Europe's borders now count your days for you

For decades, the only record of your trip to Europe was a smudged stamp in your passport. Border officers rarely counted the days, so many travellers didn't either.

That's over. Since 10 April 2026, the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully running at the borders of 29 European countries. Every non-EU visitor's entries and exits are now logged digitally, and the system counts your days itself.

What happens at the border now

The first time you cross, your passport is scanned and your fingerprints and a face photo are taken. That takes longer than a stamp did. After that, each crossing checks you against your record and logs the date and place. There's no stamp.

The 90/180 rule hasn't changed. Checking it has

You can still spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. The difference is that the system now checks automatically. If your record shows more than 90 days, it flags you as an overstayer, and border and immigration authorities can see that.

An overstayer's record is also kept for five years from the end of the allowed stay, instead of the usual three.

The EU has its own stay checker: enter your passport and dates, and it tells you how many days you have left. Our calculator does the same maths and handles residence permits and planned trips.

Who it doesn't apply to

• EU citizens, including dual citizens crossing on their EU passport.
• Residence permit holders and long-stay visa holders.

If that's you, see our guides for dual citizens and residence permit holders.

When the system gets it wrong

Machines miss things. An exit that doesn't register leaves you looking like someone who never left. You have a legal right to have it corrected, and you can ask any EES country, not only the one that made the mistake. It must reply within 45 days.

Two things make that easy:

1. Keep your boarding passes and travel bookings. They prove when you left.
2. Know who to write to. We have the authority, contact details and a ready-made letter for all 29 countries.

If it has already happened, start with the missing-exit guide.