Spain will require international travellers from high-risk countries to possess a negative coronavirus test

Spain will require international travellers from high-risk countries or areas to possess a negative coronavirus test (PCR-test) in the last 72 hours in order to enter the country. This new resolution will be implemented as from 23 November (from 16 November in the Canary Islands), Spanish Ministry of Health announced yesterday. 

This new measure will be added to the existing FCS health control form and the temperature and visual control checks. When the form has not been completed electronically, via a QR-code, through the official website or via the official application (Google Play and/or App Store), it may also be submitted in paper before boarding.

Passengers can always be subject to an additional COVID-19 diagnostic test at the airport, upon arrival in Spain.

In Schengen, the criteria for passengers of risk areas or countries that will be required to carry out a PCR-test will be based on the EU Recommendation 2020/1475 (13 October).

Belgian passengers are thus obliged to carry out a PCR-test. Currently in the Schengen-zone, only inhabitants of Norway, Finland and Greece are exempt of the test.

For countries outside of Schengen, another reference will be the basic incidence accumulated per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days supplemented with the capacities implemented as contemplated in the International Health regulations, based on the information provided by the European Centre for Prevention and Disease Control (ECDC).

Travel agencies, tour operators and air or maritime transport companies and any other agent that sells tickets to Spain must inform passengers of the obligation to have a negative PCR-test in order to travel.