Spain will require international travelers from risk countries to have a negative PCR test in the 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain in order to enter the country, and their accreditation may be requested from the passenger at any time, as reported this Thursday by the Ministry of Health.
This measure, which will be published this Thursday in the Official State Gazette and will come into effect on November 23, is in addition to the health controls that are already carried out on all international passengers at the points of entry, including temperature control and visual control.
Thus, the novelty is that within the Health Control Form that every passenger must complete before entering the country, a question will now be included about whether they have a negative PCR test performed in the 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain. The document must be the original, written in Spanish or English, and may be presented in paper or electronic format.
When the Form could not be completed electronically, through the QR code generated through the website www.spth.gob.es or the Spain Travel Health-SpTH application, it may be presented in paper format before boarding. In this case, it must be accompanied by the original supporting document of the diagnostic test.
Designation of risk areas or countries
For the designation of risk areas or countries for which a PCR test will be required, in the case of countries of the European Union and Schengen associated countries, the criteria set out in EU Recommendation 2020/1475 of October 13 on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic will be taken as a reference.
As for third countries, the basic reference will be the basic accumulated incidence per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days, complemented by the capacities implemented as contemplated in the International Health Regulations, based on information provided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Travel agencies, tour operators and air or sea transport companies and any other agent that sells tickets must inform passengers of the obligation to have a PCR with a negative result in order to travel.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that this new measure complies with EU Recommendation 2020/1475, which aims to end the disparity of health control models implemented by the countries of the European Union.
