TidyFactPractical calculators, checked factsESTA 90-day calculator: your last day under the Visa Waiver Program
If CBP admits you under the Visa Waiver Program after ESTA authorization, you can stay up to 90 days per admission. A trip to Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island (such as Bermuda, the Bahamas or Jamaica) does not restart the 90 days (unless you live in the country you visit): if you are otherwise admissible, CBP may readmit you for the balance of the original period. 90 days in any 180 is the Schengen rule, not the VWP rule. Enter your arrival date and side trips to see day 90, the days used and the days left.
Last fact-checked: , by a different AI model (Codex) against the official sources
The dates filled in are an example. Change them to your own. A trip to any other country is not a side trip: see “What this tool does not cover” below.
Used 27 of 90 days on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. 63 days left after that day.
Assumption: the tool counts your arrival day as day 1. We found no official rule on this. Your I-94 Admit Until Date is what counts: enter it to use it instead.
Side trips
- Nov 12–Nov 16Back on day 47. 43 days left after you return. Day 90 does not move.
Admission and the admit-until date are decided by CBP. Check your I-94.
The calculation runs in your browser. Your data is not uploaded.
Example
Arrive Thu, Oct 1, 2026: day 90 is Tue, Dec 29, 2026. A trip to Canada from Nov 12 to Nov 16 does not move it.
Common mistake
Leaving for Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island does not restart the 90 days, unless you live in the country you visit. The days you spend there still count.
Next step
Check your Admit Until Date and View Compliance on the CBP I-94 website (i94.cbp.dhs.gov).
Key figures and sources10 itemsMaximum stay per VWP admission: 90 days
| Item | Value | Valid | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum stay per VWP admission | 90 daysMay be out of date | Source 2 | Checked | |
| Trip to Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island | If otherwise admissible, readmission only for the balance of the original admission period; the 90 days do not restart; CBP decidesMay be out of date | Source 1 | Checked | |
| Days spent in Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands | Count toward the 90 days (unless you live in the country you visit)May be out of date | Source 6 | Checked | |
| How the 90 days are set | Each VWP admission is one period of up to 90 days; 90 days in any 180-day period is the Schengen ruleMay be out of date | Source 2 | Checked | |
| Extension of stay under the VWP | Not allowedMay be out of date | Source 4 | Checked | |
| Satisfactory departure in an emergency (discretionary) | 30 days, at mostMay be out of date | Source 1 | Checked | |
| Your last day | The Admit Until Date on your I-94May be out of date | Source 4 | Checked | |
| Day 90 in this tool (assumption) | Arrival date + 89 days (arrival day counts as day 1); no official rule foundMay be out of date | Source 6 | Checked | |
| Adjacent islands (law) | Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Trinidad, Martinique, Saint Pierre, Miquelon, Cuba, the Windward and Leeward Islands, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions in or bordering on the Caribbean SeaMay be out of date | Source 3 | Checked | |
| Adjacent islands for re-entry on the same I-94 (CBP) | Adjacent islands excluding CubaMay be out of date | Source 4 | Checked |
Machine-readable version (JSON) You may reuse these figures with a link to this page (CC BY 4.0).
How the 90 days work
- The Visa Waiver Program admits you as a visitor “for a period not exceeding 90 days”.[2] CBP says the same: “for 90 days or less”.[5]
- Your last day is the Admit Until Date on your I-94. CBP says the days remaining are the days left on your period of admission as listed under “Admit Until Date”.[4] If you are still in the US on that day, CBP says you must leave by 11:59 PM Eastern Time.[4]
- You cannot extend a VWP stay.[4] If an emergency prevents you from leaving, a local USCIS director or a CBP officer at a Deferred Inspection site may grant a satisfactory departure period of up to 30 days, case by case.[1][4]
- The tool counts your arrival day as day 1, so day 90 is the arrival date plus 89 days. This is an assumption: we did not find an official rule on whether the arrival day counts. Compare the result with your I-94.
