Spain To Extend Restrictions On International Travellers Until June 15
Spain News
Published: 15 May 2020 14:57 CET
Updated: 15 May 2020 16:57 CET
On Friday, Spain’s Official State Gazette (BOE) published an order to extend the restrictions on all non-essential travel for anyone entering Spanish territory until June 15.
The travel restrictions for entering EU space went into effect on March 17, and was a recommendation issued by the European Commission “to prolong the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU until June 15”. Brussels did, however, ask it’s member states to allow free internal movement for European citizens.
All essential travel will not be affected by these temporary measures that have been put into place.
These unprecedented travel conditions have been established to help fight against the spread of COVID-19, which has, according to the official count, claimed over 27,000 lives in Spain.
The Spanish government also recently announced that as of today and until the end of the ‘state of alarm’, a 14-day quarantine for international travellers would be required.
As well as the 14-day quarantine, all non-essential travel to Spain will be heavily restricted. This means that the Spanish authorities will only allow Spanish citizens, permanent Spanish residents and regular residents of the Schengen area (the 30 countries that include the EU members, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Andorra) who are travelling to their place of residents, into the country.
Exceptions have, however, also been made for cross-border workers, caregivers and healthcare professionals who are on their way to work and diplomats and individuals who can prove their travel is essential, including for all humanitarian reasons.
The ruling also stipulates that authorities have the right to turn away EU citizens and their relatives for public health reasons if they are not “registered as residents of Spain, or headed directly to their place of residence in another member state, Schengen-associated state of Andorra”.
An exception has also been made for “the spouse of a Spanish citizen, or partner in a similar relationship that is registered in a public registry, and for descendants and parents living with the citizen, as long as they are travelling with this citizen or on their way to reunite with him or her”.
This order goes into effect tomorrow, May 16 and will remain in place until midnight on June 15. This pushes travel restrictions beyond the current state of alarm date that is due to end in Spain on May 24. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, has, however, said that he will ask Congress for permission to extend this until June 29.
