Short stays and the 90/180-day rule in Germany (2026)

Last reviewed: 9 October 2026

In short: Visitors from the UK do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Entry and exit of non-EU nationals are recorded in the Entry/Exit System.

RuleWhat applies
Maximum length of a short stayShort visit as a tourist or visitorUp to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. Both the entry day and the exit day count. [1]
Visa or travel authorisation for entryShort visit as a tourist or visitorvalue.visa-free [2]
Passport or travel document requirementShort visit as a tourist or visitorA travel document valid for at least three months after the intended departure and issued within the previous 10 years, unless there is a justified emergency (Article 6(1)(a) of the Schengen Borders Code). [3]
Entry/Exit System recordingShort visit as a tourist or visitorEntries and exits of non-EU nationals on short stays are recorded digitally in the EES, fully operational since 10 April 2026. Passports are no longer stamped by hand. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals are exempt. [4]

Notes

  • The exemption is listed for the United Kingdom. The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is planned from the last quarter of 2026 and is not yet in operation (French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, updated 5 August 2026).

Sources

  1. Auswärtiges Amt: Berechnung der Aufenthaltsdauer mit Schengenvisum (90/180) (consulted 9 October 2026) · all sources
  2. EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the European Union): Regulation (EU) 2019/592 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 April 2019 amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement, as regards the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union (consulted 9 October 2026) · all sources
  3. EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the European Union): Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (consulted 9 October 2026) · all sources
  4. Auswärtiges Amt: Digitale Erfassung der Einreise in den Schengenraum (EES) (consulted 9 October 2026) · all sources

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General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.