The entry regulations for the most popular overseas destination for British travellers appear to have changed once again.
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Spain to say that unjabbed UK visitors must take a test within 72 hours of arrival.
Previously, the rule had required the certificate to have been issued within 48 hours of reaching Spain. The authorities in Madrid had said: “The diagnostic certificate must illustrate a negative PCR (NAAT type), test result taken within 48 hours of arrival into Spain.”
This requirement had caused confusion and concern, because it obliged travellers to judge when the test result might be delivered – with the risk, if they took a test between 48 and 72 hours of arrival, that the certificate might be issued too early, and regarded as expired.
Now, though, the FCDO says: “The Spanish government requires all arrivals to Spain from the UK (excluding children under the age of 12 years old) to present on entry one of the following:
- documentation certifying that you have undertaken a COVID-19 nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT - e.g. PCR, TMA, LAMP or NEAR) within 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain and tested negative.
- proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain.”
Spain’s tourism ministry has confirmed to The Independent that the new Foreign Office guidance is correct.
The change came a day after the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, moved Spain’s Balearic islands from the “green list” to the “amber list” – meaning that unvaccinated arrivals to the UK will need to self-isolate.
