Countries outside Schengen: where to spend time when your 90 days run low

Short answer: Days in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Türkiye and Georgia do not count toward the Schengen 90 days. Each sets its own visitor limit, often 90 days. Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania are inside Schengen, so days there do count.

General information, not legal advice. Last checked 15 Oct 2026; rules can change. Official source: European Commission — Schengen area.

Not outside any more: Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania

Older lists still name these as places to wait out your 90 days. Croatia joined Schengen on 1 January 2023, and Bulgaria and Romania became full members on 1 January 2025 (European Commission). Days there count like days in France. See is it in Schengen?

Visitor limits by passport

These are each country’s own rules for tourist visits without a visa, checked on official government pages on 15 October 2026. “Check” means we could not confirm the limit on an official page — look it up before you go.

Country	US	UK	Canada	Australia
United Kingdom The UK expects visitors not to live there through repeated visits.	6 months per visit, ETA needed	—	6 months per visit, ETA needed	6 months per visit, ETA needed
Ireland EU member outside Schengen.	90 days	No limit (Common Travel Area)	90 days	Up to 90 days, set at arrival
Cyprus EU member, not yet a full Schengen member. Its own count, separate from the Schengen 90.	90 days	90 days	90 days	90 days in 6 months
Albania Reports of a one-year stay for US citizens could not be confirmed on an official page.	Check	90 days in 180	90 days in 180	90 days
Montenegro	90 days	90 days in 180	90 days	90 days in 6 months
Serbia	90 days in 6 months	90 days in 6 months	90 days	90 days in 6 months
North Macedonia	Check	Up to 3 months	90 days	90 days in 6 months
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Check	90 days in 6 months	90 days	90 days in 6 months
Türkiye (Turkey) Visa-free for all four; after a 90-day stay, 90 days out before returning.	90 days in 180	90 days in 180	90 days in 180	90 days in 180
Georgia US citizens are visa-free; the length was not stated on the official list we checked.	Check	1 year	365 days	12 months

Sources: GOV.UK travel advice (UK passports), travel.gc.ca (Canada), Smartraveller (Australia), and for US passports the destination’s own government: GOV.UK ETA, Ireland, Cyprus, Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye. Rules change; check the official page for your passport before you book. Passport validity and onward-ticket rules also differ by country.

Cyprus: EU, but not Schengen

Cyprus is an EU country but not yet a full Schengen member: internal border controls have not been lifted and no date has been set. The European Commission says its integration "is currently underway". Cyprus still stamps passports and does not use the EES, and its 90-day visitor count is separate from the Schengen one.

Does time outside give me days back?

No. Time outside only stops you using days. Your Schengen days come back 180 days after you spent them, wherever you are in the meantime. After a full 90-day Schengen stay, plan on 90 days outside. See can you reset your 90 days? and the worked 6-month plan.

Practical notes

Flights and trains to the UK, Ireland and Cyprus are an exit from Schengen, recorded by the EES since 10 April 2026.
Driving into the Western Balkans means crossing an external Schengen border, so your exit is recorded there too.
Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City have open borders with Schengen countries, so days there are usually counted. Andorra may record no exit.

Work out when you need to leave and when you can return

Common questions

Which European countries are not in Schengen?

Among the most visited: the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Türkiye, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Days there do not count toward the Schengen 90.

Is Croatia outside Schengen?

No. Croatia has been in the Schengen Area since 1 January 2023. Bulgaria and Romania have been full members since 1 January 2025.

Can Americans stay a year in Albania?

Reports say so, but we could not confirm it on an official Albanian government page in October 2026. Check with Albania’s government or embassy before relying on it. Either way, days in Albania do not count toward the Schengen 90.

How long can I stay in the UK between Schengen trips?

Most visitors can stay up to 6 months per visit, and US, Canadian and Australian citizens need a UK ETA. The UK does not allow living there through repeated visits.