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The Schengen 90-day rule for Australians.
Including bilateral agreements · Updated 29 October 2026
The short answer
- 90 days in any 180, no visa needed. For holidays, visiting family, and business for an Australian employer.
- One allowance for all 29 countries. Every day anywhere in Schengen comes out of the same 90.
- A bilateral agreement can add time in one country. Only one, on that country's terms, usually at the end of your trip.
- The UK, Ireland and Cyprus don't count. Neither do the Balkan countries outside Schengen.
How the 90/180 rule works
Australians can visit the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. On any date, look back 180 days (including that date) and add up every day you spent in Schengen. The day you arrive and the day you leave both count, and leaving doesn't reset anything: days only stop counting once they're more than 180 days old.
Our 90/180 rule guide walks through the count with five worked examples.
What counts
Every day in any of the 29 Schengen countries: 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.
Days don't count in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Turkey, or Balkan countries outside Schengen such as Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Each has its own entry rules, so check them before you go.
Bilateral visa waiver agreements
Some European countries signed visa waiver agreements with Australia before they joined Schengen. Smartraveller lists agreements with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
These can let you stay in that one country beyond your Schengen 90 days, but with conditions:
- You can only use one, on top of your 90-day Schengen allowance.
- Each country runs its own version. The length, and what you can do during it, vary.
- Most expect you to use it at the end of your Schengen travel, staying in that country rather than moving around.
- Not every border officer knows about them. Carry proof of your plans and ask the embassy what to bring.
Confirm the current terms with that country's embassy, and check Smartraveller's page for it, before you rely on one. The calculator here counts your Schengen 90 days only; it doesn't add bilateral time.
Passport rules
When you enter Schengen, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave, and have been issued within the last 10 years. Allow more validity if you can, in case your plans change.
At the border
Since 10 April 2026, the Entry/Exit System (EES) has replaced passport stamps. The first time you arrive, you register your passport, a photo and fingerprints. After that, every entry and exit is logged and your days are counted automatically.
Border officers can ask for a return or onward ticket, where you're staying and proof you can pay for your trip. Australians will also need ETIAS once it starts; no date has been announced yet.
Example: six months in Europe
When can you come back to Schengen?
| Leg | Dates (2027) | Schengen days |
|---|---|---|
| France, Italy, Spain | 1 Apr – 29 Jun | 90 |
| UK, Ireland, Albania | 30 Jun – 27 Sep | 0 |
| Italy again | 28 Sep – 18 Oct | 21 |
You'd like to fly back into Italy for three weeks on 1 September. You can't: the whole first leg is still in the 180-day window, so there are no days left.
The earliest you can return is 28 September, when 1 April drops out. From then, a 3-week stay until 18 October fits, because one old day drops out for each new day you stay.
Check this in the calculatorStaying longer
Working holidays
Australia has working holiday arrangements with a number of European countries, usually with an upper age limit of 30 or 35. These are national visas: time on one doesn't count towards your 90 days. Apply through the country's embassy before you go.
Other long stays
To study, work or live in Europe, you need a long-stay (national) visa or residence permit from the country you'll live in. If you also hold an EU passport, travel on it: EU citizens aren't limited to 90 days.
Overstaying
An overstay can mean a fine, removal and an entry ban that covers all Schengen countries. With the EES counting automatically, an overstay is flagged when you leave.
Questions
How long can Australians stay in Europe without a visa?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the 29 Schengen countries combined. Some countries also have bilateral visa waiver agreements with Australia that can allow extra time in that one country.
Can Australians stay longer than 90 days with a bilateral agreement?
Sometimes. Smartraveller lists bilateral visa waiver agreements with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. You can only use one, each works differently, and most need you to use it at the end of your Schengen travel. Confirm the terms with that country's embassy before relying on one.
Does time in the UK or Ireland count towards my 90 days?
No. The UK, Ireland and Cyprus are not in the Schengen area, so days there don't count towards your Schengen 90 days.
Do Australians need ETIAS?
Not yet. Australians will need ETIAS once it starts, but no start date has been announced.
Make the most of your 90 days
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