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TRAVEL: What are Spain's Covid rules for international arrivals in June?

The Local (news@thelocal.com)
The Local ([email protected])
TRAVEL: What are Spain's Covid rules for international arrivals in June?
What do you need to know to enter Spain? Photo: JAIME REINA / AFP

Travel rules are still quicky changing due to the pandemic, so here's a reminder of what EU and non-EU travellers heading to Spain in June 2022 need to do and show.

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What's the latest?

On May 21st 2022, Spain opened up to unvaccinated non-EU/Schengen tourists for the first time in more than two years.

They can now travel to Spain if they show proof of a negative Covid-19 test. 

READ MORE: Spain’s new rules for unvaccinated non-EU tourists

What this means is that Spain now has the same rules for EU and non-EU visitors who wish to travel to Spain: proof of Covid-19 vaccination (plus booster shot if applicable) or negative Covid test or proof of recovery.

Below is a closer look at the rules for all international travellers arriving in Spain by sea or air in June 2022.

 

EU travellers

On April 6th, the Spanish government dropped the requirement for those travellers with an EU Digital Certificate to fill out its Health Control Form before entering the country. If you are an EU citizen, you must show your EU Digital Covid Certificate in order to enter Spain. 

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The EU Digital Certificate shows one of three things:

  • That you have been vaccinated against Covid-19. According to the Spanish government, your vaccination certificate must have been issued at least 14 days after the date of administration of the complete course of vaccination. However, if you received your last vaccine dose more than 270 days (nine months) ago, your certificate must show the administration of a booster dose as well. 

  • You have a negative Covid test result. The diagnostic certificate must be a negative PCR or similar test (NAAT-type test) issued less than 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain, or a negative antigen test, issued less than 24 hours before arriving in Spain.

  • You have a recovery certificate from Covid-19. The recovery certificate must be issued by the relevant authorities or medical service at least 11 days after the first positive test result. The certificate will no longer be valid 180 days after the date of your test. 

Spanish citizens and residents

If you are a Spanish national returning to Spain or a resident of Spain coming back after a trip, you can show your EU Digital Covid Certificate to enter the country. 

This shows that you have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, have a negative test result or that you have a recovery certificate. 

Spanish residents and nationals who haven’t been vaccinated against Covid-19 can enter with a negative Covid-19 test. This can be a NAAT or PCR test obtained 72 hours before arrival in Spain or an antigen test, taken within the last 24 hours. 

If you have an EU Digital Certificate or equivalent you will not have to complete Spain's Travel Health Form. 

READ ALSO: Spain reduces validity of antigen tests for travellers from 48 to 24 hours

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Non-EU unvaccinated travellers

On May 21st 2022, Spain opened up to unvaccinated non-EU/Schengen tourists for the first time in more than two years.

That means unvaccinated tourists and other visitors from outside of the EU can travel to Spain if they show proof of a negative Covid-19 test. These are the same rules that apply to EU nationals and residents.

You need to show either a negative PCR test, which must be carried out in the 72 hours prior to departure to Spain or a negative antigen test, 24 hours prior to departure.

Children under 12 years of age are not required to present a health certificate of any kind.

Non-EU vaccinated travellers

Vaccine certificates must show:

  • Your full name
  • Date of vaccination
  • Type of vaccine
  • Number of doses that have been administered
  • The issuing country
  • The organisation that issued the vaccine certificate

The Spanish government states that the vaccine certificate must have been issued at least 14 days after the date of the final dose of the complete vaccination course.

If your last vaccine dose was administered more than 270 days (nine months) ago though, it must also show a booster shot. 

Spain accepts vaccines that have been approved by the European Medicines Agency EMA.

Recovered non-EU travellers

According to Spain’s Health Ministry, recovery certificates accepted as valid are those “issued at least 11 days after the first positive NAAT or RAT, and up to a maximum of 180 days after the date of sampling”.

NAATs – nucleic acid amplification tests – are usually PCR tests whereas RATs stand for rapid antigen tests. The Covid test must have been carried out by an accredited laboratory; self-test kits are not valid. 

Spain's Travel Health Form

If you are from one of the 40 non-EU countries which have joined the EU Digital COVID Certificate system, meaning that their equivalent certificates are accepted in the EU under the same conditions as the EU Digital COVID Certificate, you do not have to fill out Spain's Health Control Form. Passengers from all other countries must complete it.

The list of countries with equivalent certificates includes places such as the UK, New Zealand, Israel, Singapore and Malaysia, but does not include the US, Canada or Australia. Click here to see the full list of countries included here or to check the validity of your certificate click here

The form can be found here if you do need to complete it. 

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READ ALSO:

With regards to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the EU has barred all Russian-owned, Russian-controlled and Russian-registered planes from all of its airspace, including the airspace over Spain. They will not be able to take off or land anywhere in the EU, or fly over EU airspace. This includes commercial airlines and private jets.

All flight connections between Spain and Ukraine have been cancelled, and Ukraine has also closed its airspace. There is, however, no travel ban on Russia, so people can still travel between Spain and Russia on either a non-Russian airline or by road, rail or sea. 

Russia has retaliated by closing its airspace to airlines from 36 countries, including Spain, so Russian tourists may not be able to fly home again and may have to resort to other modes of transport. 

Commercial airlines are also avoiding airspace around Moldova and Belarus, following Russia's invasion.

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British

Travellers from the UK follow the same rules as the rest of the third countries. This means that they can enter with a negative Covid-19 test, be fully vaccinated, or show a recovery certificate. 

Remember, if you received your vaccine more than 270 days ago, your vaccination certificate must also show a booster dose. 

It's not necessary to fill in a Health Control Form, you can show your NHS digital Covid pass to prove that you've been vaccinated or recovered instead. 

Read here to find out the full details for travelling from the UK to Spain. 

READ ALSO - TRAVEL: Spain to allow unvaccinated UK teens to enter with PCR 

Americans

In order to enter Spain, those traveling from the US can show proof of a negative Covid-19 test, proof of Covid-19 vaccine no less than 14 days and no more than 270 days (nine months), prior to arrival in Spain. 

If you received your vaccine more than 270 days ago, your certificate must also show a booster dose. 

Like those from other non-EU countries, they can now also show a recovery certificate issued in the last six months. Read here to find out the full details for Americans travelling to Spain. 

READ ALSO: Spain lifts Covid-19 checks at French border

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