Spain has decided to tighten border controls for travellers from several African countries, due to the emergence of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, who must present a negative test even if they are fully vaccinated, and those from the UK (excluding Spanish residents), who will only be able to enter the country if they have proof of full vaccination from December 1st.
This morning (Saturday), two general provisions were published in the BOE, one from the Ministry of Health and the other from the Ministry del Interior, which limits the requirements for people to be able to enter Spain (including the Canary Islands) from the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini / Swaziland, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
On the one hand, those coming from high-risk countries must provide a Sars-CoV-2 diagnostic test with a negative result as of this Saturday, carried out no later than 72 hours before arrival, regardless of whether they are vaccinated or have passed the disease or not
This is stated in the general provision of the order of the General Directorate of Public Health, saying that the new omicron variant detected in South Africa, Belgium, and now the UK, presents “numerous mutations related to a possible increase in transmissibility and a decrease in the effectiveness of antibodies".
It states that: “This new situation highlights the need for an agile mechanism that allows the adoption of additional health control measures for people from high-risk countries due to a significant worsening of their epidemiological situation, or in those countries where new variants of particular concern have been detected."
Citizens of third countries are subject to a temporary restriction of non-essential travel throughout the EU, which in Spain is regulated by an order from the Ministry of the Interior that was also published this morning.
According to the BOE, from Wednesday 1st December, Spain will only allow the entry of people from the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland with a vaccination certificate and not with negative diagnostic tests for covid or having overcome the disease, which was accepted up to now, until the end of the year, midnight on New Year's Eve.
This applies to anyone aged 12 or over, under 12's are exempt, so if you have young children and you are vaccinated, you are not affected. However, the age is specified as 12 because 12-19-year-olds in Spain can be vaccinated, but this is not the case in the UK as 12-15-year-olds can't, so if you have children in this age category you will not be able to bring them into Spain, including the Canary Islands.
From that date, entry may be denied to travellers from these countries who cannot show a vaccination certificate (NHS for travellers from the UK) that the Ministry of Health recognizes for entry.
Countries not affected at the moment:
The list of third countries that are not affected by these restrictions is reduced to Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and China, as well as the Hong Kong and Macao and Taiwan regions.
