Spanish President Pedro Sánchez: “This summer we will safely receive all visitors”

The president announced that, from 24 May, Spain will allow the entry of British tourists and nine other nationalities, without restrictions or sanitary requirements. In addition, from 07 June, all people with the full schedule of vaccines authorised by the EMA or the WHO will be able to travel to Spain, regardless of their destination of origin.

The President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, presented at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) the Digital Covid Certificate of the EU that was agreed yesterday between the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament.

“With the Digital Covid Certificate, Spain will resume all its economic activity safely and we will achieve mobility within the European Union this summer,” Sánchez commented. The president clarified that this is not to be treated like a passport, nor a travel document, and it is not a requirement for travel. “It is a mechanism that will facilitate mobility, as well as arrival and passenger transit, and which will be launched as of 01 July,” he specified.

The main benefits of the Green Digital Certificate are its simplicity and interoperability for the entire European Union, as well as the fact it is free and universal. By means of a QR code, it will provide information on whether the person travelling is vaccinated, has contracted the disease, or has a negative PCR test result. In Spain, the regions (Comunidades Autónomas) will manage the issuing and delivery of the certificates in electronic or paper format.

List of countries without restrictions

The ministerial order was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) that allows the entry of travellers from safe non-EU countries, among which the following countries are found:

• Australia
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• Israel
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Rwanda
• China
• United Kingdom
• Japan

All these countries have been included on the list of safe countries and therefore travellers from these countries will not face health checks upon arrival in Spain. “This is, without a doubt, great news” the president added.

In addition, Sánchez explained that, as of 07 June, tourists from countries with which there is not full freedom of movement, the United States currently being among them, may enter Spain provided they have a certificate showing they have completed the full vaccination schedule authorised by the European Medicines Agency or the World Health Organisation.

Regarding EU Member States, travellers from safe European territories, those coming from countries listed as green according to the classification of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), will not have to meet sanitary entry requirements. Travellers coming from European Union territories catalogued as orange, red or dark red according to the ECDC traffic light system will be able to enter Spain with a negative PCR test or, as of 07 June, with the full schedule of authorised vaccines by the EMA or WHO.