# How does the Schengen 90 day tourist visa work?



## ieatfood88 (Jan 8, 2014)

Okay, so I went to Germany in October last year on the 10. I was in Berlin and Paris from the 10th-19th. I then went to Great Britian from the 19th-27th. I entered into Hamburg on the 27th and I landed in the US on the 5th of November. Sooooo I was in the Schengen area for 18 days? I was planning a trip back to Germany in March but my 180 mark ends on the 7th of April. So, what I am really asking is, can I go to the Schengen area in March for about a month and on the day that my 180 clock ends, I can leave and come back in the same day and my clock resets? I'm really confused about all of this. 
I thought about going to Casablanca for awhile and then hoping over to Paris...ughhh, so confusing!

Can someone enlighten me please?


----------



## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

I would check with a consulate to be sure, but I think the rule of thumb is never more than 90 days per 180 day period. So think of the 180 days as a moving window, and as long as you never exceed 90 days within that window, you're good. The way I understand it, come March your clock would not reset to give you a full 90 at exactly 180 days after you entered back in October. I'm too lazy to do the math in terms of how long you could stay after arriving in March, but it shouldn't be terribly complex.


----------



## expatgal (Mar 4, 2013)

It works.....90 days in and 90 days out. Somewhere in the forums, posters have worked this out with examples. You'll need to search. Of course you could contact a cunsulate and ask, but don't count on a reply.
You're allowed 180 days at one strecth in the UK, why don't you fly into the UK for the days needed, and then take the chunnel over to France?
The UK isn't part of the Schen...for days allowed, and also the Republic of Ireland...you may have 90 days there, but be careful of combining the UK and IE..
Remember, at the border..customs...any country may refuse you entry for any reason, it doesn't make any difference how much time you have entered with...under your belt.
Have fun.


----------

