With Brexit, the rules on travelling to Spain from the UK changed on January 1st 2021.
The UK is no longer a member of the European Union and UK Nationals must adhere to the travel requirements of Non-EU citizens. But what are they?
How to travel to Spain after Brexit
The most important thing you need to know about how to travel to Spain after Brexit is that you still can and, although it’s not as easy as it was pre-Brexit, it’s still a straightforward process.
The biggest difference is that UK Nationals can now stay in Spain for a maximum of 90 days in any 180 day period without a visa.
This rule applies to any of the Schengen zone countries of which Spain is a member. Prior to Brexit, a visa was not required.
Now Brits will need to organise a Spanish Schengen Visa at their Spanish Embassy or Consulate in the UK if they wish to travel to Spain after Brexit for longer than three months.
Visa regulations to travel to Spain after Brexit
This new visa regulation applies if you wish to travel to Spain after Brexit to study, for tourism, business, to visit family or friends, to attend events, etc.
You should also be aware that if you visit any other Schengen Zone country within the same 180 day period, this will also count in your 90 days quota.
However, any time spent in Spain with a visa and any visits to Spain or another Schengen Zone Country prior to January 1st 2021 do not count in your 90 days quota.
What about medical care in Spain?
UK Nationals still have the right to medical care within the Spanish National Health Service after Brexit.
Up until 2021 UK Nationals were able to carry the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which entitled them to medical treatment in Spain and any other EU country if they suffered an illness or accident during their stay.
Any EHIC cards which were issued prior to 2021 are valid until their expiration date, but there will be no further opportunity to apply for the European Health Insurance Card when travelling to Spain after Brexit.
The UK government has plans to roll out a similar new card that will cover UK Nationals for illnesses and emergencies when travelling in Spain and other European countries.
This will be the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). As yet the GHIC is unavailable and the advice is to purchase private travel insurance.
Do I need any special travel documents or follow any different procedures?
A valid passport is the vital travel document.
Your passport should be at least six months from expiring. The main difference at the passport and custom controls will be that UK Nationals will now need to use the ‘Non-EU Citizens’ passport and customs control points rather than the EU or EEA lanes.
So, that’s all you need to know about how to travel to Spain after Brexit. It’s different and a touch more complex!
However, organizing a trip to Spain is still very easy and Spain will still remain the UK’s favourite tourist destination, that’s for sure!
