New entry requirements for Spain: What you need to know

Anyone traveling to Spain by air or sea (including children under the age of 12) must complete and sign an online Health Control Form and will need to check whether they need to obtain a visa to visit Spain. Visit www.spainvisa.eu for up to date information. You must present the QR code (hardcopy or digital) issued when you complete the online Health Control Form when you arrive in Spanish ports and airports.

Spain does not permit entry from Omicron-affected areas

Due to the COVID-19 Omicron strain, the Spanish Ministry of Health announced that arrivals from seven southern African countries would be prohibited on November 29.

Following the advice of EU President Ursula von der Leyen, who urged EU member states to halt travel to and from African countries where the Omicron virus subtype has been found, the decision was made. If there is any uncertainty about the new variant's risk, Von der Leyen recommended that all aviation travel to one of these territories be halted.

In order to stop the spread of the Omicron strain, all nationals of the following countries have been barred from entering Spain:

·         Botswana

·         Eswatini

·         Lesotho

·         Mozambique

·         Namibia

·         South Africa

·         Zimbabwe

Only Spanish citizens who meet particular entrance conditions can enter Spain after spending time in one of the Omicron-affected areas listed above.

Anyone returning from a virus variant area must submit a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of their arrival in Spain. The findings of a rapid antigen test are likewise acceptable, as long as documentation shows that the test was performed no more than 48 hours before entry.

Visiting Spain from the European Union and Schengen Area

Those traveling from most EU and Schengen Area countries do not need to be quarantined upon arrival in Spain as long as their infection rates are low.

Travelers to Spain from high-risk nations and regions must, however, produce a document proving that they have been immunized with one of the vaccines recognized by Spanish authorities as sufficient proof of immunity for travel, recovered from COVID-19, or tested negative for the virus.

The list of countries and locations where the COVID-19 disease is particularly prevalent is updated regularly. The list of these nations varies frequently; therefore it is recommended that anyone planning a trip to Spain do their own research.

In addition to the EU Digital COVID-19 Certificate, all EU/Schengen Area citizens arriving in Spain must fill out a health control form, regardless of vaccination status. Fill out the form in advance online or with the Spain Travel Health app if you're flying to Spain.

Those arriving from countries outside the EU/Schengen Area that are not on Spain's high-risk list do not need to show proof of vaccination, recovery, or a recent negative test result in order to enter the country.

The minimum age of entry is waived for children under the age of twelve. Everyone else has to follow the same rules.

Spain Travel Insurance is a must for travelers

People who plan on visiting Spain this summer should obtain travel insurance that covers epidemic and pandemic conditions so that they can save money if the Coronavirus situation changes unexpectedly and they have to cancel their trip.

Spanish nationals wishing to travel overseas should first obtain an insurance package, according to Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Canary Islands' municipal administration has already signed an insurance contract for tourists that will cover medical, quarantine, and repatriation costs.

COVID-19 Situation in Spain

Like many other European countries, Spain has been hard struck by the Coronavirus pandemic and is now seeing an increase in the number of cases related to Omicron. There have been 326,279,424 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide till January 17, 2022, with 5,536,609 deaths reported to World Health Organization. According to the same data, there are 7,930,529 confirmed cases of infection in Spain this month. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) data, 74.0% of Spain's population has been vaccinated, while 80.5% have received at least one vaccine dosage.