The Schengen 90-day rule for Canadians.

How the rule works for Canadians

Canadian citizens can visit the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for tourism, family visits or short business trips. All 29 Schengen countries share that one allowance.

On any date, look back 180 days (including that date) and add up every day you spent in Schengen, counting arrival and departure days. Leaving doesn't reset anything. Our 90/180 rule guide has five worked examples.

What counts

Every day in 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 and Serbia. Each has its own entry rules.

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.

At the border

Since 10 April 2026, the Entry/Exit System (EES) has replaced passport stamps. Your first crossing registers your passport, a photo and fingerprints. After that, every entry and exit is logged and your days are counted automatically, so an overstay is flagged when you leave.

Border officers can also ask for a return or onward ticket, where you're staying and proof you can pay for your trip.

Canadians will also need ETIAS, an online travel authorisation, once it starts. No start date has been announced.

Example: summer and autumn

Staying longer

Working holidays

Canada has youth mobility arrangements with many European countries, usually for people aged 18 up to 30 or 35, depending on the country. These give a national visa or permit: time on one doesn't count towards your 90 days. Apply through the country's embassy or Canada's International Experience Canada programme before you go.

Other long stays

To study, work or live in Europe, you need a long-stay visa or residence permit from the country you'll live in. A few Schengen countries have older bilateral agreements with Canada that may allow extra time in that one country; they're applied inconsistently, so confirm with the embassy before relying on one. If you also hold an EU passport, travel on it.

Questions

How long can Canadians stay in Europe without a visa?

Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area, counting all 29 Schengen countries together.

Does time in the UK or Ireland count towards my 90 days?

No. The UK and Ireland are not in the Schengen area.

Do Canadians need ETIAS?

Not yet. Canadians will need ETIAS once it starts, but no start date has been announced.

Does a working holiday visa count towards the 90 days?

No. Days spent in a country on its national working holiday visa don't count towards your Schengen 90 days.