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I’m confused again (it doesn’t take much). We’re due to fly to Spain for half term, all fully vaxxed but on checking various sources it’s not clear if we’ll need a negative test as well? The Spanish government website just sends you to a page about entering from 3rd countries which suggests that you do also need a test, though it’s still not 100% clear. Anyone been recently (or about to)?
Easyjet says no test required for fully vaxxed so hopefully that’s correct!
The Spanish government health website is rather unhelpful as it doesn’t adequately distinguish between 3rd country nationals and other nationals travelling from those countries.From the health ministry site (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spth.htm):
“Any third-country national will be subject to denial of entry, for reasons of public order or public health, unless they belong to one of the following categories:”
work your way through them to option (k) and you see:
“Persons with a vaccination certificate, that the Ministry of Health recognizes for this purpose, after verification by the health authorities, as well as their accompanying minors (under 12 years of age). In the case of persons residing in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who come directly from the United Kingdom, they must also arrive in Spain with a vaccination certificate as of 1/12/2021.”
So as long as fully vaxxed, or under 12, you don’t need a test.
- This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .
Thanks @elguiri, yes I’ve seen that. The problem is that only says you have to be vaccinated and not that you don’t also require a negative test. I wouldn’t advise relying on an English translation either, as they can be ambiguous.
There are a lot of misleading headlines flying around – my MIL is convinced she is going to need a negative test for Menorca as well!Also, the below is found in section ‘Health control form and accepted certificates’:
“Additional requirements: EU Digital COVID Certificate and other certificates
If you come from a country/area considered at risk for COVID-19, you must present a certificate or document certifying vaccination, an active infection diagnostic test (AIDT) or recovery from COVID-19. These certificates will be different if they have been issued in a country of the European Union (EU Digital COVID Certificate) or in a third country.
If you come from a HIGH RISK country, at the health controls on arrival in Spain, you will be required your SpTH QR code together with a vaccination or recovery certificate and, in addittion, a SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test certificate with a negative result.”
From you second post, I think you are referring to non-UK residents/nationals. It seems from the above text EU and UK nationals are treated the same.
As long nobody comes from the High Risk Country list (and it does only refer to country you come from, not your nationality), then you don’t need to do a test. My interpretation, but don’t believe it could intend anything else.
Also the Spanish health travel site (where you get your QR code from) has the same interpretation:
https://www.spth.gob.es/info-pcr“REMEMBER: If you come from a country/are area considered of risk, you must bring with you one of the certifying certificates/documents, listed below:
EU Digital COVID Certificate issued by a member state of the European Union, or a COVID-19 certificate issued by a country with which the EU has established equivalence with the EU COVID Digital Certificate. These countries can be consulted on the website of the European Union (EU). The certificate may contain one or more of the following documents attesting to the fact that a person:
has been vaccinated against COVID-19, with a complete schedule or booster dose. In the case of a complete vaccination schedule, you should check the validity periods: from 1 February 2022, this certificate will be valid from 14 days after the administration of the last dose of the complete vaccination schedule and will be valid up to 270 days from the administration of this last dose. Thereafter, in order to be valid, the vaccination certificate must reflect the administration of a booster dose.
a diagnostic test (sample collection) has been performed within 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain for NAAT (nucleic acid amplification tests, e.g. RT-PCR, RT-LAMP, TMA) / 24 hours for RAT (rapid antigen test), the result of which has been negative.
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, and shall be valid for up to 180 days thereafter.If you come from a HIGH RISK country/territory, in order to pass the health controls on arrival in Spain, you will have to present your SpTH QR code together with a certificate of vaccination or recovery, and also a certificate of diagnostic test for active SARS-CoV-2 infection (AIDT), with a negative result.
NON-EU CERTIFICATE, THIRD COUNTRIES: it is any of the supporting documents listed above, but issued by non-EU countries, in a format readable by airport health control staff.
Children under 12 years of age are not required to present these certificates or supporting documents.”
They would be very badly organised if both the sites had incorrect requirements for travellers.
I arrived in Spain yesterday.
Fully vaxxed – no tests needed. You just need to complete the Spanish locator form.
