How to count the Schengen 90/180-day rule for a short stay

The Schengen 90/180-day rule limits a short stay to no more than 90 days within any 180-day period. It sounds simple, but the 180-day period is not a fixed block of dates, so counting needs a method. This guide shows that method step by step for foreigners who come to Poland or travel around the Schengen area for short stays. It covers what the law says, which days are included and a worked example. It explains only how to count days. It does not cover other entry conditions, the rest of a visa application or the result of any individual case.

What the law says about the 90/180 limit

Article 6(1) of the Schengen Borders Code sets the entry conditions for intended stays on the territory of the Member States of a duration of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, and adds that this entails considering the 180-day period preceding each day of stay.

In plain words: the limit is about days of stay added together, not about single trips. And every day of your stay has its own 180-day period to look at.

How the moving 180-day window works

Think of the 180-day period as a window that moves with you. For each day of your stay, you look back over the 180-day period preceding that day and add up the days you spent in the Schengen area during that period. The limit for that total is 90 days.

Follow these steps for any trip you have made or plan to make:

1. List your days. Write down the date of entry and the date of exit for each trip to the Schengen area, past and planned.
2. Pick a day. Choose one day of your stay that you want to check.
3. Look back. Take the 180-day period preceding that day.
4. Add up. Count your days of stay in that period, including days from earlier trips.
5. Compare. The limit is 90 days in total.
6. Repeat. Do the same for every other day of your stay, because each day has its own 180-day period.

The law speaks of intended stays, so you can run these steps on a plan before you travel.

Which days count: entry and exit

Article 6(2) of the Schengen Borders Code says how to treat the first and the last day. The date of entry is considered the first day of stay on the territory of the Member States, and the date of exit is considered the last day of stay. Both days belong to your stay and both are counted.

Take a trip with entry on 2 March and exit on 11 March. It is 10 days of stay, because the day of entry and the day of exit both count.

A worked example with 2 trips

Now add a second trip to the first one:

• Trip 1: entry on 2 March, exit on 11 March = 10 days of stay.
• Trip 2: entry on 1 June, exit on 30 June = 30 days of stay.
• Both trips together: any 180-day period that contains all the days of both trips contains 10 + 30 = 40 days of stay.
• What is left: within such a period, no more than 90 – 40 = 50 further days of stay are possible.

This example looks only at 180-day periods that contain both trips. The law asks you to consider the 180-day period preceding each day of stay, so for a real plan you repeat the check for every day, as in the steps above. The method stays the same for any number of trips: you add up days of stay, not trips.

Stays that are not taken into account

Article 6(2) has a second sentence. Periods of stay authorised under a residence permit or a long-stay visa are not taken into account in the calculation of the duration of stay on the territory of the Member States. This matters for holders of a Polish national (D) visa (wiza krajowa) or a residence card (karta pobytu).

If you hold or plan such a visa or permit, see our pages about national (D) visa insurance and temporary residence permit insurance (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy).

One period or separate periods?

Article 6(1a) of the Schengen Borders Code says whether the days you spend in different countries are added together. The period of 90 days in any 180-day period is calculated as a single period for the Member States operating the Entry/Exit System (EES), which is based on Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. For each Member State that does not operate the EES, the period is calculated separately.

The provision itself does not list which countries operate the EES. If your route crosses several countries, write down the date you enter and the date you leave each of them, so that you can add up your days either way.

Insurance and the dates of your stay

If you apply for a Schengen (uniform) visa for one or two entries, Article 15(1) of the Visa Code obliges you, as the applicant, to show that you have travel medical insurance which is adequate and valid. It has to cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death during your stay or stays in the Member States. Article 15(2) has its own wording for a multiple-entry visa.

Under Article 15(3) of the Visa Code, the policy has to be valid in all Member States and cover the whole of your intended stay or transit, with a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000. Plan your dates once and use them twice: for the day count and for the insurance. You can read more about these conditions on our page about medical insurance for a Schengen visa.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the 90/180 limit written?

The limit is in Article 6(1) of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399). Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, known as the Visa Code, uses the same numbers: Article 1(1) says it establishes the procedures and conditions for issuing visas for intended stays on the territory of the Member States not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period. You can read the official English texts of both regulations on EUR-Lex.

Which countries make up the Schengen area?

The European Commission lists 29 countries in the Schengen area: 25 EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Cyprus participates in the Schengen cooperation, but its internal border controls have not yet been abolished, and Ireland does not apply the Schengen rules (an opt-out).

Can I choose the dates of the policy myself?

Yes. You type in your date of birth, pick the first and the last day you want covered and select the area, Poland or Schengen. The policy covers the whole period you choose. Its sum insured is EUR 30,000. When the fields are filled in, the calculator shows the premium. After you click Next and pay online, you receive the policy as a PDF file.

What if my plans change?

Run the count again with the new dates, because every day of stay has its own 180-day period to check (Article 6(1) of the Schengen Borders Code). If you are in Poland and want to stay longer than planned, our guide to extending a visa in Poland describes that separate procedure. This guide only explains the counting; it cannot say whether an extension is possible in your case.

Once your day count is ready and you know the first and last day of your stay, you can enter those dates in our insurance calculator and see the premium. For questions about the dates of your cover, call +48 22 299 11 11 to speak to an adviser, or use the contact page.