Rule changes that affect how your travel days are counted, newest first. Last updated .
ETIAS is expected in the last quarter of 2026
The EU still plans to launch ETIAS, the travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, in the last quarter of 2026. As of July 2026 no exact start date has been announced; the EU says it will confirm one several months in advance. An application costs EUR 20, and the authorisation is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. A grace period of roughly six months is planned after launch, so enforcement starts gradually. ETIAS does not change the 90/180 limit itself: it is a pre-travel check, not extra days. Our ETIAS guide covers who needs it.
Cyprus cleared the EU's technical evaluation for Schengen membership in June 2026, after working through the recommendations from earlier assessment visits. The remaining step is a unanimous vote in the EU Council, and no date for that vote has been announced. Until accession takes effect, days spent in Cyprus still do not count toward the Schengen 90/180 limit. Cyprus applies its own separate 90-day rule for visa-free visitors, so keep those stays in a separate count from your Schengen days.
EES is fully operational at all Schengen crossings
The Entry/Exit System has been fully operational at every Schengen external border crossing since 10 April 2026, completing the progressive rollout that began on 12 October 2025. Passport stamps are replaced for short-stay visitors: each entry and exit is recorded digitally, together with facial images and fingerprints. For the 90/180 rule this means day counting is now automatic on the EU side, and an overstay is detected from exact crossing dates rather than from stamps. Check your own numbers before you travel with the Schengen calculator.
Bulgaria and Romania have been full Schengen members since 1 January 2025, when checks at their internal land borders were lifted. Air and sea border checks had already ended on 31 March 2024. For travelers this means days spent in Bulgaria or Romania count toward the Schengen 90/180 limit, the same as days in France or Spain. If you split a trip between these countries and the rest of the area, add everything into a single count rather than tracking them separately.
