Never mind the threat of long queues at passport control and peak periods due to a lack of border control staff and passports having to be stamped, the Foreign Office has issued even more advice.
British non-resident travellers now need to have, carry and possibly be forced to show proof of a return or onward ticket, enough money for their stay, and proof that you have somewhere to stay in Spain.
Accommodation proof includes hotel booking confirmations, proof of address if visiting your own property (e.g. second home), or an invitation from your host or proof of their address if staying with a third party, friends or family.
Visitors will also need to prove they meet the Covid-19 entry requirements. You can do this by showing proof of vaccination, a medical certificate or recovery record showing recovery from Covid-19 within the last six months, or a negative PCR (taken within 72 hours prior to departure) or antigen test (taken within 24 hours).
It is important to note that Covid-19 requirements do not apply to children under 12 years of age and a passenger locator form is no longer required to enter Spain. Foreign Office advice states: “You may also be subject to additional checks at the point of entry including a temperature check, visual health assessment, or testing on arrival.”
Much of this, in fact all, is a result of Brexit, but some sources in the UK have said that the Spanish, if they were willing to do so, could ease many of the rules and regulations, especially as the UK is the country's largest tourism market.
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@david holland It's no different here either. This anti-British tourism stuff is just sensationalist nonsense anyway. The restrictions for Brits are just like anybody else, and in practice, very minor, if enforced at all. The intent of the sensationalism is to inspire fury and outrage, yet there's no secret anti British intent in any of this. It just makes Brits feel important. And if Brits want to go to the Caribbean instead, by all means do so. But they won't. Not for imaginary reasons.
o bWhat’s the problem. I go to Saint Lucia, the same requirements prevail. Same with India, Hong Kong, Singapore . Although no one usually asks for them. Certainly not in the Caribbean. Pretty standard for holiday makers every where. You have to have Id and national requirements for entry. I think you will find in the last reliable figures U.K. tourism was about 2% of Spains GDP. And I would consider that is quite important to those in Spain who make a living from it. USA visitors to Spain tend not to be the resort beach and beer trade that the majority of Brits are catered for, so hardly a direct comparison for that sectors possible replacement customers. Unless I’m missing something there isn’t many more millions of French and Italian citizens thronging to visit Spain. And if they do it will be to the detriment of others in Europe mainly. The truth is Brits have traveled to Spain for holidays for decades because it’s close and easy. That will continue mainly unchanged as it suits both parties to do so. But if Spain wants to hinder or stop the income from U.K. tourism it’s up to them. Plenty other places to go with the right paperwork.
Morgan WilliamsTourism is 12% of Spain's economy. Brits represent 12% of these 12%. That is 1.44% of Spain's economy. It's not a negligiable amount but it's easily compensated for by the many French, Italians, and now US Americans flocking in. Brits have a tendency to overestimate their own importance to others. This miscalculation already lead to Brexit, and it persists in the belief that they were vital to Spain. They are not.
SaraWell said Sara, it's about time British citizens have to acknowledge they are now not part of EU but the rest of the world and accept the way the rules are for non EU citizens. I can travel on my ID card anywhere in EU countries but not to Britain. Should I moan about that, no I just accept it, and so should the British when going abroad and not believe they can pick the cherries as they please.
I don't think British tourism is actually the largest. Germans are comparable, if not larger. And German alone do not constitute the rest of the world, which combined, likely dwarfs british tourism. This is about Britain wanting to believe it's #1. It doesn't matter if it isn't. You better do what we say or else we'll stop coming to Spain... The one place we can't seem to resist.
@Morgan Williams I like the sarcasm. As for foreigners, that's all the towns and cities of our once fair land are full of - bloody foreigners. You need to come abroad to meet a native english person. When I was young I though I would go abroad and travel the Empire. Well surprise surprise, the Empire came to us instead,
This has always been standard procedure for anyone entering the EU from a third country (non-EU and non-Schengen) and is now also the case for EU citizens entering the UK. As a Spanish citizen I now have to produce a return or onward ticket, proof of accommodation and proof that I have enough money for my stay when I enter the UK. Why should British people entering Spain be treated any differently (after voting for Brexit) just because the UK is Spain’s largest tourist market? Talk about wanting your cake and eating it too!
Well, they could just let brits in with no checks or restrictions. And while you're at it, allow us to cause mayhem in the streets of British resorts. And we want it cheap, too. The cheaper the better (we're struggling to pay the bills already). Free would be good - we could do another of those British all-inclusive scams like a few years back, and get full refunds. That was great. Until the bloody Spaniards put a stop to it. But then, in all fairness, they'd probably have to apply the same rules to foreigners. And we don't want foreigners ruining our hols abroad. So, yeah, free for all. Well, just for brits. Because, well, we're special. And besides, without us, you'd be impoverished (although that's been proven to be just wishful thinking... over and over again). Bloody third world countries.