Spain to Extend Restrictions on Non-essential Travel from Non-EU Countries
The Spanish authorities decided to extend again restrictions implemented on travelers coming to Spain from third countries for non-essential purposes. The restrictions will be extended until Jan. 30th, 2022.
In practice, it means that unvaccinated tourists traveling from non-EU countries, including the United Kingdom, can still not enter Spain.
These entry limitations do not affect those arrivals from non-EU countries who are able to prove that they have received the full vaccination dose against COVID-19. If fully vaccinated, they can visit Spain for tourism or any other non-essential purpose.
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Low-risk third countries
Spain has also a list containing third countries whose travelers wishing to visit Spain for non-essential purposes may enter without COVID-19 testing or vaccination proof.
The list comprises the following countries:
- Argentina
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- Australia
- Indonesia
- New Zealand
- Kuwait
- Canada
- Bahrain
- Peru
- China
- Chile
- Colombia
- Rwanda
- Qatar
- South Korea
- Uruguay
*The list is updated regularly.
Travelers coming to Spain from one of the above countries do not need to provide negative tests or vaccination certificates. Nevertheless, they still need to complete the Spanish Passenger Locator Form online.
High-risk countries
Spain also regularly updates the list of countries considered as high-risk in terms of the potential coronavirus infection risk. The recent list comprising South African countries has been updated and now includes the following:
- Swaziland
- Malawi
- Botswana
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- Zimbabwe
- Mozambique
- South Africa
- Zambia
The list also comprises all 29 member countries of the Schengen Area.
All arrivals, even vaccinated ones, must show a PCR or antigen COVID-19 negative test result to enter Spain if departing from one of the countries from the above list.
Spanish entry restrictions in a nutshell
Fully vaccinated travelers departing from whatever place in the world can visit Spain without a coronavirus test result. It does not, however, apply to 'high risk' countries whose travelers need to provide a negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to the departure time, no matter their vaccination status.
An unvaccinated traveler coming from a country that is not part of the European Union or the Schengen zone can travel to Spain only for the essential purpose.
Every person going to Spain must fill out the Spain Travel Health form, which is an obligatory health declaration for every traveler arriving in Spain, regardless of nationality, age, or vaccination status. Its unique QR code will be checked upon entry to Spain.
The Spanish authorities also recognize the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate. EU travelers can use it to prove the recovery from coronavirus, negative test, or vaccination status.
Upon entry to Spain, every traveler should be prepared for health assessment, including temperature checking and visual examination.
The Covid-19 situation in Spain
Currently, there is no emergency state in Spain. However, some coronavirus-related restrictions remain in place. They may differ depending on the region.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Spain has seen over 5.7 million COVID-19 confirmed cases and over 89,000 covid-related deaths.
Summer 2021 was the time when Spain faced the Delta variant concern. Now, similarly to the rest part of the world, the country is tackling the newly emerged COVID-19 variant - Omicron.
As of the end of December 2021, over 84.8 million coronavirus vaccination doses have been administered in Spain, which accounts for over 80 % of the Spanish population being fully vaccinated.
