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UK visitor rules vs Schengen: no 90/180 rule, but not unlimited

People who know the Schengen rule often assume the UK has one too. It doesn't. The UK works differently, and in some ways it's less predictable.

By The MyTravelStatus teamLast reviewed 6 min read

There's no 90/180 rule in the UK

The UK isn't in the Schengen area, so days in the UK don't count toward your Schengen 90, and Schengen days don't count in the UK. The UK also has no rolling-window rule of its own. The Home Office's own guidance for its staff says there's no set maximum time a visitor can spend in the UK in any period, such as "6 months in 12 months".

Instead, two things decide whether a visit is OK: how long each visit lasts, and whether you're a genuine visitor.

Up to 6 months per visit

Under the UK's visitor rules (Appendix V of the Immigration Rules), a standard visitor can stay for up to 6 months on each visit. It's counted in calendar months from the day you arrive, not in days, so it's not the same as 180 days.

A few kinds of visit have different limits. For example, visits for private medical treatment can be up to 11 months, and academics can come for up to 12 months. A long-term visit visa (2, 5 or 10 years) lets you come many times, but each visit is still limited in the same way.

Worked exampleOne long visit
  1. You arrive in London on 15 January 2026.
  2. Six calendar months from that date brings you to 15 July 2026, so the last day of the visit is 14 July 2026 on our cautious reading.
  3. The date written on your permission, your entry stamp or your eVisa is what actually counts: if it says 15 July, that is your date.

MyTravelStatus shows 14 July, a day earlier than some readings, so it can never tell you that you have longer than you do. There's no count of "days used" to carry forward: the next visit is judged on its own, and on the pattern of your visits (below).

The genuine visitor test

This is where the UK differs most. To qualify as a visitor you must, among other things, leave at the end of your visit and not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home.

So there's no number that makes you safe. Someone who spends 5 months in the UK, leaves for two weeks and comes back for another 5 months may be refused entry even though no single visit broke the 6-month limit. What matters is the overall pattern of your visits, not just the latest one, and whether it looks as though you're living in the UK.

Worked exampleTwo patterns, similar totals
  1. Traveler A visits family three times a year for about 3 weeks each time: roughly 2 months a year, with long gaps.
  2. Traveler B spends 5 months in the UK, leaves for 2 weeks, then returns for another 5 months.

Neither breaks the 6-month limit on any single visit. A's pattern looks like visiting. B's looks much more like living in the UK, and is far more likely to be questioned.

The ETA: permission to travel

Most visitors who don't need a visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before traveling to the UK. That includes citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and EU countries. British and Irish citizens don't need one, and neither do people who already have UK permission such as a visa.

  • It has been fully enforced since 25 February 2026: airlines, ferries and trains can refuse to carry you without one.
  • The fee is £20 (GOV.UK, checked September 2026).
  • It's valid for multiple journeys for 2 years, or until your passport expires if sooner.
  • Dual British citizens need to travel on a British passport, or hold a certificate of entitlement.

An ETA is permission to travel. Like the EU's planned ETIAS, it doesn't give you extra days or change how long you can stay.

Tax is a separate test

Visitor rules are about immigration. Whether you're UK resident for tax is decided by the Statutory Residence Test, which counts days differently: in general, a day counts if you're in the UK at midnight. Spending a lot of time in the UK can affect your tax position even if every visit was within the visitor rules.

If you split your time between the UK and Europe

A common pattern is to spend part of the year in Schengen and part in the UK. The two don't interact: time in the UK doesn't "reset" your Schengen count, it just means you're not using Schengen days while you're there. Use our free calculator for the Schengen side, and read how Schengen days are counted. MyTravelStatus tracks UK visits too, on Plus: each visit, its last allowed day and the pattern of your visits over the last 12 months, next to your Schengen count. Start free for the Schengen side, and add Plus when you want the UK tracked as well.

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.

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Sources

Official sources

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