UK tourists heading to Spain this summer are being warned over a travel rule that, if broken, could end up in you being banned from most of Europe for up to three years.
With almost 18 million Brits jetting off to Spain in 2023 alone, it is safe to say that the post-Covid years have brought us back to normal when it comes to heading overseas and enjoying a bit of sun or a long weekend city break.
But life after Brexit has meant those who hold a UK passport no longer get the freedoms that came with belonging to a European Union (EU) member state.
Since Brits voted to leave the EU in 2016, life in Europe has changed significantly.
With freedom of movement now a thing of the past for UK passport holders, Brits must obey the rules that come with entering the Schengen Area.
If you have a passport from a country in the Schengen Area, you can freely move between all other countries that are also in the area. Spain is one such country but post-Brexit, we aren’t.
Heading to Tenerife? Take note (Getty Stock Images)
Schengen 90/180-Day Rule
This means that Brits are now subject to something called the Schengen 90/180-Day Rule.
Rather clunky sounding, it’s pretty simple in reality. It means that you can only go to Spain for up to 90 days within any 180 day period. So roughly three months in a six month window.
But the rule also applies to the other 26 countries in the Schengen Area, so if you visit any of them that also counts towards your 90 day quota.
There are 27 countries in the Schengen Area: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Brits love Barca (Getty Stock Images)
Overstaying your welcome
Under the Schengen 90/180-Day Rule, you can get in serious trouble for overstaying your welcome.
And by the end of 2025, you will flag on the EU’s official immigration system if you do this with the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) and European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
The systems will replace the need for old school stamping of passports. Instead, Brits will have their entry and exit in to the EU automatically registered through fingerprint scans, your name, and taking photos of your face.
If you overstay the 90 day allowance, you can expect to find yourself banned from the EU for up to three years. The EU says: “A non-EU national who stays in the Schengen area beyond 90 days (without a residence permit or long-stay visa) is illegally present, which can result in a re-entry ban to the Schengen area.
“Working in the Schengen area without a work permit is also illegal (even if less than 90 days) and can likewise result in a re-entry ban to the Schengen area. Depending on the Member State administrative penalties may also apply.”
Idyllic town of Garachico on Tenerife (Getty Stock Images)
Official UK government rules for Brits entering Spain
You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area of Europe which includes Spain.
This is 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
If you plan on working in Spain the rules are different and worth checking out on a case by case basis.