year ban)
• Subsequent illegal entry attempts: refused at Schengen border + further sanctions
Pathway determination:
PATH A — Voluntary Departure (best path for most short overstayers)
• Departure within member state's departure deadline (typically 7-30 days from overstay notification)
• Self-organised via consular embassy + flight
• No formal SIS alert in most cases
• Future Schengen visa applications: prior overstay flagged; honest disclosure required
• Mitigates re-entry ban
PATH B — Assisted Voluntary Return (REAG/GARP-equivalent in various EU states)
• IOM-implemented programmes:
— Germany: REAG/GARP
— Netherlands: REAN
— Belgium: REAB
— France: ARDP / ASRD
— Portugal: SVA / REAG
— Spain: ATIM
• Funded departure + reintegration support in home country
• Voluntary basis; preserves future eligibility
• Often the cleanest path
PATH C — Tolerated Stay / Country-Specific Regularisation
• Each member state has variant:
— Germany: Duldung (§60a AufenthG)
— Italy: protezione speciale / sanatoria (when announced)
— Spain: arraigo (rootedness) after 2-3 years + tax/work history
— Portugal: manifestação de interesse (until Oct 2024 reform) — now restricted; new pathways under AIMA
— Netherlands: discretionary toleration
• Country-specific eligibility + processes
• Engages local immigration lawyer
PATH D — Article 8 ECHR / Family Rights Application
• Family ties to EU-citizen / long-term resident: family reunification under Directive 2003/86 + national family rights
• EU citizen partner exercising free movement: Directive 2004/38 (Family of EU citizen)
• Children: best interests considerations
• Filed via national authority
PATH E — Asylum / International Protection (only if genuine claim)
• Persecution / serious harm in country of origin
• Misuse = criminal under EU asylum framework
State recommended path with one-sentence rationale.
§2 — SIS II ALERTS + ENTRY BANS
Schengen Information System (SIS II) — EU Regulation 1862/2018:
• SIS alerts visible to all Schengen states' border authorities
• Article 24 alerts: return decisions / entry bans
• Once alerted: future Schengen visa applications refused; entry refused at any Schengen border
• Ban duration: typically 3 years; up to 10 years for serious cases
For voluntary departure during grace period: SIS alert typically NOT issued.
For forced removal: SIS alert always issued.
Removing SIS alert:
• Apply to member state that issued the alert
• Provide evidence of change of circumstances
• Demonstrate departure compliance + no further breaches
• Discretionary; often refused
§3 — COUNTRY-SPECIFIC TOLERATED STAY APPLICATIONS
For PATH C in [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY]:
If Portugal:
• Manifestação de Interesse (was open path; restricted Oct 2024)
• New AIMA pathways: family / work / language-tie-based applications
• Engage lawyer for current options
If Spain:
• Arraigo Social: 3 years + employment contract + integration evidence
• Arraigo Familiar: parent/child EU citizen
• Arraigo Laboral: 2 years + employment evidence
• Apply at Oficina de Extranjería
If Italy:
• Sanatoria (regularisation) when announced (last: 2020)
• Protezione speciale (special protection): humanitarian
• Cessione: family unification
If Netherlands:
• Discretionary tolerated stay (rare; case-by-case)
• Children's right to family life (Article 8 ECHR)
• Buitenschuldverklaring (no-fault declaration) — if client cannot return despite trying
If Germany:
• Duldung under §60a AufenthG (see de-extension-duldung-lost-status for Germany-specific detail)
• Chancenaufenthaltsrecht (§104c) — 5+ years residence on 31 Oct 2022
If France:
• Régularisation par le travail / par les liens familiaux
• Carte de séjour for parents of French citizens (10 years)
• Article L313 CESEDA hardship
§4 — STATEMENT + CONTEXT (350-500 words)
§4.1 — Identification + status loss (60-80 words)
"I, [CLIENT_NAME], held [PRIOR_VISA] in [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY] until [VISA_EXPIRY_DATE]. Today is [CURRENT_DATE]. My presence is currently unlawful. I respectfully request [authority] to consider the following circumstances..."
§4.2 — How status was lost (100-150 words)
• Active voice
• Use [REASON_FOR_OVERSTAY] verbatim
• Specific dates + facts
• Documentary evidence cross-referenced
§4.3 — Compelling factors (120-180 words)
• Use [COMPELLING_FACTORS] verbatim
• EU-citizen / resident family
• Long residence + integration
• Health / family ties / educational ties
• Article 8 ECHR considerations
§4.4 — Voluntary departure intent OR pathway forward (60-100 words)
• Specific departure plan with flight + date
• OR pathway to lawful status (arraigo, Duldung, family-based application)
• Engagement of local immigration lawyer
• Commitment to comply with decision
§4.5 — Closing (30-40 words)
• Request consideration
• Acknowledge consequences
§5 — IF UNAUTHORIZED WORK DURING OVERSTAY
If No is "Yes":
• Disclose — fiscal/social-security records visible across EU
• Employer faces national + EU penalties under Directive 2009/52/EC (sanctions against employers of illegally staying nationals)
• Concealment = misrepresentation = lifetime risk
• Mitigation: cease work; for some pathways (Italian sanatoria, Spanish arraigo), working history may strengthen case
§6 — VOLUNTARY DEPARTURE — RECOMMENDED FOR MOST SHORT OVERSTAYERS
Voluntary departure pathway:
A. Approach national authority OR IOM office in [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY]
B. Statement of intent to depart + commit to date
C. Documents:
• Passport biographical page
• Expired residence/visa
• Local registration
• Departure plan + flight booking (or willingness)
D. Authority may offer:
• Voluntary Departure Order with deadline (typically 7-30 days)
• Optional IOM-funded return programme
E. Departure within deadline preserves future eligibility
§7 — IRON RULES
• Voluntary departure within grace ≈ no SIS alert + no formal ban
• Forced removal = SIS alert + 3-10 year Schengen ban
• Concealment of unauthorised work / family / identity = lifetime risk
• EU-citizen child or partner: highlight Article 8 ECHR + Citizens Rights Directive 2004/38
• Engage country-specific immigration lawyer
• Tolerated stay (Duldung, etc.) is not a residence permit — limited rights
• Multiple breaches compound difficulty
End with: "DRAFT EU overstayer recovery package — for [TARGET_EU_COUNTRY]-specific immigration lawyer review. Voluntary departure within national grace period is materially better than forced removal (no SIS alert + clean record for future Schengen applications). Tolerated stay / regularisation pathways vary materially by member state — engage local counsel. For clients with EU-citizen family ties: Citizens Rights Directive 2004/38 may provide stronger pathway than national discretion. Verify current SIS II Regulation + member state implementations before client decisions."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt