Is Albania in the Schengen Area?
No — Albania is not in the Schengen Area or the EU. Days in Albania do not count toward your Schengen 90 days in any 180, and Albania sets its own visitor limits.
In the Schengen Area: No
In the EU: No
Days count toward 90/180: No
Facts checked 5 October 2026. Entry rules change and differ by passport. Confirm them with the official source linked in each section, or your own government's travel advice, before you travel.
Do days in Albania count toward the 90/180 rule?
No. Albania is an EU candidate country but not a member of the EU or Schengen. Its days are counted separately, under Albania's own rules.
Sources: GOV.UK: Albania entry requirements; European Commission: the Schengen Area
Visiting Albania on a visa-free passport
US citizens can stay up to one year without a visa. British and Canadian citizens get 90 days in any 180, counted separately from Schengen. Check your own government's advice for other passports.
How EES applies
EES is not used in Albania. Leaving Greece or flying from Italy to Tirana is a Schengen exit, and coming back is a new Schengen entry checked against your days.
Source: EU: EES FAQ
A long stay outside Schengen
For US citizens especially, Albania's one-year allowance makes it one of the easiest places in Europe to wait out the Schengen window.
For more places whose days do not count, and how long each lets you stay, see where to go when your Schengen days run out.
Check your own Schengen days
Whatever the answer for Albania, your 90 days are counted across all 29 Schengen countries together, and each day looks back 180 days. Add your stays to see how many days you have used and the last day you can stay.
Count your days before you go
Add past stays and a planned trip. Stay180 shows days used in the last 180 and your leave-by date. Free, no account needed.
Common questions
- Is Albania in the EU?
- No. Albania is an EU candidate country, but it is not an EU member and not part of the Schengen Area. Days in Albania do not count toward your Schengen 90.
- How long can Americans stay in Albania?
- Up to one year without a visa, according to current government advice. British and Canadian citizens get 90 days in any 180. Check the latest rules for your passport before a long stay.
- Does a trip to Albania stop my Schengen clock?
- Yes, days in Albania do not add to your Schengen total. But they do not reset it: days already used keep counting until they fall outside the last 180 days.