Enjoy!
Thanks all – yes just need it not to change between now and next weekend! We’re taking our £40 flights from the easyJet “giveaway” last year, current cash price is £171 so quite happy 😁
Thanks all – yes just need it not to change between now and next weekend! We’re taking our £40 flights from the easyJet “giveaway” last year, current cash price is £171 so quite happy 😁
I think the Spanish requirements (for Brits anyway) has remained unchanged since it reopened last year, despite the rise in cases and new variants etc so i doubt anything will happen in the next week!
@MattB – no, there has been at least one major change which was the requirement to be fully vaxxed which came in on December 1st, so I’m not assuming anything! Also something changed on Feb 1st but that might have been the testing requirement for the unvaxxed.
I’ve got to wait a few more weeks before my trip to Southern Spain. I’ll be checking their websites each week for any changes too, but for fully vaxxed with boosters at end of Dec, I’m hoping nothing changes.
You don’t need to test, but you do need to be be able to show you are fully vaxed (proof of recovery from prior infection is not accepted as an alternative to vax status.) If your second dose was more than 270 days ago, then you also need to be boosted. And you need to complete the health form.
https://travelsafe.spain.info/en/latest-news/
There was a vote this week to extend the order, in effect since Xmas, obliging the wearing of masks outdoors, but today the health minister announced this decree will be repealed next week:
Great news! Happy to wear one where it can be shown to make a difference but outdoors is just crazy unless you’re physically penned in somewhere with loads of other people.
@Scott – yes, this is my 3rd visit in 7 months so I am au fait with the vaxx and form filling but the rule changes are hard to keep up with!- This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .
The 270 day vaccination is important. Most people will need to have had a booster jab.
Yes, I’ve got a friend who’s a nurse in a vaccination clinic and she said she’s delivered quite a few boosters to people saying they need it for their holiday.
Yes, I’ve got a friend who’s a nurse in a vaccination clinic and she said she’s delivered quite a few boosters to people saying they need it for their holiday.
Why hasn’t everyone had their booster already anyway – odd that going on holiday was the catalyst for them to go.
I know a few people that had covid just after Xmas so weren’t able to get their boosters until the past week or so.
Hi Anna. My wife and I land into BCN this Thursday 🤞. My belief is that it’s Fully Vaccinated (which means Booster for many) + Health Declaration Form but I’ll confirm when we get to the hotel for you.
My understanding from a chart on the Spanish website is that different rules apply to Eu nationals no matter what country they come from … is that correct ?
Yes – they don’t have to be vaccinated but in that case they DO still need to have a negative test or (can’t remember if they can still use proof of recovery, this was abolished for some groups). So actually more hassle for them than for vaccinated Brits.
@scott I found that the nhs recovery certificate is valid in the EU . Where does it say it’s not valid for Spain ? My son is 13, had one jab ando covid in December . (
We have Italian passport)@scott I found that the nhs recovery certificate is valid in the EU . Where does it say it’s not valid for Spain ? My son is 13, had one jab ando covid in December . (
We have Italian passport)
@Caba21 From the site I linked to in my earlier post, it states:“29/12/2021 –…Tourists who are British nationals or legal residents in the United Kingdom are only able to travel to Spain from the UK with a vaccination certificate (a certificate of recovery or a certificate of a diagnostic test for active COVID-19 infection with a negative result are not valid).”
At the bottom of that text, you can follow to link to ‘More Information’ (albeit en Español)
Afternoon all, can anyone who has been very recently to Tenerife confirm the current mask situation please? Just indoors only? Thanks
Afternoon all, can anyone who has been very recently to Tenerife confirm the current mask situation please? Just indoors only? Thanks
Indoors only
Keely – probably very similar, we visited several different places in the Costa del Sol area last week (Mijas, Marbella, Ronda, Malaga) and some were wearing masks outside and some weren’t but there was never any feeling that the non-wearers were unwelcome or disapproved of, it was very live and let live. Enjoy the sunshine – it was a very unpleasant shock getting into a freezing cold bed at 1.30 this morning when we got home 😂
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