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90 day maximum stay rule in any 6 month period for visiting Schengen area

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 5:23pm
15 replies660 views7 members subscribed
Keninguardamar

Posts: 5

Joined: 26 Jul 2021

Hello all,  

I am having great difficulty getting a clear understanding as to how the 90 day maximum rule in any 6 months, will affect me.  I went into the Schengen area (Spain) back in last July, made two trips there and these totalled 50 days spent in Spain.  My 6 month period ended 22/1/22.  

I would like to have clarity as to how long I need to stay out of Schengen (Spain in my case), and when would I be able to return to Spain and commence another 6 month period count?  I returned back to the UK on 3/11/21.  

So any clear sources for information, that can answer my query would be very welcome, as there seems to be lots of information on line and some is contradictory.

Do I need to stay out of the Schengen area for a period of days after my last return to UK before I can return to Spain again, and if so for how long?

I am able, I think, to go to the Netherlands for example immediately after returning from a stay in Spain, and then a new 6 month count period would start for the Netherlands visit?  Is this also correct?  It seems that the 6 month period is applicable to the country visited in question rather than the whole Schengen area?

Any help and support most welcome, as I do not want to be refused entry to the Schengen area or barred for a period due to overstaying.  I want to return to Spain and stay for 8 weeks around April time.

Thanks, Ken  

Cheryl

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:19pm

Cheryl

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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:19pm

Hi Ken, it took me some considerable time to get my head around it so you are not alone.
First, get the idea of a fixed 6 month period out of your head.
Second, it is a maximum of 90 days in the whole Schengen area so trips to anywhere in the zone will count.
There is a Schengen calculator https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/visa-calculator/ but I personally feel it makes more sense once you fully understand how it all works.

Start with the date you intend returning from Spain on your next trip and then work out what date would be 180 days before this. Count up all the days you will have been in the Schengen zone during those 180 days. If it is 90 days or less, you are good to go. If it is more than 90 then you will either have to delay the start of your next trip or cut it short.

The 180 days is a continuously moving period. Every day moves it on a day so older stays in the zone will start dropping off "the back end".
Also even spending 5 minutes in the zone in one day will be counted as a whole day.

Hope this helps

Keninguardamar

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:22pm

Keninguardamar

Original Poster

Posts: 5

Joined: 26 Jul 2021

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:22pm

Cheryl wrote on Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:19pm:

Hi Ken, it took me some considerable time to get my head around it so you are not alone.
First, get the idea of a fixed 6 month period out of your head.
Second, it is a maximum of 90 days in the whole Schengen area so trips to anywhere in the zone will count.
There is a Schengen calculat...

...or https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/visa-calculator/ but I personally feel it makes more sense once you fully understand how it all works.

Start with the date you intend returning from Spain on your next trip and then work out what date would be 180 days before this. Count up all the days you will have been in the Schengen zone during those 180 days. If it is 90 days or less, you are good to go. If it is more than 90 then you will either have to delay the start of your next trip or cut it short.

The 180 days is a continuously moving period. Every day moves it on a day so older stays in the zone will start dropping off "the back end".
Also even spending 5 minutes in the zone in one day will be counted as a whole day.

Hope this helps

Many thanks, and very useful.......

elinspain

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:23pm

elinspain

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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:23pm

Hello


90/180 Schengen Visa Rule

Anytime you wish to enter the Schengen, you just have to count backwards the last 180 days, and see if you have been present in the Schengen for more than 90 days throughout that period.
https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/period-of-stay-calculator-british-citizens/
 The Netherlands is part of the whole  Schengen Zone so is inclusive in the 90/180day period - it is not a separate 6 month period
CheersElinspain

Keninguardamar

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:15pm

Keninguardamar

Original Poster

Posts: 5

Joined: 26 Jul 2021

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:15pm

elinspain wrote on Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:23pm:

Hello


90/180 Schengen Visa Rule

Anytime you wish to enter the Schengen, you just have to count backwards the last 180 days, and see if you have been present in the Schengen for more than 90 days throughout that period.
Read more...

...british-citizens/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/period-of-stay-calculator-british-citizens/
 The Netherlands is part of the whole  Schengen Zone so is inclusive in the 90/180day period - it is not a separate 6 month period
CheersElinspain

Hi there,

Being quite dense about this, but want to understand fully how it works…so apologies…


The replies including the calculator are helpful, but I am being very challenged, when it comes to applying this logic for my visits !! Would fail miserably if it were a test !!

