Travel topic · Money
Schengen 90/180-day rule explained with examples
Count the days you have been inside Schengen in the 180‑day period ending on the day you want to enter; if that total would be 90 days or more, you must wait until enough earlier days fall out of the window before you can enter.
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Applies to
What the 90/180 rule counts, how the rolling window moves, worked examples for a US, UK or Canadian passport, and what to do when you are close to the limit. France and the rest of the Schengen area.
Key facts
- The rule
- Max 90 days in any 180-day period, counted backwards from each day you are in Schengen
- Who it applies tocheck
- Non-EU/EEA nationals who do not need a visa for short stays, e.g. US, UK, Canadian, Australian, NZ, Irish passports (check)
- What counts
- Every day inside the Schengen area, including arrival and departure day, and days you do not sleep there
- What does not count
- Days in the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada and other non-Schengen countries
- Cost
- Nothing; it is a rule, not an application
- If you overstay
- Fines, detention and possible entry bans; future Schengen travel gets harder
The short answer
>- The Schengen rule allows a maximum of 90 days inside the Schengen area in any 180‑day period. The 180 days are not a fixed calendar block: they are the 180 days ending on the day you are checking. So the answer changes every day you travel.
>- The area covers most of the EU plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, but not Ireland, and not the UK. France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Greece and the Netherlands are all inside. (check the current list before you book)
>- Arrival and departure days both count as full days. A day trip from Paris to London does not count as a Schengen day; a day trip from Paris to Brussels does.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many days can I stay? | 90 days inside Schengen in any rolling 180‑day window |
| When does the window start? | 180 days before the day you are checking, not the day you first arrived |
| Do arrival and departure days count? | Yes, both count as full days |
| Do days in the UK count? | No |
| Do I need to apply for anything? | No, if your passport is visa‑exempt for short stays (check) |
Who it applies to
>- The rule applies to travellers who do not need a Schengen visa for short stays. That includes US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and EU/EEA passports (including Irish citizens as EU members). It applies whether you enter by air, train, ferry or road. (check your own passport)
>- If you hold a passport that needs a Schengen visa, you are normally bound by the visa's own validity and duration of stay, which is usually also capped at 90 days in 180. The counting method is the same.
>- Dual nationals should travel on the passport that matches the visa‑free status you intend to use and keep it for the whole trip. Switching passports mid‑trip can create a record that is hard to explain later.
>- The rule is about physical presence, not purpose. Working remotely from a Paris flat still uses Schengen days, as does a long hospital stay or a night train that crosses Schengen borders.
Show 9 sectionsHideHow to count your days, Worked examples, Exceptions and edge cases, Cost and time, How it compares, FAQ, Sources, Questions people ask, Related
How to count your days
>- Pick the date you want to enter or the date you are checking. Count back 180 days. Add up every day you were physically inside the Schengen area in that window. If the total is under 90, you can enter today, for as many days as remain up to 90.
>- The count is not reset by leaving. A weekend in London does not give you a fresh 90 days. It only removes those days from the total, and they will drop out of the window once they are more than 180 days old.
>- Keep your own record. Passport stamps, boarding passes and train tickets are the evidence. Border officers can and do add up the stamps in front of you.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Write down every entry and exit date for the last 180 days |
| 2 | Mark each day you were inside Schengen, including travel days |
| 3 | Add them up |
| 4 | Subtract from 90 to get days remaining today |
| 5 | Re‑check before every new entry, because the window moves |
Do
- A spreadsheet or a notes app is enough; there is no official calculator you must use.
- Photograph your passport stamps as you get them.
Worked examples
>- Example 1 (2025): Enter France on 1 May 2025 and leave on 30 June 2025 (61 days). Return on 1 September 2025. Count back 180 days from 1 Sept 2025 → 4 May 2025 to 31 Aug 2025. The 61‑day stay falls entirely inside the window, leaving 29 days available for a new stay.
>- Example 2 (2025): 30 days in Spain (Jan 1‑30 2025), 30 days in Italy (Mar 1‑30 2025), 30 days in Greece (May 1‑30 2025). On 1 June 2025 the 180‑day window (1 Dec 2024‑31 May 2025) contains all 90 days, so you must leave the Schengen area. You can re‑enter on 2 July 2025, when the Jan days have dropped out of the window.
>- Example 3 (2025): Stay 80 days in France from 1 Jan 2025‑20 Mar 2025, then travel in the UK from 21 Mar‑20 Jun 2025, return to France on 21 Jun 2025. The 180‑day window for 21 Jun 2025 runs from 24 Dec 2024‑20 Jun 2025. Only the first 20 days of the French stay (1‑20 Jan) are still inside the window, so you have 70 days left for a new Schengen stay.