| Arrival | Day 90 (tool count) |
|---|---|
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | Tue, Dec 29, 2026 |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | Sun, Mar 14, 2027 |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | Wed, Mar 31, 2027 |
| Sat, Jan 1, 2028 | Thu, Mar 30, 2028 |
Trips to Canada, Mexico and adjacent islands
A side trip does not give you a new 90 days. After a trip to Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island, CBP may readmit you “for the balance of his or her original Visa Waiver Program admission period”, if you are otherwise admissible and meet the other VWP conditions, except that you do not need to arrive on a signatory carrier.[1] The State Department's manual says that a return from Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands by air or sea within the 90 days does not require a VWP signatory carrier.[6] CBP decides at the border. The State Department's manual says the total of your time in the US and your time in those places must not exceed 90 days. It says a side trip does not “reset the clock”, unless you live in the country you visit.[6]
The law's list of adjacent islands includes Saint Pierre, Miquelon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, the Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions in or bordering on the Caribbean Sea.[3] When CBP describes multiple entries with one I-94, it says “Adjacent Islands (excluding Cuba)”.[4]
CBP also says that short trips (less than 30 days) by land or ferry to contiguous territories do not give you a new I-94 and do not extend your Admit Until Date.[4]
Example: you arrive on Thursday, October 1, 2026. You go to Canada from Nov 12 to Nov 16. You come back on day 47. You have 43 days left after that day, and day 90 is still Tuesday, December 29, 2026.
ESTA is not the Schengen 90/180 rule
The Schengen area in Europe uses a different 90-day rule. The US rule: each VWP admission is for up to 90 days.[2][1] “90 days in any 180-day period” is the Schengen rule.[7]
| Question | US Visa Waiver Program |
|---|---|
| How long can I stay? | Up to 90 days per admission. The Admit Until Date that CBP puts on your I-94 is the last day.[2][4] |
| Is it 90 days in any 180 days? | That is the Schengen rule.[7] The VWP rule is up to 90 days per admission.[2] |
| Does a trip to Canada or Mexico restart the 90 days? | No, unless you live in the country you visit. If you are otherwise admissible, CBP may readmit you only for the balance of the original period. CBP decides.[1][6] |
| Can I extend? | No. Only an emergency satisfactory departure of up to 30 days, granted case by case. |
What this tool does not cover
- Trips to other countries. 8 CFR 217.3(b) covers trips to Canada, Mexico and adjacent islands only. If you come back from anywhere else, CBP decides at the border whether to admit you and until when. Enter a new arrival date only if CBP admitted you again for a new period. Check your I-94.
- People who live in Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island. The State Department's manual makes an exception for travelers who return to the country where they live. The tool does not handle it.
- Visas. The tool is for VWP admissions only (travel with ESTA authorization; ESTA was already required for arrivals by air and sea, and since October 1, 2022 it is also required at land ports[8]). A B-1/B-2 visa admission has its own Admit Until Date and rules.
- ESTA approval and eligibility. The tool does not check whether you can get or keep an ESTA. An approved ESTA is “not a guarantee of admissibility”; CBP officers decide at the port of entry.[6]
- Overstays and their effects. The tool does not say what happens if you stay past your last day. CBP's I-94 website has a View Compliance function for VWP travelers that shows the days remaining or the days overstayed.[4]
- The admission decision. Admission and the admit-until date are decided by CBP. Check your I-94. This tool is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does a trip to Canada or Mexico reset my ESTA 90 days?
No. After a trip to Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island, a VWP visitor who is otherwise admissible may be readmitted only for the balance of the original admission period (8 CFR 217.3(b)). CBP decides. The days you spend in Canada or Mexico still count toward the 90 days. The State Department's manual notes an exception for travelers who live in the country they visit.
Is the ESTA 90-day rule the same as the Schengen 90/180 rule?
No. Each Visa Waiver Program admission is for up to 90 days (8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(1)). “90 days in any 180-day period” is the Schengen rule. Do not use a Schengen calculator for a US stay.
Can I extend my stay on ESTA?
No. CBP says a VWP visitor cannot extend the stay. If an emergency prevents you from leaving, a local USCIS director or a CBP officer at a Deferred Inspection site may grant a satisfactory departure period of up to 30 days, case by case (8 CFR 217.3(a); CBP I-94 FAQ).
Do Caribbean islands count as adjacent islands?
Many do. The law (8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(5)) lists Saint Pierre, Miquelon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, the Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions in or bordering on the Caribbean Sea. CBP's I-94 FAQ excludes Cuba when it describes multiple entries with one I-94.
How do I find my exact last day?
Look up your I-94 on the CBP I-94 website. The Admit Until Date is your last day. VWP travelers can also use View Compliance, which shows the days remaining or the days overstayed.
Disclaimer
The calculations and text on this page are for information only. They are not tax, legal or financial advice. The official notices and decisions of the competent authority apply.
An AI model checked the facts on this page against the sources below. No person reviewed this page. Before an important decision, confirm with the authority or a professional.
