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Reader question: Can I travel to Spain if I’ve had both doses of the Covid vaccine?

The Local Spain
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Reader question: Can I travel to Spain if I’ve had both doses of the Covid vaccine?
Photo: JENS SCHLUETER / AFP

Travel to Spain is currently heavily restricted, but does it make a difference if you have been vaccinated?

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Travel to Spain has been restricted for a while now, with most travellers from outside the EU (including US citizens) barred since last year, while tighter restrictions were placed on travellers from the UK in December 2020.

UPDATE:

This all means that family members haven’t seen each other in a long time and that many who own a second home in Spain, haven’t been able to visit their properties for a long time, let alone those who want to travel here for holidays. 

So, does being fully vaccinated – having received both injection doses – give you a travel exemption and allow you to travel to Spain?

Unfortunately, no. Spanish nationals, foreign residents who can prove residency in Spain and travellers from the EU whose own countries don't have travel restrictions that prevent them from leaving can come to Spain (following the lates rules in the link below) but Spanish authorities haven’t changed any of their rules yet with regards to other travellers, regardless of whether they've been vaccinated or not. 

Travellers from some countries with low infection rates will be able to make the journey, including those from Australia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, China (subject to reciprocity) and the regions of Hong Kong and Macao. CHECK HERE FOR EU UPDATE

UPDATE: What are the latest rules for travelling to Spain?

These Schengen-wide agreements are still being used by Spanish authorities as the criteria to allow travellers in, rather than whether individuals from any non-EU country have received both vaccine doses. 

That also means that travellers from South Africa and Brazil who have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine can, for now, not visit Spain unless they are residents or nationals.

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The ongoing restrictions on flights from South Africa and Brazil are in place until at least March 30th in order to contain the new strains of coronavirus in those countries.

The same restrictions apply to travellers from Colombia, Peru, Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

For travellers in other non-EU nations such as the United States, non-essential travel to Spain continues to be restricted until at least March 31st

READ ALSO: When will Americans be able to travel to Spain again?

However, it may be possible that being fully vaccinated will make a difference soon.

Spain, along with several other EU countries, has been discussing the idea of ‘Digital Green Certificates’, essentially a type of vaccine passport.

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced the plan for a 'digital green pass' in a speech to German lawmakers at the beginning of March. 

"The digital green pass would provide proof that a person has received the vaccination as well as test results for anyone who has not yet been vaccinated. It would also include information on recovery for anyone who has previously contracted Covid-19", she later tweeted. 

Later, on March 17th, the Commission adopted a legislative proposal establishing a common framework for the Digital Green Certificates, which they hope to roll out by mid-June. 

Spain’s tourism industry has been campaigning for vaccine passports for a while. Last month, Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto reiterated her government’s commitment to seeing internationally recognised Covid immunity passports or certification approved. 

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"Spain will support any tool that facilitates the recovery of safe travel and mobility," Maroto told journalists, adding that she hoped Spain will be seen as "a country that’s open to the world" and with safe “tourism protocols”.

Spain’s vaccine rollout is still in its relatively early stages, with only people in care homes, the over 80s, health and keyworkers, such as teachers and those in the emergency services having been vaccinated so far.

READ ALSO: Spain's Covid-19 vaccine calendar: When will I get it? 

The vaccines are currently being administered to those in their 70s, as well as those with underlying health conditions.

Spain hopes to vaccinate the majority of its adult population by the end of summer.

Those living in the EU are currently allowed to enter Spain, however, travel is not being encouraged and those who do enter should have specific reasons for doing so – tourism not being one of them.

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