Ireland is in the Schengen zone. You get 90 days in the Schengen zone. Then you have to spend 90 days outside Schengen before returning. Very simple. (The 90 days weren't just for Ireland.)

I can't answer your question but just to confirm Ireland is not Schengen!

If you left the Schengen zone the 20th of December, you should have a stamp on your passport to verify that upon arrival at non-schengen country. ( Which one was it?).

Your 90 days do not have to be consecutive . If you can prove you were out of the Schengen zone ( plane tickets, etc., maybe hotel bills) you should be able to stay the remainder of the 90 days you did not use while in the Schengen zone previously.

wish I could delete as I misread the entire thread. However, one still does not need to stay 90 consecutive days in non-Schengen or Schengen countries. You can go back and forth not going over the total for each "area/zone".

Many apologies - I thought it was the UK that was out, not both the UK and Ireland. In that case I would imagine you'd get another 90 days when you re-entered. Were you stamped out?

I think it is 90 days total .. not a new 90 days when you leave and go back. The clock doesn't go back to zero.

Thanks for the initial replies! Yes, I know Ireland is NOT in the Schengen Zone (for which you get 90 days within 180 day period - regardless of how may times you enter/leave).

No worries, lincasanova - I realize now I might have typed it so it's slightly confusing.

My real question is about Ireland, not the Schengen Zone.

What I don't know:
* How long until one is allowed to re-enter once outside the initial 90-day period?
* Because I didn't use up my full 90 days, is there anyway to accelerate how long I must wait before re-entry (if required)?

What I do know:
* A US passport is only good for one entrance without an additional visa (the other options being a multiple-entrance or re-entry visa).
* If you leave Ireland within the 90 days, you have to apply for a re-entry visa BEFORE you leave (but that's only if you intend to return within the 90 days).
* If I had really planned it out, I would have visited the UK and then gone to Ireland, as - per my understanding - this would allow me a maximum of 90 days over a 6-month period with as many entries/exits through the UK as I'd like. But I didn't do this.

Thanks again for any help you can give me on what I don't know.

The Irish embassy website in Washington is no help on this. Where are you? Can you contact the Irish embassy in whichever country you're in now?

I am still under the impression that none of the visa info you are reading/copying pertains to a tourist from the USA: I will be very surprised if to leave Ireland and then go back later you need a re-entry visa.

I BELIEVE that information is only for those who need a visa to begin with. THEY cannot go in and out in their 90 days.. they need a re-entry visa, like certain foreigners in the USA.

Please contact the Irish embassy somewhere as this doesn't "sound right" to me at all.I hope I'm right.

Check with the embassy. Just don't say St Patty unless you want a permanent exclusion order.

Thanks! Right now I'm in Italy, but I'll be going to Spain next. When I get to Madrid, I will swing by their Irish Embassy.

Good.I'm interested in the answer to this one.

Patty is a girl's name, so stop using it to describe St Patrick.

As for St Patrick's Day, the celebrations were invented by New York Irish Protestants and whatever happens in Ireland (apart from lots of drinking) has been imported from the US.