Schengen 90/180 guides

Short answer: Everything you need to plan stays under the Schengen 90/180-day rule, checked against official EU sources.

The rule

The Schengen 90/180-day rule, explainedHow the Schengen 90/180 rule works: a rolling 180-day window, entry and exit days both count, and 90 days shared across 29 countries. Worked examples.
How to count your Schengen days, step by stepA five-step method to count days used under the Schengen 90/180 rule, check how many you have left, and test a future trip — the same method the EU uses.
How many Schengen days do I have left?Check your remaining Schengen days: count back 180 days from today, or use the EU EES stay checker, the EU short-stay calculator or a free trip tracker. Worked example.
Can you reset your Schengen 90 days? No — and 7 mistakes to avoidNo: leaving Schengen never resets your 90 days, and Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania are inside Schengen. Seven common 90/180 mistakes, with worked examples.
What happens if you overstay in the Schengen AreaWhat the EU says happens if you stay over 90 days in 180: the EES overstayer list, national penalties, and what to do if illness or an emergency keeps you.
Schengen 90/180 rule: frequently asked questionsClear answers on the Schengen 90/180 rule: entry and exit days, the rolling window, transit, the UK and Ireland, residence permits, EES and ETIAS.

How to spend 6 months in Europe without a visaTwo worked 6-month itineraries that keep you within the Schengen 90/180 rule: 90 days in and 90 out, or two shorter Schengen stays. Dates checked by calculator.
Countries outside Schengen: where to spend time when your 90 days run lowEuropean countries outside the Schengen Area where days do not count toward your 90: UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey, Georgia. Stay limits by passport.
Residence permit or long-stay visa: how long can you spend in other Schengen countries?Living in Spain or Portugal on a residence permit or long-stay visa? Your days there do not count, and you can visit other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in 180.

Schengen countries in 2026: the full listThe 29 Schengen countries in 2026, which European countries are not in Schengen (Cyprus, Ireland, the UK, the Balkans), and where the edge cases are.
Is it in Schengen? Quick answers for 2026Quick yes/no answers: which countries are in the Schengen Area in 2026 and whether days there count toward your 90. Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, the UK.
UK–Schengen hopping explained: can you go to the UK and come back?Days in the UK do not count toward the Schengen 90 — but they do not reset it either. When you can come back after a UK break, with worked examples.

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES), explainedThe EES began on 12 October 2025 and fully replaced passport stamps on 10 April 2026. What it records, who it applies to, and how it counts your 90 days.
ETIAS in 2026: do you need it yet?ETIAS is not in operation as of October 2026 and no start date has been announced. What it will be, who will need it, the EUR 20 fee, and what to ignore.

Schengen rules for US citizens in 2026US citizens can visit the Schengen Area visa-free for 90 days in any 180. Passport rules, the EES, ETIAS status, remote work and longer stays, as of 2026.
Schengen rules for UK citizens in 2026Since Brexit, UK citizens get 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen Area. Passport issue-date rule, EES checks at Dover and St Pancras, Ireland, and ETIAS.
Schengen rules for Canadian citizens in 2026Canadians can visit the Schengen Area visa-free for 90 days in any 180. Passport rules, EES, ETIAS status, working holidays and longer stays, as of 2026.
Schengen rules for Australian citizens in 2026Australians can visit the Schengen Area visa-free for 90 days in any 180. Passport rules, EES, ETIAS status, bilateral agreements and working holidays.
Wintering in Europe: the 90/180 rule for retirees and long staysHow long retirees and snowbirds can spend in Spain, Portugal or elsewhere in Schengen without a visa, winter patterns that work, and long-stay visa options.

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