What exists
- National long-stay visas. A visa from one Schengen country for stays over three months, valid for at most one year. The European Commission says visas for stays over 90 days follow national procedures.
- Residence permits. Issued by the country where you live. The EU Immigration Portal describes common categories, such as highly qualified workers (the EU Blue Card), researchers, students, trainees, volunteers, seasonal workers, intra-corporate transferees and family members. Its information covers 25 of the 27 EU countries, not Ireland or Denmark.
- Bilateral visa waiver agreements. Some countries have older agreements with certain nationalities, such as Australia and New Zealand, that may allow more time in that one country. See the Australian and New Zealand pages.
- Extensions in exceptional cases. Some countries can extend a visa-free stay for exceptional reasons, such as a medical emergency. UK travel advice describes this for Spain and Portugal.
We don’t advise on which visa or permit to choose. It depends on the country and your situation, and the rules change. Check the country’s own pages below or ask its embassy.
How a visa or permit changes your day count
- Days covered by it don’t count toward the 90 days in any 180.
- With a long-stay visa or residence permit from a Schengen country, you can visit other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Those visits count as short stays.
- To move to another EU country for more than 90 days, you need a visa or permit from that country.
- When it ends, you can start a short stay without leaving first. See residence permit days.
Immigration pages by country
Each Schengen country’s own immigration or visa pages, run by its government:
Cyprus is outside the Schengen area and issues its own visas and permits: see the Cyprus Migration Department. For the EU countries, the EU Immigration Portal also has country-by-country guides.
Questions
Is there a Schengen visa for more than 90 days?
No. Schengen visas cover short stays. The European Commission says visas for stays over 90 days follow national procedures, so you apply to the country where you plan to stay.
Can I leave for a few days and come back to reset my 90 days?
No. There is no reset. The days you spent stay in the 180-day window, and each one only drops out 180 days later.
Do days on a long-stay visa or residence permit count toward the 90?
No. The EU border guard handbook says periods of stay under a residence permit or a long-stay visa are not counted toward the 90 days in any 180-day period.
Which visa should I apply for?
We can’t tell you. It depends on the country and on why you want to stay, and each country sets its own rules. Use the country pages below or ask its embassy.
More guides
By passport
By country
Longer stays
Sources
- European Commission: Visa policy (longer stays follow national procedures)
- European Commission: Practical Handbook for Border Guards (p. 13 long-stay visa; p. 40 permit days)
- EU Immigration Portal
- EU Immigration Portal: What category do I fit into?
- EU Immigration Portal: Already in the EU?
- GOV.UK: Spain entry requirements (extensions for exceptional reasons)
- GOV.UK: Portugal entry requirements (extensions for exceptional reasons)
- Cyprus Migration Department
A planning tool. Border officials decide.