Spain tightens Covid entry requirements for much of Europe

The Spanish government has updated its list of "risk" countries and areas, with more arrivals from within the EU now required to show Covid certificates proving vaccination, recovery, or a recent negative test.

Passengers arriving by air or sea from all regions of Belgium, Croatia, Malta, the Netherlands (excluding Caribbean Netherlands) and Portugal will have to provide this health documentation, as will those arriving from an increased number of regions in Denmark, Finland, France and Greece.

On the other hand, all regions of Italy and Czechia have been removed from the risk list, as have certain regions in Sweden and Norway.

The latest list of "risk" countries and regions (which can be seen in full below) came into force on Monday and applies until the end of Sunday, July 25.

No changes have been made to the list of non-EU/EEA countries.

The list is based on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's color-coded map, which last week saw Catalonia turn dark red, putting it in the highest risk category, with a 14-day cumulative Covid-19 case notification rate of 500 or more per 100,000 inhabitants.

Arrivals from at-risk areas, which still include most countries worldwide, must provide a document that either shows:

• The traveller has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain
• The visitor has a negative result from a diagnostic test, within 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain for a NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test, e.g. RT-PCR, RT-LAMP, TMA), or within 48 hours for a RAT (rapid antigen test)
• The person has recovered from Covid-19, after the disease has passed, provided that more than 11 days have elapsed since the first positive NAAT test was performed. This will be valid for up to 180 days thereafter

For full, regularly updated details on requirements to enter Spain, go to: https://spth.gob.es/

Brazil, South Africa and India

Tougher requirements are in place for people wanting to enter Spain from India, Brazil or South Africa.

In the case of India, all passengers must quarantine themselves for ten days upon arrival, or for the entirety of their stay in the case that its shorter than this period. They can stop quarantining if they provide a negative test on their seventh day. In addition, they must provide negative test results before boarding, as well as test negative in the airport upon arrival. These restrictions were originally published on April 27 and last extended on July 8, until July 24.

For travelers coming from Brazil and South Africa, only citizens or residents of Spain can enter the country, while also following the same criteria as passengers from India. The Spanish cabinet has agreed to extend these restrictions several times since February 2. The latest extension was agreed on July 13, until August 3.

Full list

The full list of countries deemed at risk is as follows:

EU/EEA

NB: At-risk zones in brackets. Where no regions specified, the whole country is deemed at risk.

Belgium

Croatia

Cyprus

Denmark (Hovedstaden, Midtjylland, Nordjylland and Sjælland)

Finland (Etelä-Suomi and Helsinki-Uusimaa)

France (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Réunion, Île-de-France, Occitania and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur)

Greece (Attiki, Kriti, Dytiki Ellada, Dytiki Makedonia, Ionia Nisia, Ipeiros, Notio Aigaio, Peloponnisos and Thessalia)

Ireland

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Malta

Norway (Rogaland)

The Netherlands (Groningen, Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (NL), Gelderland, Limburg (NL), Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrech, Zeeland and Zuid-Holland)

Portugal

Sweden (Övre Norrland)

 

All countries outside EU/EEA except for:

Albania

Armenia

Australia

Azerbaijan

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brunei

Canada

China

Israel

Japan

Jordan

Kosovo

Lebanon

Montenegro

New Zealand

Qatar

Moldova

North Macedonia

Rwanda

Saudi Arabia

Serbia

Singapore

Switzerland

South Korea

Thailand

United States of America

Hong Kong

Macau

Taiwan