UPDATED: New requirements for UK arrivals to Spain from Friday 2 July – full details
Latest: Coronavirus in Spain figures (6 July)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Radio SER on Monday morning that Spain is to require a negative PCR or proof of full vaccination against Covid-19 for British tourists arriving to the country from Friday onwards. Initially, some Spanish media had reported that it only applied to arrivals in the Balearic Islands.
The comments from Sánchez come a few days after the UK decided to include the Balearic Islands in the ‘green traffic light’ of international destinations to which its citizens can travel without the need to quarantine upon return, from 4am this Wednesday 30 June. The rest of Spain will remain on the UK’s amber list.
Although Sánchez specifically referred to the Balearic Islands during his radio interview – mainly because of a recent macro outbreak of cases in Mallorca and the imminent arrival of British tourists to the islands – the new measures apply to all parts of Spain.
‘We are going to apply the same requirements to British tourists as to European tourists. Either vaccination or negative PCR to be able to travel to the Balearic Islands. We will apply it in 72 hours so that tour operators and tourists can adapt,’ said Sánchez.
The Spanish government had originally announced that travellers from the UK can visit Spain without the need to quarantine or provide a negative PCR Covid test, since 24 May. Filling in a health control form, however, is required. The reason for now tightening the restrictions is due to concerns over the delta variant of Coronavirus.
‘The cumulative incidence rate in the UK has been progressing negatively during these last few weeks. It is far above 150 cases [per 100,000 inhabitants] in 14 days, and that’s why we have to take an additional precaution with respect to the arrival of British tourists to our country,’ Sánchez said on Monday.
Spain’s Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzàlez Laya has tweeted that ‘British citizens will require a certification of full vaccination or a negative PCR (72hrs) to enter Spain’ and later added that ‘the new measures will be published in the State Gazette on Tuesday and come into force on Friday’.
Tourism: we welcome 🇬🇧 citizens to spend their holidays in 🇪🇸
— Arancha González (@AranchaGlezLaya) June 28, 2021
From tomorrow British citizen will require a certification of full vaccination or a negative PCR (72hrs) to enter Spain ❤️#WelcomeBack #SpainForSure #YouDeserveSpain @MAECgob @GlobalSpain @ukinspain @EmbSpainUK
Spain’s Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto also tweeted on Monday: ‘We are going to require the British travelling to Spain to present a vaccination certificate with a complete schedule or a negative PCR in 72 hours. A difficult decision, but necessary to preserve the safety of our destinations.’
🆕🔴 Vamos a exigir a los británicos que viajen a España presentar un certificado de vacunación con pauta completa o una PCR negativa a 72 horas (spth).
— Reyes Maroto (@MarotoReyes) June 28, 2021
Una decisión difícil, pero necesaria para preservar la seguridad de nuestros destinos. https://t.co/qeIj1y0ETX
The recent macro outbreak of cases in Mallorca continues to result in positive cases of Covid among young people from different parts of Spain.
The president of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol, requested last week that foreign health authorities should carry out tests to detect Coronavirus at source from British tourists arriving in the archipelago.
Click here for all previous reports on: Coronavirus in Spain
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