>- Example 4 (2025): US passport holder flies New York‑Paris, spends 10 days (5‑14 May 2025), takes Eurostar to London for 5 days (15‑19 May 2025), then returns to Paris for another 10 days (20‑29 May 2025). London days do not count, so the Schengen total is 20 days.
Watch out
- Do not plan a 90‑day trip and then add a buffer day at each end; the buffer is inside the 90.
Exceptions and edge cases
>- Ireland is not in Schengen, so time in Dublin does not count. The UK is also outside Schengen. Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania are now inside the area, so days there count. (check the current member list)
>- Some nationalities have bilateral agreements or long‑stay visa options that sit outside the 90/180 rule. A French long‑stay visa or residence permit changes the maths entirely; the 90/180 rule is for short stays.
>- Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican are not Schengen members. Visiting them usually requires passing through a Schengen country, so the time you spend in the Schengen country (e.g., France) counts. A day trip from Nice to Monaco counts as a Schengen day only for the time you are in France; the Monaco portion itself is not counted unless you actually cross a Schengen border to enter it. (check)
| Place | Counts as Schengen? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| France, Spain, Italy, Germany | Yes | Core Schengen states |
| Switzerland, Norway, Iceland | Yes | Inside the area |
| Ireland | No | Common Travel Area with the UK |
| United Kingdom | No | Separate immigration rules |
| Monaco, Andorra, Vatican | Check | Not members; access is via Schengen states |
Cost and time
>- There is no fee and no application. The cost is the planning time: an hour with a calendar and your passport stamps is enough for most trips.
>- If you need to stay longer than 90 days, you must apply for a national long‑stay visa from the country you want to base in. Processing time varies by consulate (check) and fees are set by that country (check).
>- Overstaying can lead to fines, removal and possible entry bans; the exact penalties differ by country and are outlined by the relevant immigration authority (check).
How it compares
>- The US Visa Waiver Program and the UK's ETA are entry permissions, not day counters, but they still have their own limits and conditions. The Schengen rule is stricter than many travellers expect because it is rolling, not annual.
>- Canada and the UK allow six months for many visitors; the US typically gives 90 days per entry under the Visa Waiver Program. Schengen gives 90 days per rolling 180, which is the tightest of the group for repeat visitors.
| System | Typical limit | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen | 90 days | Rolling 180 days |
| US Visa Waiver Program | 90 days | Per entry (check) |
| UK visitor | 6 months | Per entry (check) |
| Canada visitor | 6 months | Per entry (check) |
| Australia visitor | 3 months | Per entry (check) |
FAQ
>- What is the short answer? You may spend at most 90 days inside the Schengen area in any 180‑day period, counted backwards from each day you are there.
>- Who does it apply to? Visa‑exempt short‑stay travellers, including most US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and EU/EEA passport holders, plus anyone on a Schengen short‑stay visa. (check your passport)
>- How much does it cost and how long does it take? Nothing and no application; the work is keeping your own day count, which takes minutes per trip.
>- Does leaving Schengen reset my 90 days? No. Leaving only stops the clock on new days; old days stay in the window until they are more than 180 days old.
>- Do I count the day I arrive and the day I leave? Yes, both count as full days.
>- What happens if I overstay? Fines, possible detention and entry bans, and problems with future visa‑free travel to the US, UK and elsewhere.
Sources
>- Official government travel advice for your passport is the first place to confirm the rule and any changes. Check the French interior ministry or your own foreign ministry before booking a long trip.
Questions people ask
Schengen 90/180-day rule explained with examples: what is the short answer?
You may spend at most 90 days inside the Schengen area in any 180-day period, counted backwards from each day you are there. Arrival and departure days count. Days in the UK, Ireland, the US or Canada do not.
Who does it apply to?
Visa-exempt short-stay travellers, including most US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Irish passport holders, and anyone travelling on a Schengen short-stay visa. Check your own passport before you book.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Nothing, and there is no application. The only cost is planning time: an hour with a calendar and your passport stamps is enough for most trips.
Does leaving Schengen reset my 90 days?
No. Leaving only stops new days being added; days already used stay in the 180-day window until they age out.
Do arrival and departure days count?
Yes, both count as full days inside Schengen.
What happens if I overstay?
Fines, possible detention and entry bans, and knock-on problems with visa-free travel to the US, UK and elsewhere.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check and were last checked Sep 2026
Show the detailsHide
Sources
- officialUK government – Foreign travel advice: France
- officialUS State Department – Travel advisories
- officialGovernment of Canada – Travel advice and advisories
- officialSmartraveller (Australia)
- officialSafeTravel (New Zealand)
- officialDepartment of Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
- officialEuropean Commission – Schengen area
- secondaryWikivoyage – Schengen Area