A rolling 180-day period means you always look back at the last 180 calendar days from today. In that slice of time, you can only have been inside the Schengen Area for up to 90 days total. Tomorrow the window “rolls” forward one day, dropping the oldest day off and adding the newest.
So the allowance changes every day depending on how much time you’ve already spent inside.
✈️ Schengen Visa Calculator
Calculate your Schengen area stay duration and border crossings
Select any date to see your 90/180 status on that day. The calculator uses a rolling 180-day window.
How to Count Schengen Days (Step by Step)
- Pick your date
Start with the date you want to check. This could be today (to see if you are safe right now) or a future entry date (to know if you’ll be allowed back in). - Look back 180 days
From that chosen date, move backwards on the calendar 180 days. This creates your personal “window” of time. It’s not fixed — it shifts forward one day at a time. - Add up your Schengen days
Within that 180-day window, count all the days you were inside the Schengen Area. Important:- The day you arrive counts as a full day, even if you arrive at 11:59 pm.
- The day you leave also counts as a full day, even if you leave in the morning.
- If you entered and left on the same calendar date, that’s 1 day.
- Compare with the 90-day limit
If your total days inside is 90 or fewer, you are within the rules. If the total goes above 90, you are considered over the limit and must stay out until earlier days drop off the 180-day window.
Every day you travel, your 180-day “frame” slides forward by one day. Some old days fall out, freeing up space for new ones. That’s why it’s called rolling.
You always have to count back 180 days from today and make sure your total time in Schengen doesn’t go over 90 days.
That’s why we built our Schengen360 Calculator. Just enter your trips, and it instantly shows how many days you’ve used, how many are left, and when you can safely re-enter.
Rolling Window in Action with Examples
Example 1 – Simple stay
- You visit Schengen Jan 1 → Jan 30 (30 days).
- On Feb 1, the rolling 180-day window is Aug 5 (last year) → Feb 1.
- That window only contains your 30 days from January.
- ✅ You’ve used 30/90 → 60 days still free.
Example 2 – Two trips and the sliding window
- Trip 1: Jan 1 → Jan 30 (30 days).
- Trip 2: Apr 1 → Apr 20 (20 days).
- On Apr 20, the rolling window is Oct 23 (last year) → Apr 20.
- That window includes both trips → 30 + 20 = 50 days.
- ✅ 50/90 used → 40 days still available.
Example 3 – When old days “drop off”
- Same as above: Trip 1 in January (30 days) + Trip 2 in April (20 days).
- On July 1, what happens?
- The rolling window is Jan 3 → July 1.
- The first 2 days of Trip 1 (Jan 1–2) are now older than 180 days → they fall outside the window.
- So in the July 1 window, you only have 28 (from Jan) + 20 (from Apr) = 48 days.
- ✅ 42 days free again. This shows how the rolling window slowly gives you back days as old ones expire.
Example 4 – Maxing out and waiting
- You stay Jan 1 → Mar 31 (90 days straight).
- On Apr 1, the rolling window = Oct 4 (last year) → Apr 1.
- It includes the full 90 days from Jan–Mar.
- ❌ You’re at 90/90 → no days left, can’t re-enter.
- When do days drop off?
- On July 1, the window becomes Jan 3 → July 1, meaning the Jan 1–2 days have fallen out.
- ✅ Now you’re at 88/90, with 2 days free.
- By Sept 29, the entire Jan–Mar block will have aged out, and you’ll have a full 90 days free again.
How to Stay Safe With the 90/180 Day Rule
- Track your last 180 days
Always check how many Schengen days are already in your rolling window. - Use tools and keep proof
A day calculator helps, but also keep passport stamps, tickets, or boarding passes in case of questions. - Leave a buffer
Don’t plan to fly out on day 90. Aim to leave earlier to avoid issues if flights change. - Know the exceptions
- If you hold a long-stay visa (Type D) or residence permit, time in your host country doesn’t count toward 90 days. But when you visit other Schengen countries, the 90/180 rule still applies.
- Trips to non-Schengen countries (like the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, or the Balkans) pause your Schengen count, but they don’t reset it.
- As of 2025, Romania and Bulgaria are Schengen members, so time there now counts toward your 90-day total.
Count carefully, keep evidence, and plan smart. That way, you’ll never risk an overstay.
Common Mistakes (Myths vs Facts)
Myth 1: “I get 90 days every 6 months.”
- ❌ Wrong. It’s not two fixed blocks per year.
- ✅ The rule is rolling – on any given day, officials look back 180 days and count your Schengen days.
Myth 2: “Each country gives me 90 days.”
- ❌ Wrong. Schengen is one big zone.
- ✅ You only get 90 days total across all Schengen countries combined.
Myth 3: “Leaving resets the clock.”
- ❌ Wrong. Stepping out doesn’t restart anything.
- ✅ Your past days stay “on record” until they age out of the last 180 days.
Myth 4: “If I arrive late at night, that day doesn’t count.”
- ❌ Wrong. Even 5 minutes before midnight still counts as a full day.
- ✅ Both entry and exit days always count as full days.
Myth 5: “Overstaying by a day is no big deal.”
- ❌ Wrong. Even one extra day is a violation.
- ✅ You could face fines, trouble re-entering, or even a ban.
FAQ – Schengen Days
1. What does “rolling” mean?
It means the 180-day window is not fixed. On any day, you look back 180 days from that date. Your total time in Schengen within that span must be 90 days or less.
2. Do entry and exit days count?
Yes. Both the day you arrive and the day you leave count as full days, even if you were there only a few hours.
3. Do I need 90 days out after 90 in?
Only if you used the full 90 days in one stretch. If you used fewer, you don’t need the full 90 days out — you can return as soon as earlier days “drop off” the rolling window.
4. Does airport transit count?
If you stay in the international transit zone and don’t pass passport control, it doesn’t count. The moment you cross immigration into Schengen, even for a few hours, that day counts.
5. How do I find my earliest safe re-entry date?
Check your past stays and count forward: as soon as enough of your old Schengen days fall outside the last 180 days, you’re safe to re-enter. Many travelers use the official Schengen calculator to see the exact date.
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