Spain: camper van tests every 6 months · VanLife Weekly #23
Spain now requires camper vans over 10 years old to be tested twice a year. Plus: 644 overnight parks in Japan and a wave of illegal stopovers in France.
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Calculate how many days you can stay in the Schengen Area with the 90 out of 180 days rule
Updated: January 2026
The Schengen Area uses a rolling 180-day window. For any date, the system looks back 180 days and counts how many you spent in Schengen countries.
Entry day and exit day both count as full days. 90 days means exactly days, not '3 months' (which could be 92 days).
As days age out (180 days pass since your stay), they free up and you can use them again.
This calculator is provided for informational purposes. Always check current rules with the consulate or official sources. We are not responsible for possible inaccuracies.
The Schengen Area is a union of 27 European countries that allow free movement across borders. For citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and other CIS countries, the 90/180 day rule applies for visa-free stays.
Unlike national visas, a Schengen visa or visa-free regime allows free movement between all Schengen countries. The 90/180 rule applies to the entire area as a whole, not to each country separately.
When crossing the Schengen border, you may be asked for:
At the Schengen border, an officer may ask to see return tickets, hotel booking, and proof of funds. For van life travel, it's important to have vehicle registration and green card insurance.
Citizens of Russia can stay in the Schengen Area up to 90 days within any 180-day period without a visa. This rule applies to most CIS countries with a biometric passport.
The 90/180 rule means that within any rolling 180-day period you can stay in Schengen countries for a maximum of 90 days. This is not calendar six months but a 'rolling window' — the system always looks at the last 180 days from the current date.
The Schengen Area includes 27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Croatia.
Entry day and exit day both count as full days of stay. For example, if you entered on January 1 and exited on January 3, this counts as 3 days (January 1, 2, and 3).
The limit doesn't reset on a specific date. As days age out (180 days pass since your stay), they free up. For example, if you were in Schengen on January 1, then on July 1 that day leaves the window and frees up for reuse.
Alazne Rodrigo, known from Spanish TV, documented her daily routine in a motorhome. She found resource management and maintenance simpler than anticipated. Living costs in Spain range from €500 to €1,200 per month, with initial investment between €20,000 and €80,000.
Several dozen caravans have been parked at the entrance of Saint-Gervais and at the sports plain of Saint-André-de-Cubzac. The arrival was coordinated with local municipalities and the gendarmerie; the community has set up a marquee for ceremonies open to all residents. Participants committed to covering water, electricity, and waste disposal costs, while local businesses benefit from increased customer traffic.
In Rovigo, on June 10, the 22nd Opera Prima festival began. The program included 'Officina oceanografica sentimentale' by Compagnia Samovar, a show for seven spectators inside a caravan. The performance uses handmade mechanisms, such as a chisel as a fish, to create a comic and touching image of the sea.
The French Family Allowance Fund (CAF) provides loans and subsidies for buying a caravan if it serves as the main home. This support targets nomadic individuals who are ineligible for standard housing benefits. Aid amounts vary by department: in Saône-et-Loire, up to €3,500 in interest-free loans and €1,400 in subsidies are available for purchases capped at €7,000 for families of up to five. For families of six or more, the maximum aid is €4,500 in loans and €1,800 in subsidies for purchases up to €9,000. Conditions include income limits (family quotient not exceeding €700) and purchase exclusively from a professional seller.
Golfpark Rothenbach on the Dutch border offers motorhome pitches for €10 per night. It features Germany's only 9-hole floodlit golf course for evening play. Guests can also dine at the Haus Rothenbach restaurant and explore the surrounding nature.
On Monday night, a 44-year-old man threatened a 48-year-old camper at a motorhome parking area in Kirchenlamitz. The suspect, believed to be intoxicated, demanded the victim not call the police. Officers apprehended him nearby. Due to aggressive behavior and refusal to take a breathalyzer test, he was taken into custody.
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