Spain weekly update on entry requirements from third countries [20–29 December 2021]

There is a new list of risk and high risk countries effective from 20 December 2021 to 29 December 2021 in Spain.

The list was elaborated and published by the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Spain as it does on a weekly basis. This means that the list will be revised next week.

For now, the new list of risk areas in the European Union and the European Economic Area includes the Romanian regions Bucureşti-Ilfov, Centru, Nord-Vest, Sud-Est, Sud-Muntenia, and Vest. The rest of the areas in Romania are not considered at risk.

Other EU/EEA countries at risk are Ireland, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Latvia, Bulgaria Liechtenstein, Croatia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Malta, Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Poland, Finland, Portugal, France, Germany, Slovakia, Greece, Slovenia, Hungary, Sweden, Iceland, and the Netherlands. These are all red, dark red, orange, and grey risk areas according to the o Council Recommendation 2020/1475.

People coming from these countries must present the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) upon arrival in Spain. The DCC is valid in all the European Union and certifies the traveler’s vaccination or recovery status, as well as a recent PCR or NAAT test with a negative result. Therefore, it’s an essential prerequisite to travel to Spain in a safe way.

Third countries at risk

Third countries are, as usual, all considered at risk except for a list proposed by Annex I Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/2150 of 2 December 2021, which amends the Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction.

Requirements for entry in Spain from third countries are subject to Order INT/657/2020 from the Ministry of Interior, which is the application of EU Council Recommendation 2020/912.

The list currently includes:

• Argentina
• Uruguay
• Chile
• Colombia
• Peru
• China
• Hong Kong (special administrative region)
• Macao (special administrative region)
• Taiwan (territorial authority not recognized as a state by at least one Member State of the European Union)
• Bahrain
• Australia
• Canada
• Indonesia
• Kuwait
• Qatar
• New Zealand
• South Korea
• United Arab Emirates
• Saudi Arabia
• Rwanda

High risk areas

The list of high risk countries created due to the spread of the Omicron variant remains the same this week, with a focus on southern African countries around South Africa, where the Omicron variant was first discovered in November 2021.

This list includes:

• Botswana
• South Africa
• Zambia
• Namibia
• Lesotho
• Zimbabwe
• Eswatini/Swaziland
• Malawi
• Mozambique

Due to the potential risk to public health, the Spanish authorities have imposed special rules for people traveling to Spain from these areas:

• They must take a COVID-19 test upon arrival, regardless of their vaccination status or recovery status.
• They must isolate themselves for 10 days, although they’ll be able to shorten the travel quarantine to 7 days if they take another COVID-19 diagnostic test on the 7th day and they obtain a negative result.

As always, all travelers from any list must complete the Health Control Form on the Spain Travel Health web if the traveler is taking a plane to Spain, or on the Maritime Spain Travel Health web if the traveler is taking a ferry to Spain.