Slowly but surely new regulations are coming into force in the post-Brexit era. The latest “chestnut” is that you have to get your passport stamped when you arrive and depart from Palma airport. This was to be expected really because of the new 90 day rule (nonresidents can now spend just 90 days on the island every six months) but it will still cause problems if more staff are not on duty at Palma airport in the immigration department.
Imagine a busy Saturday with thousands of British tourists arriving at almost the same time. Granted that even before Brexit, Britain was not a member of the Schengen travel area and British citizens had to show their passport on arrival, but now it has to be stamped as well. So a passport stamp and also all the Covid rules and regulations mean that British travellers at Palma airport will face a considerable delay. The 90 day rule is hugely unpopular and there are fears that it could hit British tourism and the lucrative holiday home market.
A campaign has been launched urging the Spanish authorities to have a rethink but so far they are standing firm. It is just another example of how Brexit is affecting our daily lives in Spain. I am not complaining but you would thought that the we could have been warned. This is a British government matter. There was a general school of thought that Brexit would not really affect our lives in Spain.
This is far from the case. From a shortage of British food favourites to a passport stamp, Brexit, is slowly affecting our lives on Mallorca. I sincerely hope that the 90 rule is abolished because otherwise I can see problems on the horizon.