Spain is getting ready to welcome back unvaccinated travellers from non-EU countries in the coming days - meaning Brits who haven't had all, or any, of their Covid-19 vaccinations will soon be able to visit the country.
Whilst fully-vaccinated travellers have been able to visit Spain without needing to quarantine on arrival or even take a Covid test -providing they have a valid Covid pass that shows they've been jabbed - stricter regulations have been in place for some time for non-vaccinated British travellers entering the country, often stopping them from holidaying in mainland Spain or its Balearic Islands Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, reported The Mirror.
Currently, if you want to visit Spain from the UK you must either be fully vaccinated or have evidence to prove you've had Covid-19 - and have fully recovered from it - within six months of the date you intend to travel. Permission to enter the country without either of these things is very difficult to obtain, though exemptions have been made for unvaccinated young people aged 12 to 17 who have been permitted to enter Spain if they can show a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel, or proof of Covid recovery.
Read more: Spain entry requirements, vaccine and boosters, passport validity and new drinking rules explained
But now, the country is preparing to open up to non-vaccinated travellers from non-EU countries, Spain's minister for industry, commerce and tourism, Reyes Maroto, has confirmed. Ms Maroto spoke to Spanish radio station Onda Cero to explain that unvaccinated travellers will soon be able to visit Spain - but they will be required to have a negative Covid test.
Whilst the restriction barring non-vaccinated travellers to visit Spain is set to lift, there are still various rules and regulations in place in Spain. Among them, British passport-holders have strict requirements they must meet - and, in some areas, there are rules and regulations on how much alcohol can be consumed while in Spain.
UK passport validity rules in Spain
For full details on the current entry requirements, passport validity rules and drinking rules for Spain, click here.
Every British passport has an expiry date. Usually, an under-18's passport lasts for five years and an over-18's passport last for 10 years. But, depending on how many months were left on your passport when you renewed it, some people's passports have an expiry date slightly later than 10 years after the issue date. But unfortunately, these "extra months" aren't always valid.
According to the UK Foreign Office, people travelling to Spain must have a passport that has been:
- issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the "date of issue")
- valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the "expiry date")
"You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date," the Foreign Office website explains.
UK visa rules for Spain post-Brexit
You can travel to Spain - and other countries in "the Schengen area" - for a holiday or to visit friends and family or to attend a business meeting, a cultural event or a sports event or for short-term studies or training for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.
If you want to travelling to Spain or another Schengen country for more than 90 days, you need to apply for a visa. You also need a visa if you'd like to work or study for longer than 90 days in Spain.
Drinking rules in Spain
The Balearic Government, the Government overseeing Spain's Balearic Islands (Menorca, Majorca and Ibiza) has introduced new drinking rules, designed to combat excessing drinking on the islands. In certain areas of the islands, holidaymakers on all-inclusive holidays have a maximum limit of alcoholic drinks they can consume each day - and shops are only able to sell alcohol at certain times too.
Explaining the new alcohol limit, understood to have been introduced during the pandemic, Thomas Cook said: "Please be advised that a decree has been issued by the Balearic Government on a new restriction for All-Inclusive meal option. There is a maximum of six alcoholic drinks per person per day that can be served and these drinks will be provided only during lunch and dinner (three each).
"Please be aware that in Magalluf, El Arenal, Playa de Palma in Mallorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza, there is a new restriction on All-Inclusive."
The drinking limit is not currently in place in any other resorts than those listed above. Nonetheless, further restrictions are in place in those resorts including the ban of alcohol sales in shops between 9.30pm and 8am and some areas are no longer permitted to advertise "party boats" or offer discount drinks deals.
