Warning to UK tourists over 5 extra documents needed to enter Spain | UK | Travel
UK tourists travelling to Spain are being warned they may need to show five extra documents to enter the country.
All passengers are required to have a valid passport to be permitted entry, and in line with Schengen area rules, this must have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive and an ‘expiry date’ at least three months after the day you plan to leave.
Passports must be stamped by border control staff on entry into Spain, but tourists could also be asked to show up to five additional documents at Spanish border control.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns that UK tourists may need to show any of the following to border control staff:
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a return or onward ticket
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proof of your travel insurance
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you have enough money for your stay – the amount varies depending on your accommodation
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a hotel booking confirmation or proof of address if you’re staying at your own property
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an invitation or proof of address if staying with a third party, friends or family, such as a ‘carta de invitation’ completed by your hosts
If you’re asked to show proof that you have enough money to cover your stay, current rules state that the the minimum amount is at least 113.40 euros (£94.79) per person, per day, with a minimum of 1,020.60 euros (£853.07) or its legal equivalent in foreign currency.
This can be accredited by showing border officials cash, traveller’s cheques, payment letters or credit cards, which must be accompanied by a bank statement or an updated bank book.
If tourists have less than the minimum amount required, their entry into Spain could either be denied entirely, or the length of stay could be reduced in proportion to the amount of money they have available.
The FCDO also warns that tourists must get their passport stamped on entry and exit into Spain now that the UK is no longer part of the EU.
British nationals can travel to Spain, and other Schengen countries, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, so you’ll need a stamp to prove you haven’t overstayed the visa-free limit.
If your passport is missing a stamp, you must show evidence of when and where you entered or left the Schengen area – such as with boarding passes or tickets – and ask Spanish border guards to add the date and location in your passport.
The FCDO warns: “Make sure you get your passport stamped on entry and exit. If you’re a visitor, border guards will look at your entry and exit stamps to check you have not overstayed the 90-day visa-free limit for the Schengen area.
“If your passport is missing a stamp, show evidence of when and where you entered or left the Schengen area (for example, boarding passes or tickets) and ask the border guards to add the date and location in your passport.
“British nationals living in Spain do not need their passports to be stamped. Actively show your proof of residence, such as the foreigner’s identity card (‘la tarjeta de identidad de extranjero’ or ‘TIE’), when presenting your passport at Spanish border control.”
