Government clarification: Compulsory testing for Brits across Spain

UK travelers are required to show a negative PCR test from Friday to go on holiday in Spain. At first it was said that this only applies to holidaymakers with the goal of the Balearic Islands.

In the morning, the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on the radio that, because of the dangerous Delta variant, British travelers would have to present a negative PCR test in the future if they want to go on holiday to the Balearic Islands.

Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said in a tweet in the afternoon that testing would apply to all of Spain. She recently specified again: The regulation will come into force on Friday.

Tomorrow the new regulations for entry from Great Britain will be published in the Spanish legal gazette, 72 hours later they will come into force. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry confirmed that they apply not only to entry into the Balearic Islands, but to all of Spain ARD.

Short transition period

With the waiting period of 72 hours, they wanted to give tour operators the opportunity to adapt to the changed regulations, Sanchez had explained in a radio interview. After that, vacationers and other travelers from Great Britain must submit a negative corona test or prove that they are fully vaccinated.

Spain’s islands await a rush from the British

The British government will put the Balearic Islands on a green list from Wednesday morning. This means that, for example, British Mallorca vacationers no longer have to be quarantined when they return home. Therefore, a rush of British tourists is expected on the islands. Since the compulsory test does not take effect until Friday, numerous British tourists could come to the Balearic Islands untested by then.

Because the proportion of the dangerous Delta variant in Great Britain is very high, Germany classified the United Kingdom as a virus variant area five weeks ago. Since then, entry from Great Britain has only been possible in exceptional cases.

Portugal is also tightening entry rules

The recent massive increase in the number of infections and the spread of the Delta variant in Portugal is also associated with British vacationers – although Portugal required a negative corona test upon entry. As of today, British visitors to Portugal have been quarantined for 14 days.