Staying in the Schengen Zone: the 90/180-Day Rule Explained

The Schengen Area is a shared zone in the European continent where participating countries have abolished the need for visas, passports, and other types of border control measures.

Third-country nationals, meaning citizens from any country not within the EU or who do not enjoy the right to free movement, such as the United States, India, or China, can still access the countries within the Schengen Area, albeit under normal border control policies. 

One of the most important rules to keep in mind is the 90-180 Schengen rule.

In 1995, Portugal signed the Schengen Convention.

Ever since, it's been part of the shared Schengen Zone, a common area where the borders have been abolished.

Founded by the idea of freedom of movement, nationals from Schengen states can move freely, work, and live in each other’s territories without special formalities. 

As a Schengen state, the 90-day rule applies to Portugal.

It is important to note that the EU and the Schengen Zone are not mutually exclusive.

A country can be in the EU and not in the Schengen Zone. Likewise, a country can be in the Schengen Zone, and not in the EU. 

While the EU is a political and economic union, the Schengen Zone is a common area ruled by freedom of movement.

As of February 2026, the EU has 27 Member States:

The only EU countries that are not part of the Schengen Zone are Cyprus and Ireland.

Traveling to these countries will require understanding each country’s visa policies. Ireland, due to its Common Travel Area shared with the United Kingdom, operates its own visa policy. Cyprus is currently under evaluation to join the Schengen Zone.

Furthermore, 4 other non-EU member states are part of the Schengen Zone: Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, which together form the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). 

To control its external borders and verify the legal status of those who enter the Schengen Zone, the signatory states consider short stays if they do not surpass the threshold of 90 days.

If a traveller seeks to stay in any of the Schengen states for longer than 90 days, they must either acquire a long stay visa or a residency permit.  

When a third-country travels to a Schengen state, and if they do not have any intention of surpassing the threshold, they can only stay for a maximum of 90 days within a period of 180 days.

The 180-day period starts ticking on the day the traveller first steps into any of the 27 countries in the Schengen Zone.

Here’s an example to help explain the Schengen Area 90-day rule:

The EU is also expected to tighten entry and exit requirements with its new “Smart Borders” policies.

If you wish to stay in Portugal for more than 90 days without the need to leave the country or the Schengen Zone, obtaining Citizenship is a must, and getting a Residency Permit is the first step toward it.

Portugal is one of the safest countries to live in the world, with an affordable quality of life, and excellent healthcare.

Both the Portugal Golden Visa and the D2 Visa enables benefits such as family reunification, visa-free travel to the Schengen Zone, and opportunities to expand into the EU and the rest of the world.