Travel from UK - Page 2

With thanks to Chrisso50 who posted this in the Non Lucrative Visa Thread, I have reproduced his post in total:

Chrisso50 wrote on Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:30pm:

I’m afraid the article in The Local is incorrect. Spain is not letting third country Brits off the leash ... Many media outlets, especially in the UK have been reporting that Spain has now ‘opened the borders’ to UK tourists.

Unfortunately that is not the case. The changes that come in after March 30th only allow people to enter, whose reasons to enter are deemed ‘essential’ and not tourism.

The essential categories are below.

This is the info supplied by the Spanish government and UK government late yesterday.

“Permitted reasons to enter Spain after 30 March 2021 from 6pm (GMT+1) on 30 March 2021 (5pm / GMT in the Canary Islands), passenger travel between the UK and Spain will resume, however entry restrictions and testing requirements will remain in force. 

“Only Spanish citizens, and those persons who are legally resident in Spain or those who can demonstrate through documentary evidence an essential need to enter Spain, will be allowed to enter the country. 

“Permitted circumstances include:

*Holders of a long-stay visa issued by a Member State or Schengen Associated State, who are travelling onto said country.

*Health professionals, including health researchers, and elderly care professionals who are going to or returning from essential work.

*Transport personnel, seafarers and aeronautical personnel.

*Diplomatic, consular, international organizations, military, civil protection and members of humanitarian organisations.

*Students who carry out their studies in the Member States or Schengen Associated States and who have the corresponding permit or visa and medical insurance, provided that they are travelling to the country where they are studying, and that entry occurs during the academic year or 15 days previous.

*Highly skilled essential workers whose work cannot be postponed or carried out remotely, including participants in high-level sports events due to take place in Spain.

*People traveling for imperative family reasons who can demonstrate an essential need to travel.

“All of the circumstances above must be justified by documentary evidence. You should be aware that you may be questioned on arrival by Spanish border authorities to ensure you meet the entry requirements and the border authorities will only grant entry if they are satisfied that your journey to Spain is essential and reserve the right to deny passage.”

So Spain is not ‘open’. The UK is just going to be placed in the normal list of third countries requirements/restrictions. There were special measures until 30 March because of the British variant of Covid. This still means no tourists are allowed.

https://www.boe.es/eli/es/o/2020/07/17/int657

(The above link is to the official state bulletin that lists the above information - Darío)

A friend posted a link  to me yesterday in which the article stated that the current Schengen restrictions as far as the UK is concerned are being extended until 30 April 2021.

Richard

Just saw this - thought maybe pertinent.  I make no comment, this posted for interests sake

British arrivals sent home from Alicante airport

Dozens of British passengers arriving at Alicante-Elche airport have been escorted back onto a plane and returned to the UK after being refused entry into Spain.

An easyJet flight from London Gatwick touched down on Friday but only Spanish nationals and officially resident passengers were allowed through passport control.

Despite having fulfilled criteria to leave the UK – where foreign travel currently remains illegal – they were escorted back onto the same airliner.

According to the Spanish government and confirmed by the British Embassy in Madrid, the people had jumped the gun and did not meet regulations to enter the country. 

Full report in Costa Blanca News – in the shops on Thursday this week due to the Easter holidays.

So can I travel from Ireland to Spain?

If you have an Irish passport. Yes, however I understand Ireland is cracking down on travel 

I have seen brits all being turned back at alicante.

Does anyone know when on the spanish side it is being reviewed for second home owners?

That is going to depend very very much on how “the numbers” are following Semana Santa.  Whilst Guardia Civil have been stopping cars, a hell of a lot are getting through from the cities to their second homes, ignoring the government ban on travel and visiting people they don’t live with.

EU are pushing through a “vaccine passport” which they actually aim to implement in June, so in reality more likely July ... there is going to be a spike after Easter, the question is how severe and our vaccine rollout, while progressing still has a long way to go.  I can’t see the relaxing of restrictions before this vaccine passport is introduced - but that is just a guess based on what I witness here.

Can I ask how the EU passport will help U.k. visitors gaining entry.   Am i missing something as usual ?

It may be that an EU vaccine passport is what UK travelers will require to enter Europe once introduced, in effect a “visa” if you like.

I see Gove was saying that NHSX have been tasked with creating the UK digital vaccine certificate.  This is the same company that handled the UKs disastrous Track and Trace App, so if their track record is anything to go by, it’s not going to be arriving anytime soon - if ever.

I’m dreading going back into the EU. Everything is so complicated. I hope there is a vaccine passport that is a simple process 🙈.   Bad enough for humans but with our dogs it’s a total nightmare. Having to time a test , a ferry crossing, if it goes! then animal health certificates for Spain, and another for France, just incase we need to enter the EU there!   I’m getting far too old to be trying this twice a year 🥺.  and then there’s the return journey lol.