Schengen Status

If you're traveling through Europe, you should be aware of the 90/180 day Schengen rule.

What is Schengen?

The European Union (EU) has designated 29 countries (as of January 2026) that don't require passport checks when traveling between them. This makes it very convenient to move about Europe, but there are very strict rules.

Keeping track of days

The main rule is that during any 180-day period, only 90 of those can be spent in countries designated as in the Schengen zone. This is a rolling 180 days, so it can be confusing when you're trying to count how many days have been used up.

With Voyage Vault, there's no need to do any calculations. Simply create trips and let the app tag them as Schengen or non-Schengen destinations. As you enter or change the dates of your trips, you'll see how many days you have left in Schengen. Voyage Vault will even alert you when you go over the 90-day limit.

This takes all the work out of planning your European travel. If you see that a planned trip will take you over the limit, you can rework your plans.

You can access the Schengen Status panel from the Dashboard. The Trips tab will also show your days remaining or any warnings about exceeding the limit. Even the Trip Detail shows your Schengen days remaining and a warning for an overstay.

Penalties for overstaying the 90 days

Overstaying the 90-day Schengen limit, even by one day, is a violation of EU travel law and can result in significant legal and administrative penalties. As of 2026, the newly operational Entry/Exit System (EES) automatically records and identifies overstayers across the Schengen Area.

Primary Penalties

• Monetary Fines: This is the most common penalty. Fines vary by country but can range significantly depending on the duration of the overstay:
  • Germany: Up to €3,000.
  • Greece: Between €600 and €1,200.
  • Portugal: Generally between €80 and €700.
  • Italy: In severe cases, fines can range from €5,000 to €10,000.
• Entry Bans: You may be banned from re-entering the entire Schengen Area (not just the country of the overstay) for a period typically ranging from one to five years. Severe cases involving criminal activity or national security threats can result in bans of 10 to 20 years.
• Deportation: Authorities may order an immediate forced exit or deportation. This is often accompanied by an official mark on your travel record and a re-entry ban.
• Imprisonment: In rare cases—primarily involving illegal work, criminal activities, or repeated intentional violations—individuals may face jail time (e.g., up to one year in Germany) before being deported. 

Long-term Consequences

• Damaged Travel Record: Every overstay is logged in the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the EES. This "blacklisting" makes future visa applications significantly more difficult, even for non-EU countries like the US, Canada, or Australia that conduct background checks.
• ETIAS Denials: For travelers from visa-exempt countries, a history of overstaying can lead to the denial of future ETIAS authorizations.
• Insurance Invalidation: Most travel insurance policies become void if you remain in a country illegally, leaving you responsible for all medical or emergency costs during the overstay period. 

Exceptions and Mitigating Factors

Penalties may be reduced or avoided if the overstay was due to unforeseeable circumstances (force majeure), such as: 

• Sudden serious illness or medical emergencies.
• Significant flight cancellations or travel disruptions.
• Extreme personal emergencies.