Apologies to labour this per my travels:

I went to Spain July 23 2021 for 14 days, then again 29 September 2021 for 36 days. Total 50 days having returned to UK November 3 2021.  I want to go for all of April and May 2022 which is 61 days, and then I would like to return to Spain (Schengen) for all of October and November 2022 being 61 days.

How would the above work for me should I then wish to return again at a later stage, and when could I return? Would I need to wait a number of days before going back to Spain?

I know I am over complicating this, but have received so much confusing information elsewhere, so would appreciate being treated as if I were in class, through practical examples please……..ha ha 😄😄.

Many thanks, Ken

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Relyat

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:32pm

Relyat

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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:32pm

For ANY period of 180 days you can only be within the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days. 

Sit down with a calendar and practice counting out periods of 180 days. If the time that you have already spent here plus your projected time here exceeds 90 days then you have to "move" the 180 days until you are within the 90 day limit. 

It's not difficult, but you must do it and practice, if not you will be the one that suffers the consequences of overstaying. 

Cheryl

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:55pm

Cheryl

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Location: Albatera

Joined: 8 Jun 2017

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:55pm

Hi Ken!
Any date you plan to leave Spain after a visit, find the date 180 days beforehand and ignore any trips before that date. Then count all the days you would be in the zone during that period. Just ask google what the date is 180 days before any given date you want to end a visit and if it means you will be in the zone for more than 90 days during that timespan you will have to change your plans.
Do try using the calculator, it does work and you can play with dates.




Keninguardamar

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:37pm

Keninguardamar

Original Poster

Posts: 5

Joined: 26 Jul 2021

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:37pm

Cheryl wrote on Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:55pm:

Hi Ken!
Any date you plan to leave Spain after a visit, find the date 180 days beforehand and ignore any trips before that date. Then count all the days you would be in the zone during that period. Just ask google what the date is 180 days before any given date you want to end a visit and if i...

...t means you will be in the zone for more than 90 days during that timespan you will have to change your plans.
Do try using the calculator, it does work and you can play with dates.




Thanks Cheryl, your method is clear and makes sense together with the calculator……Ken

Kimmy11

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:01pm

Kimmy11

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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:01pm

Hi Ken,

The problem with the "90/180 rule" abbreviation is that it doesn't include a vital word: it should say "90 days in a rolling 180 days".  So, let's take the dates you've given us:

Entered Spain on 23 July 2021, left on 5 August 2021- 14 days in Schengen

Entered Spain on 29 September 2021, left Spain on 3 November 2021 - 36 days in Schengen

To check whether you can enter Spain on 1 April until 31 May 2022 (61 days), count backwards 180 days from 31 May 2022 - this takes you back to 3 December 2021, which means that any days you were in Schengen before 3 December 2021 have "dropped off", i.e. your July to August, and September to November 2021 days, are no longer relevant. 

  

Similarly, if you count backwards 180 days from 31 November 2022, this takes you back to 3 June 2022, which means that all days you're in Schengen before 3 June 2022 will have dropped off by the time you complete those trips.

At the moment, you're keeping well within your Schengen allowance, but if you decided to pop over for a couple of extra visits, these could take you over, so it's much easier to just enter your dates into the Schengen calculator which Cheryl has provided the link for and let it do the counting for you!

Kind regards,

Kim


Keninguardamar

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:14pm

Keninguardamar

Original Poster

Posts: 5

Joined: 26 Jul 2021

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:14pm

Kimmy11 wrote on Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:01pm:

Hi Ken,

The problem with the "90/180 rule" abbreviation is that it doesn't include a vital word: it should say "90 days in a rolling 180 days".  So, let's take the dates you've given us:

Entered Spain on 23 July 2021, left on 5 August 2021- 14 days in Schengen

Entered Spain on 29 September 2021, left Spain on 3 November 2021 - 36 days in Schengen

To check whether you can enter Spain on 1 April until 31 May 2022 (61 days), count backwards 180 days from 31 May 2022 - this takes you back to 3 December 2021, which means that any days you were in Schengen before 3 December 2021 have "dropped off", i.e. your July to August, and September to November 2021 days, are no longer relevant. 

  

Similarly, if you count backwards 180 days from 31 November 2022, this takes you back to 3 June 2022, which means that all days you're in Schengen before 3 June 2022 will have dropped off by the time you complete those trips.

At the moment, you're keeping well within your Schengen allowance, but if you decided to pop over for a couple of extra visits, these could take you over, so it's much easier to just enter your dates into the Schengen calculator which Cheryl has provided the link for and let it do the counting for you!

Kind regards,

Kim


Thank you Kim 😄

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