Spain lifts ban on flights from UK from March 30

Negative PCR still needed but arrivals no longer limited to residents and passport holders

A passenger arrives at Barcelona Airport, November 23, 2020 (by Cillian Shields)
A passenger arrives at Barcelona Airport, November 23, 2020 (by Cillian Shields) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

March 23, 2021 04:45 PM

Spanish authorities have lifted the ban on arrivals from the United Kingdom from March 30 for those who are not residents nor Spanish passport holders. 

Arrivals will, however, still have to provide proof of a negative PCR test upon entry to the country.

Flights from the UK were originally suspended on December 22 after the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, warned of the existence of a new Covid-19 strain that is more contagious and "out of control." 

The decision was confirmed by the Council of Ministers of the Spanish government on Tuesday. 

At the same council meeting, the authorities extended the restriction of entry into Spain from Brazil and South Africa, two countries where other variants of Covid-19 were discovered and spread.

These latest measures will take effect at 6 pm on March 30, Spanish time, and last until midnight on April 13. 

From both Brazil and South Africa, flights occupied only by Spanish or Andorran citizens as well as residents of the two countries can land in Spain, or else transit passengers travelling to a non-Schengen Area country with a stopover of less than 24 hours.

The Spanish government has clarified that the restrictions do not affect staff working on aeroplanes. Also excluded are flights from state aircraft, rescue services, flights with stops at Spanish airports for non-commercial purposes and destined for another country, exclusive cargo, and humanitarian, medical or emergency flights.

Compulsory quarantine

Any arrivals from the following countries must self-quarantine for ten days upon arrival to Spain. Otherwise, the traveller can leave quarantine after seven days if they take a PCR test that returns negative results. 

Brazil 

Botswana

Colombia

Comoros 

Ghana 

Kenya

Mozambique

Peru

South Africa

Tanzania

Zimbabwe 

PCR tests for international arrivals

Spain requires travelers from countries severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to present a negative PCR test upon their arrival.

In order to be allowed into Spain by sea or air, visitors will have to demonstrate they have tested negative for the virus within 72 hours prior to travelling.

The full list of countries affected is published on https://www.mscbs.gob.es/ and on https://www.spth.gob.es and is updated every two weeks – every new update comes into force seven days after being published.

Here's the latest list of countries (valid from March 29 to April 11):

EEA countries

Austria 

Belgium 

Bulgaria

Croatia  

Cyprus 

Czechia

Denmark 

Estonia 

Finland 

France 

Germany 

Greece 

Hungary 

Ireland 

Italy 

Latvia 

Liechtenstein 

Lithuania 

Luxembourg 

Malta 

Netherlands 

Norway (except the regions of Møre og Romsdal and Trøndelag) 

Poland 

Portugal 

Romania 

Slovakia 

Slovenia 

Sweden

All non EU-EEA countries except the following

Australia

China 

Chinese administrative region of Hong Kong

Chinese administrative region of Macao

Rwanda 

Singapore 

South Korea

Thailand