COVID guidelines for travellers to Spain and Portugal

From May 17th 2021 the UK government lifted its blanket ban on foreign travel and introduced a traffic light system which, in parallel with the FCDO advice and the receiving country's own requirements, outlines the restrictions and requirements applicable to foreign travel.

Here's our 'simplified' guide to the current regulations and what they mean for travellers to Spain and Portugal:

as of August 27th – click here for official listing

Mianland Portugal is categorised AMBER

Mainland Spain is categorised AMBER

Important notes:

Categories will be revised every three weeks according to the government’s plans.

FCDO travel advice, considered as the basis with regard to cancelation terms where the Package Travel Regulations apply, may not always fully align with these categories and should always be consulted when making plans and before travelling. FCDO advice is deemed to be 'live' and applicable on a rolling basis to travel arrangements where departure is imminent.

It is essential that you take out reliable travel insurance which covers you should you get COVID or test positive whilst abroad.

You may need special insurance arrangements if you decide to visit a country to which the FCDO advises against all but essential travel at the time of your trip.

Check the gov.uk step-by-step checklist for travelling abroad and the Entering the UK page which also details the specific requirements for travelling or returning to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Special note - New criteria applicable from 19 July:

• From 19 July, arrivals who have been fully vaccinated with an NHS administered vaccine in the UK (plus 14 days), or are on a formally approved UK vaccine clinical trial, returning to England from amber list counties will no longer need to quarantine. Passengers will need to provide proof of their vaccination status to carriers in advance of travel.

• Pre-departure testing and day 2 testing measures to remain.

• Children under the age of 18 to be exempt from quarantine on returning to England from amber countries.

• The recommendation for people to not travel to amber countries will also be removed from 19 July. People should continue to check FCDO travel advice before booking travel.

Quarantine and Testing Requirements for children (July 19th onwards):

Every passenger will need to complete a passenger locator form and an in-destination COVID test prior to your return trip to the UK regardless of the category of your destination country - please  click here for details of the testing requirements and see below for details of where to get a test in each country.

Currently the requirements mean that you will need to organise tests both at home in the UK and in your holiday destination prior to return. For all tests to be performed in the UK (must be ordered and purchased prior to your departure from the UK) our association AITO have secured a special deal with Randox – please  click here for full details of Randox services.

Here are the offers and the codes you will need to access the special pricing:

Please note – these packages currently assume that the destination country will require a negative pre-departure test result as part of their entry requirements, this may not be the case - please check below. If flying to Spain you may also need a 'fit to fly' test, please check with your carrier (NB. Brittany Ferries do not require any test currently). Also, the situation is subject to change so we would advise checking the requirements close to the time of your trip, perhaps three weeks before travel, though we would advise that you don’t leave it too late as demand is high.

We can also offer a 20% discount on all  testing services offered by CHB Medical UK

• Go to the website
• Select what you need from the drop-down menu under the header PCR Home Test
• Add to basket
• Apply code AITO20 in box on the left
• The new price is displayed on the left of the page (you may need to scroll down)
• Proceed to checkout

Please note - please do check that your selected supplier offers a weekend service if you require it. If in doubt, please telephone them to confirm they can deliver what you require on time for your trip.

Regardless of the destination's traffic light category, or your own COVID vaccination status, you are obliged to take a COVID test within 72 hours of your return journey to the UK.

Through our association AITO we have secured a special deal with Qured for their Rapid Pre-departure Test which you can take with you from the UK and which is overseen by video link backed up with photographic proof from wherever you are in the world.

Here is the step-by-step process (you can see this in more detail and fully up to date on their webpage but do take note of the promo code):

1.Go to  qured.com select 'Book Now' 

2. Select 'sign up' and create your account.

3. Select the test type 'Pre-departure Rapid Test' .

4. Enter your delivery address.

5. Select the delivery type.

6. Enter the promo code: 'AITO10'

7.  10% discount will be applied.

8. Confirm the information is correct and confirm the booking.

You will be emailed the booking confirmation and the test kits will be sent by post.

The testing process is overseen by video link with a medical professional and you will need to send a photo of the test result alongside your photo ID to the lab which serves as proof. It is therefore recommendable that you ensure you can use a stable WiFi connection at the time of testing.
When the results are released, the account holder will be sent an email and text. You can then login and view the results from the 'history' section on your account.

Please note: Qured also supply tests for days 2 & 8 after returning to the UK but there’s no obligation to order all the tests from the same supplier.