Sources
- 8 CFR 217.3 – Maintenance of status (eCFR, current) (Office of the Federal Register (eCFR), checked 2026-10-28)
- 8 U.S.C. 1187 – Visa waiver program for certain visitors (INA 217), current edition (Office of the Law Revision Counsel (U.S. House), checked 2026-10-28)
- 8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(5) – Definition of “adjacent islands” (INA 101), current edition (Office of the Law Revision Counsel (U.S. House), checked 2026-10-28)
- I-94/I-95 Frequently Asked Questions (Admit Until Date, View Compliance, extension of stay, multiple entries) (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, checked 2026-10-28)
- Visa Waiver Program: Requirements for Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visas (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, checked 2026-10-28)
- 9 FAM 201.1-4(C) – VWP Traveler Eligibility Requirements, paragraphs e (Nature of VWP Travel) and i (ESTA) (U.S. Department of State, Foreign Affairs Manual, checked 2026-10-28)
- Visa policy (Schengen area): visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period (European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs, checked 2026-10-28)
- CBP expands ESTA requirements for Visa Waiver Program travelers (from October 1, 2022, ESTA is also required at land ports, as for air and sea) (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, checked 2026-10-28)
How we made this page
AI helped make this page. We first read the official sources. Then we wrote the calculation rules and the text. After that, a different AI model (Codex) checked the page against the sources (2026-10-28). No person reviewed this page.
Sources reopened on 2026-10-28; the U.S. Code and CFR links now point to the current editions (OLRC, current through Public Law 119-134; eCFR). The quoted text is the same as in the 2023 U.S. Code and 2025 CFR editions read on 2026-10-27. 90 days: 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(1) admits a VWP visitor “for a period not exceeding 90 days”. CBP's VWP requirements page says the same: “for 90 days or less”.
Side trips: 8 CFR 217.3(b) (eCFR, read 2026-10-28) says a VWP visitor “may be readmitted to the United States after a departure to foreign contiguous territory or adjacent island for the balance of his or her original Visa Waiver Program admission period if he or she is otherwise admissible and meets all the conditions of this part with the exception of arrival on a signatory carrier”. The Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 201.1-4(C) e(2)) says the total stay in the United States and the time in contiguous territory or adjacent islands must not exceed 90 days, and that a side trip “does not ‘reset the clock’ for VWP travelers, unless the traveler is resident in the country to which they travel”. So the tool keeps counting while you are in Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island.
Adjacent islands: 8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(5) lists Saint Pierre, Miquelon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, the Windward and Leeward Islands, Trinidad, Martinique, and other British, French, and Netherlands territory or possessions in or bordering on the Caribbean Sea. The CBP I-94 FAQ, on multiple entries with one I-94, says “Adjacent Islands (excluding Cuba)”.
Day counting (tool assumption): we did not find an official rule that says whether the arrival day is day 1. The tool counts the arrival day as day 1, so day 90 is the arrival date plus 89 days. The CBP I-94 FAQ says the days remaining are the days left “as listed on your current Form I-94 under ‘Admit Until Date’”. The Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 201.1-4(C) i.(1)(d)) says the CBP officer notates the date to which the traveler has been granted admission, “usually 89 days from the date of arrival”. That matches the tool's count, but it is not a rule on day counting. If you enter your Admit Until Date, the tool uses it instead.
Extension: the CBP I-94 FAQ says: “If you were admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you cannot extend your stay.” 8 CFR 217.3(a) says that if an emergency prevents departure, the district director “may, in his or her discretion, grant a period of satisfactory departure not to exceed 30 days”. The CBP I-94 FAQ says “a local USCIS director or a CBP officer at your nearest Deferred Inspection site” may grant it “on a case-by-case basis”.
Not Schengen: 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(1) admits a VWP visitor for one period of up to 90 days per admission. “90 days in any 180-day period” is the Schengen rule (European Commission). The tool counts the 90 days of one admission; it does not use a 180-day window.
Checks (node web/src/tools/us-vwp-90-days/test.mjs): arrival October 1, 2026 → day 90 is December 29, 2026 (31 days in October counting October 1, 30 in November, 29 in December). Arrival January 1, 2027 → March 31, 2027 (31 + 28 + 31). Arrival January 1, 2028 (leap year) → March 30, 2028. On October 27, 2026 the October 1 arrival has used 27 days and has 63 left. A trip to Canada from November 12 to November 16, 2026 does not move day 90; the return is day 47 with 43 days left after it.
Last updated: 2026-10-28
Cite this page
TidyFact. (2026, October 28). ESTA 90-day calculator (Visa Waiver Program). https://tidyfact.com/en-us/esta-90-day-calculator/