"How long can I stay?" is one of the most common questions visa-exempt visitors ask about Germany. The answer is the Schengen 90/180-day rule — simple once you see it, but easy to get wrong. Here it is in plain language.
The Rule in One Sentence
You can spend a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area as a visa-exempt visitor — counted across the whole zone, not per country.
The Two Things People Miss
- It's the whole Schengen area, not just Germany. Days in France, Italy, Spain and most of the EU all count toward the same 90.
- It's a rolling 180-day window, not a calendar split. On any given day, look back 180 days; you must not have spent more than 90 days inside the zone in that window.
A Quick Example
Spend 60 days in spring, leave, then return in summer: you have 30 days left until older days "drop off" the back of the rolling 180-day window and free up again. Days are counted by date of entry and exit inclusive.
The trap is thinking "90 days per year" or "90 days per country." It is 90 days in any rolling 180, across all of Schengen.
How to Count Your Days
Since 10 April 2026, passports are no longer stamped: the EES records every entry and exit electronically and calculates your authorised stay automatically. The EU's official "Check how long you can stay" tool on travel-europe.europa.eu shows how many days you have left based on your EES record, but it does not count any stay that began before 10 April 2026. For earlier trips, or to plan ahead, use the EU's short-stay calculator and keep your own note of entry and exit dates. Passport officers at the border can also tell you how many days you have left.
What Counts as Schengen
The Schengen area has 29 members: 25 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania became full members on 1 January 2025, so days there now count toward the 90. Ireland is outside Schengen, and Cyprus is not yet a full member: a stay in Cyprus is calculated separately from your 90 days in the rest of the area. Always check the current list before a multi-country trip, as it changes.
Staying Longer
If you need more than 90 days, you'll need a national visa or residence permit — the 90/180 rule is strictly for short stays. ETIAS, expected to launch in the last quarter of 2026, does not extend it; it is just an authorisation to make those short visits. See our ETIAS guide.
Then Enjoy the Trip
With your days mapped out, plan the fun part — see our first-time Frankfurt guide and day trips, and let a fixed-price transfer handle the airport runs.
