Schengen calculator for Australian citizens: the 90/180 rule

Yes. Smartraveller says Australians can travel to the Schengen area for short trips without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for tourism, visiting family, business for an Australian employer and similar purposes. The 90 days are shared across all 29 Schengen countries. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you leave and must have been issued within the last 10 years.

The 90/180 rule in short

On every day you're in the area, add up your Schengen days in the 180 days ending that day. The total can't go over 90. Arrival and departure days count as full days. Time in non-Schengen countries such as the UK, Ireland or Türkiye doesn't count, but it doesn't reset anything either: your used days only fall away once they're 180 days old. Read the 90/180 rule, explained for more.

The Entry/Exit System

Since 10 April 2026 the Entry/Exit System (EES) has replaced passport stamps. On your first entry your fingerprints and photo are taken. Smartraveller says that if you come back within 3 years you'll only give a fingerprint or photo, that the EES is free, and that you don't need to register before you arrive. It also warned in August 2026 of delays of up to 4 to 6 hours at some airports, so allow time for connections.

Smartraveller points out that your EES record is tied to you, not your passport, so switching passports won't hide an overstay. Keep your own dated record too. Our EES guide explains how to check yours.

ETIAS and dual citizens

Australians will need an ETIAS travel authorization for the 30 participating countries once it starts. As of September 2026, Smartraveller and the EU's own ETIAS site both say there's no confirmed start date and applications aren't open. The EU will announce the date several months ahead. The fee is set at EUR 20. If you're also a citizen of a participating European country or Ireland, Smartraveller says you won't be eligible for ETIAS and will have to enter on your European passport, so check your citizenship and passport early. See ETIAS in 2026.

Australia's bilateral visa waivers

Smartraveller lists Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden as countries with visa waiver agreements that may let Australians stay beyond 90 days under specific conditions. It adds three points worth knowing:

• You can only use one bilateral agreement on top of your 90 days in the Schengen area.
• Tell the border guard when you first enter the Schengen area that you plan to use one.
• Most countries need you to use the agreement at the end of your Schengen travel.

Each country runs its own agreement in its own way. Denmark's, for example, allows up to 3 months counted from your first entry into Denmark or another Nordic country, according to the Danish Immigration Service.

Working holidays and long-stay visas

Australia has reciprocal Working Holiday arrangements with Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, and Work and Holiday arrangements with Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain, among others. You apply to the other country, through its embassy or immigration service, and its rules set the age limit and conditions.

For other long stays, Smartraveller says to apply for a visa at the embassy of the country where you'll stay longest, from outside that country. A national visa only stops your days counting in the country that issued it: see long-stay visas and residence permits.

Use the calculator

Put your whole itinerary into our free Schengen calculator to see where the 90 days run out and your first day back. With a free account you can keep your trips, add a working holiday or long-stay visa, and get an email before you run short.

Not legal advice. This guide explains the published rules as we understand them on the date above. Rules and how they're applied change, and border officers make the final decision. Check the official sources below, and get professional advice for your own situation.