How the 90/180 rule works
Visitors to the Schengen area may stay at most 90 days in any 180-day period. The window is rolling: on each day of your stay, look back 180 days and count every day you spent in any of the 29 Schengen countries. The day you enter and the day you leave both count as full days.
This is why “three months in, three months out” is not quite right: a few short trips can block a long one, and days drop out of the window one by one, not all at once.
Residence permit holders: the rule still applies abroad
Days spent on a residence permit or national long-stay (D) visa in the country that issued it do not count. But if you live in one Schengen country and travel to another, you are a visitor there: you may stay up to 90 days in any 180 in the other Schengen states. Working there needs its own permission.
Ireland and Cyprus are in the EU but not in Schengen, and the UK is outside both: days there do not count towards your 90 days. Since October 2025 the EU’s Entry/Exit System records entries and exits electronically, so overstays are detected automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Do the entry and exit days count?
Yes. Both the day you arrive and the day you leave count as days of stay, even if you arrive late at night.
What happens if I overstay?
Each Schengen country sets its own penalties: fines, removal and an entry ban are possible, and an overstay is recorded and can hurt future visa applications.
Does this work for a Schengen visa?
Yes, but your visa may allow fewer days than 90, and only between the dates printed on it. The visa sticker is the limit if it is stricter.
Are my dates saved?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is sent.
Sources
A planning aid based on the official rule. Border guards decide at entry; check your visa conditions. Disclaimer.