Negative PCR tests required to enter Spain from Monday

As of Monday, November 23, anybody entering Spain via air or sea travel from high-risk countries must provide a negative PCR test to enter the country. 

The test must be acquired in the country of origin and be taken no more than 72 hours before travelling. 

The measure will require all arrivals to present an original document, either digital (through the Spain Travel Health App) or paper, in Spanish or English proving the negative result of their test.

For EU countries and those within the Schengen area, risk levels will be determined by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The ECDC will publish a map every week with the current risk status of regions indicated by a traffic light system of green, orange or red, as determined by the 14-day incidence and positivity rates of Covid-19.

As confirmed by Spanish health minister Salvador Illa, arrivals to ports and airports in Spain from countries in the orange category will not have to provide evidence of a negative PCR test.

The EU has published recommendations on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the pandemic, but each member state can decide on what exact measures to apply to the countries in each of the various risk categories. 

Airlines and ferry companies when be asked to double-check that PCR tests have been performed before boarding. Existing controls such as temperature checks, paperwork and visual observation will continue as before. If anything unusual is noted, an antigen test will be performed.

Travellers could face a potential fine if they cannot present a valid PCR test certificate, or, in the case of coming from a third country, denied entry to Spain if they fail an antigen test.

People arriving from the rest of the world will be labelled 'at risk' when the number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days is above 150.

The full list of countries affected will be published on https://www.mscbs.gob.es/ and on https://www.spth.gob.es and will be updated every two weeks – every new update will come into force seven days after being published.

Here's the latest list of countries (working from January 11 to January 24):

EU-EEA countries

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark (except for Greenland and Faroe Islands)

Estonia

France (except for Brittany and the islands of Corsica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Réunion)

Germany

Greece (except for Attica, Dytiki Ellada, Peloponnese, Sterea Ellada, Voreio Aigao, Epirus, Ionian Islands, Crete, and Notio Aigaio)

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

The Netherlands

Norway (except for Agder, Innlandet, Møre og Romsdal, Nordland,

Rogaland, Trøndelag, Troms og Finnmark, Vestfold og Telemark and Vestland)

Poland

Portugal (except for The Azores)

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Sweden

Non EU-EEA countries

Albania

Andorra

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Belize

Bermuda

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Curaçao

Eswatini (Swaziland)

French Polynesia

Falkland Islands

Georgia

Gibraltar (United Kingdom)

Guam

Iran

Isle of Man (United Kingdom)

Israel

Jersey (United Kingdom)

Jordan

Lebanon

Moldova

Monaco

Montenegro

Morocco

Namibia

North Macedonia

Palestine

Panama

Paraguay

Puerto Rico

Russia

Saint Martin (The Netherlands)

San Marino

Serbia

South Africa

Switzerland

Tunisia

Turkey

Turks and Caicos

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States of America

United States Virgin Islands

Uruguay