Every short-stay Schengen visa comes with the same limit: no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. It sounds simple, but the “any 180-day period” part means the window rolls forward every day. Here is how to work it out properly.
How the rolling window works
On any given day, look back over the previous 180 days, including today. Add up every day you spent in the Schengen Area. The total must not be more than 90.
- The day you arrive and the day you leave both count as full days.
- Days in all 29 Schengen countries count together. That includes Bulgaria and Romania, which became full Schengen members in January 2025.
- Days in the UK, Ireland and Cyprus don’t count.
Example 1: two trips
You spend 30 days in Spain in March and 40 days in Italy in June. Total: 70 days in the window, so you can stay up to 20 more days until the March days start dropping out of the 180-day window.
Example 2: the visa says less than 90
Your visa sticker has a “Duration of stay” box. If it says 15, you may spend only 15 days in the Schengen Area during the visa’s validity, even though the 90/180 rule would allow more. The visa sticker always takes priority.
Validity is not the same as length of stay
A visa valid from 1 May to 30 June with a duration of stay of 20 days lets you visit for up to 20 days in total, at any point between those dates. It doesn’t mean you can stay for the whole two months.
What happens if you overstay
Overstaying can lead to a fine, removal and an entry ban, and it will make your next visa application much harder. Since the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) started in October 2025, entries and exits at the external border are recorded digitally, so overstays are flagged automatically rather than relying on passport stamps.
Check your days before you book
The European Commission publishes an official short-stay calculator on its Home Affairs website. Enter your past and planned dates and it tells you how many days you have left. Do this before you book flights.
Planning a longer trip?
Stays over 90 days need a national (type D) visa from the specific country, such as a student, work or digital nomad visa. These have different rules and documents. For short visits of up to 90 days, we can help you with the Schengen visa: see the FAQ or start your application.
