Question 1

What is the Schengen 90/180 day rule?

Accepted Answer

The Schengen "90/180" rule limits visits to countries in the Schengen Area to 90 days within any 180-day period. In other words, non-EU travelers (including UK citizens after Brexit) can spend up to 90 days (approximately three months) total in Schengen countries during any rolling 180-day window without a visa. This applies to short-term tourist or business visits and is monitored by border authorities. Exceeding the 90-day allowance in the Schengen zone can lead to penalties, so it's important to track your days and comply with this rule.

Question 2

What does a "rolling" 180-day period mean?

Accepted Answer

A "rolling 180-day period" means the 180-day window is continually moving with each day – it's not a fixed calendar period. For any given date of travel, you look backward 180 days and count all the days you were present in the Schengen Area during that time. The total must not exceed 90 days within that 180-day span. As each new day passes, the 180-day frame "rolls" forward, and days you spent in Schengen more than 180 days ago drop out of the calculation. This rolling window is what makes the rule challenging to manage.

Question 3

Which countries count towards the Schengen 90/180 rule?

Accepted Answer

The Schengen Area currently consists of 29 European countries, and time spent in any of these countries counts collectively toward your 90-day allowance. This includes nearly all EU member states like France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, and Poland, as well as Nordic countries like Sweden and Finland, and non-EU countries such as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Recently, Croatia joined in 2023, and Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2024/2025. However, not every European country is in Schengen - notably, Ireland and Cyprus are outside the Schengen Area, and the United Kingdom was never part of Schengen.

Question 4

How does the Schengen 90/180-day rule work?

Accepted Answer

The Schengen 90/180-day rule means non-EEA visitors (or short term visa holders) can stay in the Schengen Zone for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period. This 180-day window moves forward by one day as time progresses, so you can't just subtract your past days in the area from 90 to determine how long you can stay. Instead, you need to calculate how this rolling window affects your total days spent in the Schengen Zone for each day of your trip. To find your remaining days, you need to identify the longest period where you haven't exceeded the 90-day limit in the last 180 days. This calculation can be complicated because the 180-day window is constantly moving, which can make it tough to keep track manually. Luckily, the Schengen 90/180-day calculator makes it easy. This free online tool tracks the rolling window for you and ensures you don't overstay your limit.

Question 5

Do UK citizens need a visa to travel to the Schengen Area after Brexit?

Accepted Answer

No – for short trips a visa is not required. British citizens can travel visa-free to Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This means UK passport holders visiting Europe for tourism, family visits, business meetings, etc., can stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days (in total, across all Schengen countries) within a 180-day span without needing a visa. However, stays longer than 90 days (for example, to live, work or study in a Schengen country) would require a long-stay visa or permit from the specific country you plan to stay in.

Question 6

How can I calculate how many Schengen days I have left (is there a Schengen calculator)?

Accepted Answer

Calculating your remaining days under the 90/180 rule can be complicated, but there are tools to help. Yes, you can use a Schengen calculator to easily track your allowance. The European Commission provides an official online short-stay calculator where you can input your past and planned travel dates. There are also free third-party calculators (for example, the Schengen90.app on this website) that perform the same calculation. Our free online Schengen calculator lets you enter all your previous trips and any upcoming travel, and then it automatically computes how many days you can still stay without overstaying.

Question 7

Does leaving the Schengen Area reset my 90-day count?

Accepted Answer

No. Simply leaving the Schengen Area for a short time does not reset your 90-day count. The 90/180 rule uses a rolling window, so all days spent in Schengen within the last 180 days are counted toward your allowance. You cannot "reset" the clock by a quick trip out of Schengen. To get a full fresh 90 days again, you would need to spend 90 consecutive days outside the Schengen Area (allowing the previous 90-day period to fully expire). Brief trips home or to non-Schengen countries won't instantly give you a new 90-day allowance – the count only "resets" gradually over time.

Question 8

Why do my allowed days change so quickly from one day to the next?

Accepted Answer

You might notice that on one day, you're allowed 50 days, but the very next day, you're allowed 90. This happens because the 180-day window is always moving. As time passes, days from your earlier trips begin to fall outside the window and no longer count against your stay. When one of your past trips stops affecting your total, those days are "freed up," allowing you more time for your current visit.

Question 9

What are the penalties for overstaying the 90-day limit?

Accepted Answer

Overstaying beyond the 90 days allowed can lead to serious consequences that vary by country and the length of your overstay. You risk fines (reports of around €198 for just a couple of days overstay), deportation, entry bans (commonly 3 years or longer), and travel record flags that make future travel to Europe much more difficult. Even a short overstay is not guaranteed to be ignored. Schengen countries take compliance seriously, so always plan your trips to depart on or before your 90-day allowance is exhausted.

Question 10

Can I stay in the Schengen Area for more than 90 days without a visa?

Accepted Answer

Not under the visa-free rules. Without a visa or residence permit, you cannot exceed 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. To stay longer than 90 days, you must obtain a long-stay visa or residency permit for one of the Schengen countries. Legal pathways include work visas, student visas, family reunification visas, investment-based residency permits, or marriage to an EU/EEA citizen. Each has strict requirements and application processes.

Question 11

How can I check that the number of days is correct? I did the calculation by myself and got different result.

Accepted Answer

You can proof check the result using Official EU calculator: https://ec.europa.eu/assets/home/visa-calculator/calculator.htm

Schengen Calculator

Understanding the 90/180 Rule

How the Rule Works

90-Day Limit

Rolling Window

Track Your Days

Understanding the 90/180-Day Rule: How to Calculate Your Stay in the Schengen Zone

Frequently Asked Questions