The short version
- Australians can visit the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Twelve Schengen countries have old deals with Australia. Smartraveller says you can use only one of them, on top of your 90 days.
- Germany's deal allows 90-day stays with no limit on entries. Your German days still count for every other Schengen country.
- To live in Europe for longer, 16 Schengen countries offer Australians a working holiday visa.
How long can Australians stay in Europe?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area, without a visa. The German embassy in Canberra names two conditions: your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave, and you cannot work.
The days do not reset each year or each time you leave. Read how the Schengen 90/180 rule works to see how they are counted.
Which countries share the 90 days?
All 29 Schengen countries share one count, so days in France, Italy and Greece all add up. Days in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus and most of the Balkans do not use your 90. Each of those has its own rules. The Schengen calculator lists every country in and out.
Which countries give Australians extra time?
Twelve. These Schengen countries signed visa deals with Australia before the Schengen rules began. The EU's official list names them for normal Australian passports:
| Country | What the deal allows |
|---|---|
| Austria | 3 months |
| Belgium | 2 months |
| Denmark | 3 months |
| Finland | 90 days |
| Germany | 3 months |
| Iceland | 3 months |
| Italy | 3 months |
| Luxembourg | 60 days |
| Netherlands | 90 days |
| Norway | 90 days |
| Portugal | 90 days |
| Sweden | 3 months |
Smartraveller, the Australian government's travel site, lists ten of these. It leaves out Italy and Portugal, so check with those two before you rely on them.
Smartraveller adds three points:
- One deal only. You can use one country's deal on top of your 90 days.
- Tell the border guard early. Say you plan to use a deal when you first enter Schengen.
- Use it last. Most countries want you to use the deal at the end of your Schengen trip.
EU law adds that you must ask by the last working day of your 90 days, stay only in that country and leave Schengen from its border. The extra time must also be entered in your EES record, or the system can flag you as an overstayer.
Do all the deals work the same way?
No. Each country runs its own deal, and some publish nothing on how to use it. Two examples:
- Sweden. Its deal says 3 months, but we have not found a Swedish authority that publishes how to ask for it. If the 3 months count from the day you arrived, it adds only a day or two.
- Denmark. It counts days in the Nordic countries together. Time in Denmark or another Nordic country in the 6 months before you enter comes off its 3 months. So after 90 days in Sweden, Denmark's deal adds little or nothing.
One simple setup is to ask that country's embassy in writing before you go, and carry the answer with you.
How does Germany's deal work?
It lets Australians stay in Germany for up to 90 days at a time, with no limit on entries. The German embassy in Canberra says to leave Schengen after your first 90 days, then come back to Germany only, for the next 90.
Three things to know:
- Your German days still count elsewhere. They are Schengen days for every other country, so they do not free up time in France or Sweden.
- Stay only in Germany. Enter and leave through a German border, and do not work.
- Get it recorded. Tell the German border police (Bundespolizei) you are using the deal, and ask them to enter it in EES. We have not found German instructions on how they record it.
The embassy's page on the deal does not mention EES and still talks about passport stamps, so check before you plan repeat stays. A German court has also said the German rule behind these deals covers stays of up to three months, not living there.
How can Australians live in Europe for longer?
With a visa or permit from one country. Days in that country on a long-stay visa or residence permit do not use your 90. Trips to other Schengen countries still do.
- A working holiday visa. Sixteen Schengen countries run one for Australians. Most are for ages 18 to 30 and last up to 12 months. Denmark, France and Italy take Australians up to age 35. Outside Schengen, the UK and Ireland run them too. See every one in working holiday visas for Australians.
- Apply from inside Germany. Australians can enter Germany without a visa and apply for a residence permit there, within 90 days of arriving. You still have to qualify for the permit. While you wait, you usually cannot work or travel.
How do you check your days before you go?
Add your trips to our free Schengen calculator. It shows the days you have used, the last day you can stay and when you can come back. Pick Australia as your passport to see all twelve deals.