With the e-gate and new UE entry schemes being messed about with by the EU authorities, the Foreign Office has advised Britons to use the desks staffed by border officers. “If you’re aged 18 or over, and airport staff instruct you to, you may be able to use e-gates when they are working. If you use an e-gate, make sure you get your passport stamped,” is the advice.
Also, with the summer holidays looming, the Foreign Office is reminding Britons that Spain follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must: have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Visa requirements
You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Spain, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies if you travel:
as a tourist
to visit family or friends
to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events
for short-term studies or training
The requirements for working in Spain are different.
If you’re travelling to other Schengen countries as well, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day visa-free limit. Visits to Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days. If you overstay the 90-day visa-free limit, you may be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to 3 years.
If you are visiting Spain and need to extend your visa-free stay for exceptional reasons, such as a medical emergency, you must apply to the immigration authorities (‘Extranjería’) (in Spanish).
Make sure you get your passport stamped on entry and exit. If you’re a visitor, border guards will look at your entry and exit stamps to check you have not overstayed the 90-day visa-free limit for the Schengen area.
If your passport is missing a stamp, show evidence of when and where you entered or left the Schengen area (for example, boarding passes or tickets) and ask the border guards to add the date and location in your passport. British nationals living in Spain do not need their passports to be stamped. Actively show your proof of residence, such as the foreigner’s identity card (‘la tarjeta de identidad de extranjero’ or ‘TIE’), when presenting your passport at Spanish border control.
At Spanish border control, you may need to show:
a return or onward ticket
proof of your travel insurance
you have enough money for your stay - the amount varies depending on your accommodation
a hotel booking confirmation or proof of address if you’re staying at your own property
an invitation or proof of address if staying with a third party, friends or family, such as a ‘carta de invitation’ completed by your hosts
New Schengen entry requirements
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is expected to start in October 2025. It is not currently in operation. The European Union will inform about the specific start date of the EES before its launch.