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Spain-Portugal border to finally open after three months 

The Local Spain
The Local Spain - [email protected]
Spain-Portugal border to finally open after three months 
Photo: Miguel Riopa/AFP

Portuguese authorities have announced that police checks at the border with Spain will be lifted from Saturday May 1st, allowing for non-essential travel between both countries for the first time since late January. 

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Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa made the announcement on Thursday April 29th, as part of his government’s plans to bring forward the country’s deconfinement plans in light of a more encouraging epidemiological situation. 

The border between Spain and Portugal was first closed on January 31st 2021 and the closure has been extended on numerous occasions since.

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People crossing the border between the two Iberian nations had to provide justified reasons to cross the border, such as returning to their residence in Spain, for study reasons, due to their status as cross-border workers and for other force majeure reasons. 

From Saturday May 1st, residents of Spain and Portugal will therefore be able to travel to each other’s countries for non-essential reasons, although you should consider the current restrictions in your part of Spain and how this could affect your journey before setting off. 

Portugal’s fortnightly infection rate has dropped in recent weeks and now stands at 66 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the lowest rate in the EU. 

Spain’s infection rate is now around 230 infections per 100,000 over the past 14 days, a rate which has been plateauing in recent days, giving Spanish health authorities the hope that the country’s fourth coronavirus wave isn’t as severe as previous ones. 

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