Spain weekly update on entry requirements from third countries [29 November – 5 December 2021]

In response to the detection of a new COVID-19 variant in two African countries, the Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs, and Social Welfare of Spain has decided to create a list of “high risk” countries with stricter travel and entry requirements.

The problematic variant is called “B.1.1.529”, also known internationally as the Omicron variant. It first appeared on the international GISAID database on 22 November 2021. At the time, there were 58 infections of this variant in South Africa, 6 in Botswana, and 2 in Hong Kong.

Now, Omicron has extended for six continents, with 2 cases registered in South America (Brazil), 2 in North America (Canada), 63 in Europe (Sweden, England, Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Portugal, and Spain), 10 in Asia (Israel, Hong Kong, Japan), 6 in Oceania (Australia), and 225 in Africa.

More than half of cases in Africa (192) were spotted specifically in the south of the continent, with 1 case in Réunion Island, 19 cases in Botswana, and 172 cases in South Africa, with most infections (149) registered around the area of Johannesburg.

Spain starts a new list of high risk countries due to COVID-19 variant

Due to this data, the Spanish authorities have decided to take special measures regarding people traveling to Spain from South African countries. To apply the new rules in an organized way, the Ministry of Health of Spain built a list of high risk countries including South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Eswatini/Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zimbabwe (preventively).

From November 29th, 2021, people coming to Spain from these countries will be obliged to present an approved Health Control Form via QR code and a certificate of a COVID-19 diagnostic test with a negative result at the Spanish borders. The diagnostic test must be taken within 72 hours before arrival (if it’s a nucleic acid amplification test, such as PCR or TMA) or 48 hours for a rapid antigen test, independently of the traveler’s vaccination status.

The list will be reviewed on Sunday 5 December 2021 by Spain’s Ministry of Health and it will be adjusted according to the latest infection rates of the Omicron variant around the world.

In the meanwhile, other third countries not on the high risk list will continue to be considered at risk and banned from entry to Spain except for Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, China (including the territorial authority of Taiwan and the special administrative regions of Macau and Hong Kong), Indonesia, South Korea, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and Rwanda.

In Europe, all the countries with registered cases of Omicron were already on the list of risk countries. The main modification to this list is the suppression of specific areas of some EU/Schengen Area countries, so now, the entire countries are considered at risk. These countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and The Netherlands.