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The Schengen 90/180 rule explained

If you are not an EU citizen, short stays in the Schengen area are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period. Here is what the rule says, how the rolling window works, and the mistakes people often make.

Last updated · Sources checked on

Who the rule applies to

Official rule

The rule applies to third-country nationals on a short stay, whether they need a visa or not: people who are not EU citizens and do not have EU free movement rights. Periods of stay under a residence permit or a long-stay visa are not counted.

(source: Schengen Borders Code, Art. 6)

Citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are not concerned (source: What is the EES?). If you are a non-EU family member of an EU citizen, special rules may apply: the EES tool, for example, does not apply to some family members (source: EES, check how long you can stay).

What the official text says

Official rule

Article 6(1) of the Schengen Borders Code: "For intended stays on the territory of the Member States of a duration of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, which entails considering the 180-day period preceding each day of stay [...]".

Article 6(2): "the date of entry shall be considered as the first day of stay on the territory of the Member States and the date of exit shall be considered as the last day of stay".

Article 6(1a): the 90 days are counted as a single period for the countries operating the EES, and separately for each country that does not operate it.

(source: Schengen Borders Code, Art. 6)

How the rolling window works

Official rule

The European Commission explains that "any" means a moving 180-day reference period: on each day of the stay, look back at the last 180 days and check that they contain no more than 90 days of stay. An absence of 90 days in a row always allows a new stay of up to 90 days.

(source: European Commission, calculator user manual)

Our explanation

In practice, take the day you want to check, count back 179 days, and add up every day you spent in the Schengen area in those 180 days (that day included). The total must not exceed 90. Repeat for every day of your trip: the first day where it goes above 90 is the first day of overstay.

This is not a fixed block that starts on your first entry. Every day you spent drops out of the count exactly 180 days later, so days "come back" one by one.

The Commission's worked examples

Official rule

Example 1 (no visa needed): one day on 1 January 2024, then a stay from 1 June to 20 September 2024. On 14 June 2024 the window 18.12.2023 – 14.6.2024 holds 15 days: no overstay. On 29 August 2024 the window 3.3.2024 – 29.8.2024 holds 90 days: 29 August is the last day of authorised stay.

Example 2 (multiple-entry visa): stays of 10 days (1–10 January 2024), 30 days (1–30 March) and 40 days (1 May – 9 June). Entering on 19 June 2024 allows 20 days at most; on 7 August still 20 days; on 8 August 50 days; on 8 September the full 90 days.

(source: European Commission, calculator user manual)

Our calculator gives the same answers for all these dates; you can load example 2 with the "Try the official example" button on the calculator. In example 1, our calculator shows the stay after 29 August 2024 as an overstay from 30 August to 20 September (22 days).

Common mistakes

Our explanation

  • Forgetting the travel days. The day you arrive and the day you leave both count, even if you were there for one hour.
  • Thinking it is 90 days per country. It is 90 days for the Schengen area as a whole (Cyprus is counted separately).
  • Counting from the first entry. The window moves every day; there is no fixed six-month block.
  • Confusing visa validity with permitted stay. A visa valid for one year still allows 90 days in any 180 days at most, or fewer if the sticker says so.
  • Counting days spent in Ireland, Cyprus or the UK. They are not Schengen days.

Which countries are in the Schengen area?

Official rule

29 countries: 25 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania were the last countries to join, on 1 January 2025. Cyprus takes part in Schengen cooperation, but internal border controls have not been lifted yet and its integration is underway. Ireland does not apply the Schengen rules ("opt-out").

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
(source: European Commission, Schengen area; European Commission, calculator user manual)

Stays in Cyprus, Ireland and the United Kingdom do not count towards the Schengen 90 days (source: European Commission, calculator user manual). For travellers who will need ETIAS, the official site confirms that a stay in Cyprus is calculated separately (source: ETIAS FAQ).

Special cases

Official rule

  • If your visa sticker shows a period of authorised stay shorter than 90 days, that period applies. (source: European Commission, short-stay calculator)
  • Some Schengen countries have old bilateral visa waiver agreements with some non-EU countries (for example Canada, New Zealand or the United States) which may allow extra time in that country; this is possible but not an obligation for the country. (source: European Commission, calculator user manual)
  • Under the EU-Brazil visa waiver agreement, the older definition (3 months in a 6-month period from the first entry) still applies. (source: European Commission, border crossing)

What happens if you overstay

Official rule

Since 10 April 2026, the EES records entries and exits and detects overstays automatically. A person found staying illegally is subject to return procedures; an entry ban may be issued, and in some cases must be. A person who has already used 90 days in the 180-day period is refused entry.

(source: EES FAQ; European Commission, EES)

Our explanation

Keep your own list of entry and exit dates (our calculator can export it to a file), especially for stays before 10 April 2026: the official EES tool does not show time spent in the Schengen area that began before that date.

Official tools

Frequently asked questions

Is it 90 days per Schengen country?

No. The 90 days are counted together for all the Schengen countries (a single period for the countries using the EES). Cyprus is counted separately.

Does leaving the Schengen area for a few days reset the count?

No. Days of stay only stop counting when they leave the rolling 180-day window, 180 days after they were spent.

I hold a multiple-entry visa valid for a year. Can I stay a year?

No. The visa's validity is not the length of stay allowed: the 90/180 rule applies, and the number of days printed on the visa sticker if it is lower.

Other guides

EES (Entry/Exit System) explained

What the EES records at the border, who it applies to, and what it changed since 10 April 2026.

ETIAS explained

The future travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers: official facts and what is still unknown.

The 183-day rule explained

Why "183 days" means different things in national tax rules and in tax treaties.

For information only. StayDayCheck is an independent site, not linked to the EU or any government. Results are estimates based on the dates you enter and on the official texts cited on each page. They are not legal, immigration or tax advice. Border guards and tax authorities make the decisions: when in doubt, ask them or a qualified professional.

Official sources

Sources checked on 1 November 2026.