Schengen 90/180 Calculator — Pan-African passport guide

Holders of South African, Nigerian, Kenyan, Ghanaian, and most other African passports must apply for a Schengen visa (€80 EUR) before travelling to the 29-country Schengen Area. A multi-entry Schengen visa does NOT waive the 90/180 rule — you may stay at most 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, the cap that applies to all non-EU nationals. The calculator above is for African diaspora visiting EU-based family (UK is non-Schengen but transit hubs matter), multi-leg pilgrim or business tours, and intra-Africa travellers connecting through EU hubs (CDG, AMS, FRA, LHR).

Use the calculator above to total your real days in Schengen. Enter entry and exit dates for each trip — the tool computes days used in the rolling 180-day window ending on the check date.

In short: Most African passports need a Schengen visa €80 + maximum 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across all 29 countries. Entry day + exit day count fully. Overstay = SIS-II record + €500-1,200 fine + 1-5 year entry-ban.

In this tool

1. The 90/180 rule — overview
2. 29 Schengen countries vs Ireland/Cyprus (non-Schengen)
3. UK is separate — own rules
4. Counting multi-stop trips
5. Overstay: fines + entry-ban + SIS-II
6. FAQ

1. Schengen 90/180-day rule — overview

Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code, Article 6) states that third-country nationals (including South African, Nigerian, Kenyan, Ghanaian) may stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period.

1.1 Key principles

1. Rolling window, not fixed — the 180-day period does NOT reset on 1 January. It slides day by day.
2. All countries count together — Germany + France + Netherlands stack as one area. 30 + 30 + 30 = 90 days OK; adding 10 more = overstay.
3. Entry day + exit day count fully — a trip from 1-7 June = 7 days used, not 6.

2. Schengen countries vs EU-non-Schengen (2026)

29 Schengen countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

EU but NOT Schengen: Ireland, Cyprus. Separate visa systems — days there do not count toward the Schengen quota.

3. UK is NOT Schengen and NOT EU

The UK left the EU and has its own visa regime. South African and Nigerian passports need separate UK visit visas (≥£127). Days in the UK do not count toward the Schengen 90/180 — and vice versa.

4. Overstay consequences

• Fine: €500-1,200 EUR per country.
• Entry-ban: 1-5 years across all Schengen, recorded in SIS-II.
• Future visa applications: likely denied.

5. FAQ

Which African passports need a Schengen visa? All of: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and almost every other AU member. Apply at the relevant Schengen state embassy or VFS Global centre.

Does entry day count? Yes, as a full day. Same for exit day.

Does the quota reset on 1 January? No. The 180-day window slides continuously.

Are Germany + France + Italy counted separately? No. All Schengen is one area for the 90/180 limit.

Is UK Schengen? No. UK has its own visa regime (not EU since 2020).

Back to tools