I had a short overstay years ago in another country. Should I declare it, and has anyone still been approved after that?
Yes, you should declare it if the application asks about past overstays. Being honest is always the safer option. People do still get approved after a short overstay, especially if it happened years ago and there were no serious consequences like a ban or deportation. What usually matters is how long the overstay was, how long ago it happened, and whether you left properly afterward. Not declaring it is often a bigger issue than the overstay itself if the embassy later finds it in their records. I’ve seen applicants with past short overstays get approved as long as they explained it clearly and had a good travel history since then
This is one of those things people often hesitate to mention. A short overstay in the past doesn’t automatically mean a refusal, especially if it happened years ago and wasn’t in the Schengen area. In general, it’s better to be honest if the question comes up, since embassies can see travel records and inconsistencies tend to cause more concern than the overstay itself. Many applicants have still been approved after declaring a minor overstay, particularly when it was long ago and the rest of their application showed good compliance with travel rules.
Yes, you should always declare it if asked—non-disclosure is taken far more seriously than the overstay itself.Many applicants are still approved after a past short overstay, especially if it was long ago, explained honestly, and followed by compliant travel since then.