Spain has already reopened for tourism. The country first opened its doors to tourists from within the European Union. As one of the most popular summer destinations for Europeans, Spain is hoping to attract thousands of tourists into the country this summer, despite being one of the hardest-hit-countries in the pandemic.
Unlike the other European countries, Spain has not yet established a COVID-19 Passport, but the country is ready to connect to the EU Digital COVID Passport Gateway. With increasing vaccination rates and decreasing rates of Covid-19 cases, Spain is now ready to welcome foreign tourists.
If you are planning to visit Spain this summer, here’s everything you need to know.
Who Can Travel to Spain?
Travelers coming from most EU and Schengen Area countries are able to enter Spain as tourists without having to undergo quarantine or submit any requirement.
Almost all regions in Italy and Germany have recently been removed from Spain’s list of high-risk areas because of the decreasing Covid-19 cases in these areas. As such, Spain will now allow the entry of arrivals from both Italy and Germany without having to show proof of vaccination, recovery, or negative test result.
So, here’s a list of countries from within the EU and Schengen Area whose citizens are allowed to enter Spain as tourists with no restrictions.
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Ireland
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- Switzerland
In addition, some travelers arriving from third-countries considered by Spanish authorities as “safe”, and have reciprocal agreements with Spain, will be able to enter the country as tourists. These include the following countries:
- Albania
- Australia
- Israel
- Japan
- Lebanon
- China (subject to confirmation reciprocity)
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Rwanda
- Serbia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Thailand
- United States of America
*As of July 2021
Spain Entry Requirements for Those Permitted to Enter As Tourists
All tourists entering Spain are required to fill out the Health Control Form. This form can be accomplished online. After completing the form, a QR code will be generated. Make sure to keep a copy of this QR code since this must be presented upon arrival in Spain.
It’s also possible to print the form and present it in paper format. A separate form must be filled out for each trip and for each individual passenger.
Upon arrival in Spain, all travelers are subject to health assessments, such as temperature checks and visual examinations to determine any symptoms.
According to the Spanish authorities, travelers from the United States and the other third countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Spain as tourists must show proof of having been vaccinated with any of the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Restricted Entry for Arrivals From Specific Countries
In order to prevent the entry of new Covid-19 infections into Spain, the country has implemented stringent rules on tourists coming from specific countries.
In line with the guidelines from the European Center for Disease Control, travelers coming from high-risk countries can only enter for essential purposes and must present a negative COVID-19 test result performed within 72 hours prior to arrival. A documentation proving that the person has no symptoms of the virus can be requested at any time while in Spain.
Travelers arriving from India will be subject to a 10-day quarantine upon entry into Spain. Moreover, Spain has extended the ban on non-essential travels for travelers coming from the other third-countries not mentioned above. This includes Algeria and Morocco.
Recently, the Spanish authorities announced that travelers from the UK will have to undergo stringent measures when entering the country as tourists. This is due to the increasing spread of the Delta variant within the country. UK travelers must present either a negative Covid-19 test that was taken within 72 hours or proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days before travel.
In addition, Spain has extended the ban on non-essential travel for visitors from South Africa and Brazil. According to the new restrictions, travelers coming from these two countries will not be allowed entry into the country for non-essential reasons.
As for the travelers from the other countries not mentioned on the list above, they cannot enter Spain as tourists at the moment, unless they have special permission to do so.
