90/180

You will probably get a better answer if you actually line out your dates. And no, leaving the Schengen zone does not reset your days back to 90.

Italy from xx-xx

IS (where is that?) xx-xx

Portugal arrived xx

Here also is a link to a Schengen day calculator: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/visa-calculator/

No, it is not confusing -- it is real simple. It is a look back. Take today and look back 180 days including today. IF you have been in the Schengen zone for ANY 90 days in that 180 day period -- You are done. Tomorrow in another look back of 180 days. There is no "re-set."

You may have to go home early or least get out of the Schengen zone. The penalties can be pretty steep if caught. Don't be tempted to over-stay. On this site one women overstayed one day (thought it was 3 months) it was a $500 fine, detained in immigration long enough to miss her flight home so had to purchase a new ticket. A guy missed by two weeks, was fined $1000 and prohibited from returning for two years.

I thought that returning home reset our ability to be here for 90 days

It doesn't. You need to rebook your trip home.

In addition to the link posted above, there is a calculator on the EU's official site: https://ec.europa.eu/assets/home/visa-calculator/calculator.htm?lang=en

I almost got caught in that error back in 2015, so I totally sympathize. You could fly home early, of course, but you have another option: Hop on a flight to a non-Schengen country for long enough that your total remains at 90 days (or, preferably, less--you don't want to risk going over the limit because of a flight cancellation). Not wanting to run afoul of the exit authorities, I now plan trips with no more than 86 or 87 Schengen days.

Non-Schengen countries easy to reach from Portugal: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Morocco. There are many options farther east (some of the Balkan countries, Turkey). For example, there are non-stop flights from Lisbon and Porto to Marrakech (interesting destination) as well as Casablanca (less interesting). Expenses would be relatively low, I believe, in all the non-Schengen countries except the UK entities and Ireland.

I was watching a vlog, I believe the folks were living in Switzerland and then suddenly they were on "vacation" in the UK because they had to get out of town for Schengen.

What is the history of those restrictions?

one women overstayed one day (thought it was 3 months) it was a $500 fine, detained in immigration long enough to miss her flight home so had to purchase a new ticket.

This sounds fishy. One day would not incur a fine this much, and airlines normally rebook for free people hung up in immigration who miss flights.

@Tom - as I recall it was a forum member's daughter who got fined the 500E. I went back to try and find a post from the forum member but couldn't plow my way thru the search hits.

In looking back at one previous post, maybe IS is Istanbul. But it could also be a typo and mean the U.S.

I may be incorrect, but I think it’s a typo, and the OP meant to type ‘US’, and not “IS”.

This is the thread in which the kind people here explained this issue to me:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/schengen-clarification-please

This is the calculator I used and still use for planning:
https://schengen-calculator.com/visits

And, if push comes to shove, print off some calendar pages and just count them the old fashioned way! Which I also do.

Hope this helps.
Donna

$500 fine, detained in immigration long enough to miss her flight home so had to purchase a new ticket

I remember that too and it was a first hand account. I have no reason to doubt the tale of woe and I'm too lazy to hunt for it to convince a doubter

We were in Italy for a month. We went back to the US for 6 weeks and
are now in Portugal for 85 days. I thought that returning home reset
our ability to be here for 90 days, but now people are telling us we
have to count those 30 days we were in Italy😳. Do I have to go home
early??? It seems rather confusing!

Think about it. If this were true, then you could spend 90 days then step out for a day and then step back in to another 90 days. No one would ever leave. This is not how the world works. Americans are so privileged to even have the chance to come to Europe visa free.

Thank you to those of you who provided kind answers. I have learned a lot. I believe that is what traveling is all about. Learning from each other❤️

to convince a doubter

People exaggerate their stories all the time, maybe even most of the time? Many people are also clueless most of the time, and don't really know what happened. There are many online stories of people who overstayed a day, compiling those stories gives a more accurate idea of what can happen. I recall the post and I didn't believe the story at that time.

Here's a more believable story for a 1 day overstay. https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/y6t544/overstayed_schengen_visa_by_1_day_what_now/

Pam is correct as is Nigel. It was reported by the father about his daughter's recent experience. What does he gain from exaggerating the story? I think is the same thread someone posted their experience about overstaying two weeks. I will take it at face value. I don't think you can make light of the potential penalty for overstaying.

A second hand story, so even less credible.

As to clueless travelers I had a coworker flying Southwest who had boarding position C23 and went to the person in seat 23C and said, "you are in my seat."

The billions spent to rebuild Europe and the billions spent protect Europe should at least give Americans free entry. IMO. History easily forgotten.

uh huh

Hahaha, Nigel! I’ll bring the popcorn….

The old American entitlement raises it ugly head. And shows a complete lack of understanding about immigration and visa policies.

The billions spent to rebuild Europe and the billions spent protect Europe should at least give Americans free entry. IMO. History easily forgotten.

Lol, this old chestnut. I won't indulge the author.