ESTA 90-Day Calculator
On ESTA (the Visa Waiver Program) you can stay in the U.S. up to 90 days per entry. The day you arrive is day 1, and trips to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean don't restart the count. Enter your arrival date to see your last allowed day.
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How the 90 days are counted
- The arrival day is day 1, even if you land late in the evening. Day 90 is the last day you may be in the country.
- It's 90 days, not three months. Three calendar months can be 92 days.
- Side trips don't reset the clock. If you go to Canada, Mexico or a nearby Caribbean island and come back, you're readmitted only for the balance of your original 90 days (8 CFR 217.3(b)).
- Going home or to another continent ends the visit. A later entry starts a new 90 days — but the officer decides each time whether to admit you.
ESTA validity is not the length of stay
An approved ESTA is usually valid for two years, or until your passport expires, and allows many trips. Each trip is still limited to 90 days. Your actual admission is recorded in your I-94, which you can check on the CBP website.
No extensions
A Visa Waiver Program stay can't be extended or changed to another status from inside the U.S. If an emergency (such as illness or a cancelled flight) stops you from leaving, U.S. immigration may grant a period of satisfactory departure of up to 30 days (8 CFR 217.3(a)) — ask before day 90.
Questions
Does a trip to Canada or Mexico reset my ESTA 90 days?
No. Days in Canada, Mexico and the nearby Caribbean islands are part of the same visit, and when you come back you're admitted only for what is left of the original 90 days.
When do the 90 days start?
On the day you enter the U.S. That day counts as day 1, whatever time you arrive.
Can I leave after 90 days and come straight back?
The rules don't set a waiting period, but a border officer can refuse entry if it looks like you are living in the U.S. Long stays with short breaks often lead to questions or refusal.
Is there a limit of 90 days per year?
The rule is 90 days per entry, not per year. In practice officers look at how much time you have spent in the U.S. overall, so frequent long visits are risky.
My ESTA is valid for two years — can I stay two years?
No. The two years are how long you can use the ESTA to travel. Every stay is still up to 90 days.
What happens if I overstay, even by a day?
You lose the right to travel on the Visa Waiver Program and will need a visa for future trips. Longer overstays can bring longer bans.
Let your iPhone count the days
Daysafe records which country you're in each day and shows the last day of your ESTA stay — side trips to Canada or Mexico included. No account; your days stay on your phone.
Get Daysafe on the App Store · Substantial presence test calculator · Schengen calculator
Sources
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Visa Waiver Program; 8 CFR 217.3 — readmission after a side trip and satisfactory departure; USAGov, Visa Waiver Program and ESTA; CBP I-94. Checked on 13 October 2026. Daysafe is a day counter, not immigration advice. Made by Denis Chudinov.