Short stays and Schengen limitsArticle 1 of 5 · 6 min read
How the Schengen 90 in 180 days rule works in Spain
Explains how the Schengen short-stay limit works as a rolling window, which days count, and how time in Spain adds up with other Schengen countries. For non-EU visitors who do not hold a Spanish visa or residence permit.
Key rules
- Rolling window: From any day, count back 180 days; your days of presence in that stretch must not pass 90.
- Entry and exit days: Both the day you arrive and the day you leave count as full days.
- Shared allowance: Days in every Schengen country add up together with your days in Spain.
- Outside Schengen: Days in Ireland, Cyprus or the UK do not count toward your 90.
The rule in one sentence
You may stay in the Schengen area for at most 90 days in any 180-day period. It is a rolling window, not a fixed block, and it covers all Schengen countries together, not Spain alone.
This applies to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss visitors who have no residence permit or long-stay visa. EU citizens and holders of Spanish residence permits or long-stay visas are not counted this way.
How to count
Pick any day, including a day in the future. Count back 180 days from that day. Add up every day you were in the Schengen area in that stretch. The total must not pass 90.
The window moves forward every day. Days that fall out of the back of the 180-day look-back give you allowance again. So you do not get a fresh 90 days on a set date. You get days back one by one as old days drop out.
Check the rule for every day of your trip, not only on arrival. A plan that works on day 1 can fail on day 60 if you were also in Schengen countries earlier in the 180 days.
Which days count
The day you enter and the day you leave both count as full days of stay. This is true even if you are there for only a few hours. Spain counts days the same way as every other Schengen country.
Count every day you are present, including days when you did nothing but travel through.
How Spain combines with other countries
The 90 days are one shared pool. A week in France or Portugal uses up the same allowance as a week in Spain.
The Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania joined fully, land borders included, on 1 January 2025.
Ireland and Cyprus are in the EU but outside Schengen, and the UK is not in the EU. Days there do not count toward your 90. They also do not reset the clock, because the count only looks at days you were inside Schengen.
Why exact counting matters
Exits and entries are now recorded electronically, so an overstay is flagged automatically and border officers will see it. The consequences are in the warning below. Use the day counter below to check your dates before you travel, and leave a margin of a few days.
What to watch out for
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Border officers will see an overstay: Police at the Spanish border compare your entry and exit records when you leave. Since the Entry/Exit System (EES) reached full operation from April 2026, entries and exits are recorded electronically and an overstay is flagged automatically. Count your days before you travel and leave with room to spare. Keep your tickets and stamps as proof of when you entered and left.
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An overstay can mean a fine or expulsion: Overstaying is treated as a serious infringement under Spain's immigration law. It usually brings a fine, commonly from 501 to 10,000 euros and often around 500 euros in practice. Expulsion with an entry ban of up to 5 years is possible but less usual for a simple overstay. If you realise you are close to the limit, leave Schengen before it is reached. If you have already overstayed, speak to the Policía Nacional or an immigration lawyer before you try to leave.
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A past overstay can block later applications: A record of overstaying can lead to refusal of later Schengen visas or Spanish residence applications. An open expulsion or entry-ban procedure is commonly a bar. Because EES records are visible to every Schengen country, the overstay follows you beyond Spain. If you have a past overstay, get advice from an immigration lawyer before you apply.
Schengen 90 in 180 day counter
Work it out
What you enter
- Days of your first stay inside the window (days): Count from your entry date to your exit date, both included, using your passport stamps or travel records.
- Days of your second stay inside the window (days): Count from entry date to exit date, both included, using your tickets or booking confirmations. Enter 0 if none.
- Days you plan to stay on your next trip (days): Count from your planned entry date to your planned exit date, both included, using your booking or itinerary.
Worked example (with Days of your first stay inside the window 30 days, Days of your second stay inside the window 20 days, Days of your third stay inside the window 0 days, Days you plan to stay on your next trip 45 days)
| Step | Result |
|---|---|
| Days already used in the 180 days before your planned entry | 50 days |
| Total days in the window after your planned trip | 95 days |
| Days left before your trip | 40 days |
| Days over the limit (0 means your plan fits) | 5 days |
When the sum misleads
- Count the day you enter and the day you leave as full days of stay, even if you only spend part of the day in Schengen.
- Only count days that fall in the 180 days before your planned entry. Leave out older stays, and count only the part of a stay that is inside that window.
- Days spent outside the Schengen area do not count, and leaving briefly does not reset the count.
- Add up days from every Schengen country together, including Spain.
- On a long trip, the window moves every day. Check that the last day of your stay also stays within 90 days, counting back 180 days from that day.
Frequently asked questions
Do days in France or Portugal count toward my days in Spain?
Yes, days in France, Portugal or any other Schengen country count together with your days in Spain, because they all share one pool. Bulgaria and Romania have been full members, land borders included, since 1 January 2025, so days there count too.
Do days in Ireland, Cyprus or the UK count toward the Schengen limit?
No, days in Ireland, Cyprus or the UK do not count toward the Schengen limit.
Will a short overstay in the past stop me getting a Spanish visa or residence?
Not always: a short, past overstay that was sanctioned or had a good explanation may not block an application, but an entry ban does. You must declare your travel history on the application, and officials decide each case on its own facts.
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