ETIAS Spain for British
ETIAS APPLICATIONDiscover when and how to apply for the brand new ETIAS visa waiver for Spain and the European Union. This will be a mandatory requirement for British nationals visiting Spain from 2026 onwards.
Entry requirements for Spain from the UK
Third-country citizens from visa waiver countries with agreements with the EU (such as Britain, the USA and Canada) may enter Spain or any other Schengen member state with just a passport. The travel document must be valid for at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Area and must not have been issued more than 10 years ago.
It is not necessary to hold a visa to enter the Schengen zone for visits under 90 days within any 180-day period. Nevertheless, it will soon be necessary to hold a Schengen ETIAS visa waiver before travelling to this region, including Spain.
ETIAS is being introduced as a security measure to protect the Schengen Area’s borders and reinforce immigration rules. The process of applying for an ETIAS visa waiver will take a few minutes. ETIAS can be approved and issued in as little as a few hours.
When will ETIAS be necessary to travel from the UK to Spain?
ETIAS will become obligatory for UK travellers in 2026. The system is scheduled to go live and become mandatory from that time onwards.
When ETIAS is launched and fully implemented, British tourists and business travellers will need to hold a visa waiver to enter any country in the Schengen area, including Spain and Gibraltar.
The ETIAS travel authorization itself will be electronically linked to the holder’s passport and is valid for 3 years from its date of issue or until the passport it is linked to expires. It can be used for multiple trips to the Schengen zone and allows travellers to visit any country in this region.
How to apply for an ETIAS for Spain
When ETIAS is launched, travellers should apply for a visa waiver online. To complete this process applicants should meet the following requirements:
- A valid passport
- An active email address
- A credit/debit card
Prospective visitors should provide personal information, details about their trip (such as the first country they will visit in the EU), answers to security questions and their passport data.
Once the application has been completed, an email will be sent to the user confirming the visa waiver’s approval or denial. This will normally be received within 24 hours, although travellers are advised to allow up to 72 hours in case of inputting errors in their data.
Travel to Spain after Brexit
Despite Brexit, Spain and the EU still welcome British tourists. Short trips to the EU are permitted without a visa. When ETIAS launches it will only be necessary to apply online to get it. The electronic authorisation is valid for 3 consecutive years, unless the passport used expires before.
However, there are a few changes that UK passengers should be mindful of when entering Spain after Brexit. These include the following points:
- UK passports must be valid for at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from the European ETIAS countries
- UK passports should not be older than 10 years
- British citizens may not enter using the EU exclusive border gates
- Tourists may be asked to provide proof of funds to support their time in Europe and onward travel arrangements
- British nationals wishing to work in Spain or stay for longer than 3 months require a visa
- EU issued EHIC cards are no longer valid. British visitors must have health insurance coverage
Information about Spain
Spain is one of Europe’s southernmost countries and is one of its most popular tourist destinations. Over 83.7 million holidaymakers visited in 2019 alone.
Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia are three of the country’s most important cities and are home to its biggest population centres. Spain is also well known for its spectacular Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines, excellent cuisine and warm and sunny weather.
- Capital CityMadrid
- LanguageSpanish (Castillian), Catalan, Basque, Galician
- CurrencyEuro
- Plug TypesTypes C and F
- Emerency Phone Number112
Recommended insurance to travel to Spain
Since Brexit, British passport holders can no longer apply for EU issued European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC). Instead, it is necessary to get appropriate health insurance coverage before departing for Spain.
The British government has created the new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) as a replacement for the EHIC for UK citizens. However, this can only be used in EU member countries and cannot be used in the following Schengen member states:
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Switzerland
British consular services in Spain
Britain has consular missions in many locations across Spain. Some 300,000 British citizens are residents in the country and thousands more tourists visit each year.
The British government has offices in the following cities:
British Consulate Alicante
Alicante
Edificio Espacio Rambla Méndez Núñez 28-32 6ª planta 03002 Alicante Spain
British Consulate General Barcelona
Barcelona
Avda Diagonal 477–13 08036 Barcelona Spain
British Consulate Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria
Calle Luis Morote 6-3º 35007 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Spain
British Consulate Ibiza
Ibiza
Avenida Isidoro Macabich 45 1º1ª (corner with Calle Canarias) 07800 Ibiza Spain
British Consulate General Madrid
Madrid
Torre Espacio Paseo de la Castellana 259D 28046 Madrid Spain
British Embassy Madrid
Madrid
Torre Espacio Paseo de la Castellana 259D 28046 Madrid Spain
British Consulate Malaga
Malaga
Calle Mauricio Moro Pareto, 2 Edificio Eurocom 29006 Malaga Spain
British Consulate Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Carrer Convent dels Caputxins, 4 Edificio Orisba B 4ºD 07002 Palma de Mallorca Spain
British Consulate Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Tenerife
Plaza Weyler, 8, 1º 38003 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spain
Spanish consular services in the UK
Spain offers consular services in many cities across the United Kingdom. These offices can be contacted regarding travel information for Spain and for advice on obtaining work or residency visas for the country. The consulate and embassy facilities for Spain in the UK are as follows:
Consulate of Spain in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
1 East Craibstone Street Aberdeen, AB11 6YQ United Kingdom
Spanish Honorary Consulate in Belfast
Belfast
37-39 Rathfriland Street Banbridge, Co. Down, BT32, Northern United Kingdom
Spanish Honorary Vice Consulate in Birmingham
Birmingham
23 Michael Drive, Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2EL United Kingdom
Consulate of Spain in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
63, North Castle Street Edinburgh EH2 3LJ United Kingdom
Spanish Honorary Consulate in Glasgow
Glasgow
3rd Floor, 5 St Vincent Place Glasgow G1 2DH United Kingdom
Consulate of Spain in Jersey
Jersey
Linden House Bagatelle Road St. Saviour Jersey JE2 7TY United Kingdom
Consulate of Spain in Liverpool
Liverpool
Gladstone House 2 Church Road Liverpool L15 9EG United Kingdom
Embassy of Spain in the United Kingdom
London
39 Chesham Place London SW1X 8SB United Kingdom
Consulate of Spain in Manchester
Manchester
55 Brown Street Manchester, M2 1YB United Kingdom
The most important airports in Spain
Spain is home to a number of European hub airports. With its location in the westernmost corner of Europe and its proximity to Africa, Spain is a departure and arrival destination for many other countries around the world.
British nationals can use ETIAS to travel to any Spanish international airport or major land or seaport once the system is implemented in 2026.
The most important airports in Spain include:
Adolfo Suarez Madrid - Barajas
Madrid
MAD
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona - El Prat Airport
Barcelona
BCN
Palma De Mallorca Airport
Palma
PMI
Malaga - Costa Del Sol Airport
Malaga
AGP
Gran Canaria Airport
Gran Canaria
LPA
Alicante - Eleche Airport
Alicante
ALC
Tenerife South - Reina Sofia Airport
Tenerife
TFS
Valencia Airport
Valencia
VLC