Hi gang,
I know someone on here will know the answer to this question! If I stay 2 months in a Schengen country and then come back to the US, I know that I technically have another month left on the 90 day clock. But if I wanted to go back for another two months, what is the soonest I could do that without overstaying the 90/180?
Does the 180 days “reset” back to zero after the initial 180 days?
I know there is an EU calculator but it seems difficult to use and decipher the manual
A forum member opinion does not matter in legal questions and will not help you finally. Regulation does.
Original text of Schengen visa policy website is clear to me:
"Non-EU nationals need a visa to enter the Schengen area for a visit of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
When someone enters a country in the Schengen area, the 180-day period starts. They can enter Schengen area countries as many times as they want, but only stay for a total of 90 days, every 180 days."
Todd, don't be confused. As a US citizen, there is no visa application to complete for you to enter the EU. But you do have the 90 in 180 rule to comply with.
There are a number of Schengen calculators online and there are some phone apps too. Since its a rolling 90 in 180 its tough to track without a calculator. I played the game for a number of years and i never would have stayed compliant witout one. Here is one: https://www.visa-calculator.com/
You can't think in months. You have to think in days.
The 180 day clock is constantly moving.
Let's say you stay 60 days and leave. In the next 120 days, you can stay 30 more days.
The 180 day rule doesn't reset. It is constantly moving.
Let's use months just as an example. Assume in this example that every month has 30 days.
You arrive in the beginning of January and leave at the end of February. That's 60 days. You still have 30 more days until the end of June. You return the beginning of June for your 30 days. But at the beginning of July, if you go back 180 days, January has disappeared and you've only stayed 120 days in the previouis 180 (Feb and June). You get an additional 30 days. (July) In the begining of August, February has disappeared and you get an additional 30 days. But now you've stayed 90 days (June, July, August) and must leave until at least the beginning of December. (June-November is 180 days in my example.)
An entire month doesn't disappear at once. So, using my example of days, on August 1, February 1 would go. On August 2, February 2 would go.)
So, to answer your question, you could return on day 150 from your first entrance into Schengen and stay for 60 days.
However, none of us suggest you do that and always give yourself a few days leeway just in case of delays. Immigration officials don't care that your flight was canceled or you were sick or whatever. Overstaying your stay in Schengen can mean a hefty fine and exclusion for up to 10 years.
In reality, months have a different number of days which is why I suggest you don't think in months. Arrival days and departure days count towards your 90/180.
There's no re-set, it's a continually rolling 180-day period.
If you want to stay for another two months - approx 60 days - you wouldn't be able to enter until the 180-day period has moved forward sufficiently so you'd only spent approx 30 days in that period.
Decide when you will leave the Schengen, count back 180 days, and make sure you've only been in the Schngen for 90 days; adjust as necessary. Simples.
pretty easy for me. In the UK we have to play this game now too, thanks to Brexit.
Every day in a Schengen country counts, arrival days and departure days. Days start a minute after midnight, local time, and end 24 hours later.
Note every day you have been, even if for a few minutes at an airport, in any of the Schengen countries. The numbers apply to the whole Schengen area, not to each individual country.
Count backwards from the date in question, 180 days. Have the Schengen days been fewer than 90? If so you can stay; if not you cannot.
The 90 days and 180 days do not reset at any point, but as your previous stay moves along the rolling 180 the previous stay will start to fall off...
So, if you had 60 continuous days in your previous stay including arrival and departure, you need to see how long ago that it is since you left - where is it on the 180 days counting backwards from your proposed arrival for the next trip? Since you stayed 60 and can stay 90, you already have 30 you can use. To stay 60 days now, you need 30 to drop off the count before you can have those to use. That can happen one day at a time, if timed right - one off and one on each day for that 30 if you wait for the right day.
Don't count in months. That will get you in trouble - many months are longer than 30. And remember arrival and departure, and leave space for all the things that can delay your departure - plane rescheduling, illness, accident, etc.
After reading everything above, you see why the calculator is a good idea. If you are still concerned, use two and compare. I've done that and the 3 I checked all had the same answer. Just be sure you put in arrival and departure dates.
We just completed a trip which included several Non-Schengen Countries (Bulgaria, N. Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania) and one Schengen Country, Greece. I ran the calculator highlighted above and cam up with the following:
Date of Entry: 21-05-2024 Date of Exit: 13-06-2024 Days of Stay: 24
Days of Stay in the Last 180 Day: 24 Last Day to Stay: 18-08-2024 OK.
You can stay for 66 days more, until 18-08-2024. If you re-enter the
Schengen area on 12-09-2024, you can stay 90 days until 10-12-2024.
If it was me I would wait until I had a full 90 days before returning to the Schengen Area and at most I would limit it to 83 days to provide some days when "stuff happens".
Thanks everyone! I appreciate the replies and Frank for the examples.
Ed I think I am with you about the practical visit. Makes it simpler
We just completed a trip which included several Non-Schengen Countries (Bulgaria
Bulgaria joined Schengen from 31st March 2024. Same time as Romania joined.