From May 24^th 2021 Spain is open to tourists from the EU and the UK.

From June 2nd until further notice all travellers coming from the UK will have to present a negative PCR test (see above for test providers) or proof of full vaccination i.e. two doses plus 14 days (see 'NHS App - Certify and share your COVID status' below).

• Those who have had both jabs will need to show a vaccination certificate issued by UK authorities either electronically or in print at least 14 days from the last vaccination dose.
• Those without both vaccinations must show a certificate illustrating a negative PCR test result taken no more than 48 hours before arriving in Spain. Antigen tests will not be accepted.
• Children under 12 are exempt from the requirement to present a negative PCR or vaccination certificate when travelling with an adult.

Prior to travelling to Spain, all passengers must also present a QR code obtained by filling in the Health Control Form available via Spain Travel Health (SpTH).

You will need to carry a copy of the Spanish FCS Health Form filled out for each passenger.

Please check FCDO travel advice for Spain  for up-to-date information including entry requirements and for more detailed information about entry requirements from the UK, Ireland and a host of other countries visit Spain’s excellent Travel Safe website. The site also includes information about which measures are in place for each region via an easy-to-use interactive map.

The Spain Travel Health website  is the official site for entry requirements and to fill out the FCS health form (obligatory for each individual visitor) and get your personal QR code which must be presented at the border control – click here to see a short video.

If travelling with Brittany Ferries you must carry a paper copy of the health form which will will be collected by their staff on boarding.

Before returning to the UK:

You will need to organise and complete a COVID test to be carried out within 72 hours of your return to the UK.See Rapid Pre-departure Test offer above.

From May 17^th 2021 Portugal is open to tourists from the EU and the UK.

From September 1st all travellers over the age of 12 entering Portugal from the UK will be required to  either  present a negative test result or show EU certified proof of full vaccination i.e. two doses plus 14 days.

Travellers from the UK who have an EU Digital Covid Certificate are exempt from showing a negative covid test.
IMPORTANT NOTE: fully vaccinated UK residents who hold an NHS vaccine certificate are still required to show a negative Covid 19 test before departure

All other travellers from the UK, from 12 years old, are still required to present a negative Covid test before travelling. Under 12 don´t need to show a Covid test.
The test can be an antigen lateral flow test done within 48 hours before travelling or a PCR test done up to 72 hours before departure.

Passengers required to undergo prophylactic isolation (quarantine) must register at https://travel.sef.pt

All tvisitors will need to fill in a Portuguese passenger locator form and obtain a locator card before arrival in Portugal.

You will also need to either produce proof of a RT-PCR test done up to 72 hours before travelling showing a negative result, it is compulsory to all passengers from the age of 2 years old (infants don´t need to present a PCR test).

Please note - at the time of writing it is hoped that Portugal will shortly confirm acceptance of the NHS vaccine certificate as an alternative to a negative test. We will update this page as and when such confirmation is announced.

Before returning to the UK:

You will need to organise and complete a COVID test to be carried out within 72 hours of your return to the UK. Please click here for a list of providers. or see Rapid Pre-departure Test offer above.

As always we advise that you read our terms and conditions thoroughly and contact us should you have any doubts.

To make booking easier we are currently accepting a reduced deposit of 15% and have reduced the balance-due period so that payment is due five weeks prior to travel rather than the standard ten weeks.

At that stage, five weeks prior to travel, you can choose to pay the balance and lock in the dates or postpone to a later time with no administration charges.

With regard to cancellations due to COVID virus and associated restrictions please see the following sections as applicable:

For package holidays (those which include travel, typically a car hire or ferry crossing) see Section C Clause 31 "If you Cancel your Package Holiday due to Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances".

For accommodation only holidays (where no travel element is included)  see Section A Clause 11 "Events Beyond our Control".

We strongly recommend registering for the EHIC or GHIC health insurance card before undertaking travel to any EU country.

The card is free of charge and will allow you to access  state-provided, medically necessary, healthcare when you're visiting an EU country

Please click here for information on the EHIC / GHIC card and how to apply for a new GHIC card.

Should you wish to carry proof of your COVID vaccination status the NHS smartphone app (rather than the NHS Covid-19 contact tracing app) now includes that functionality:

Though at the time of writing this has no direct application or benefits with regard to international travel between the UK and Mainland Spain or Portugal this situation may change.

You may also find it useful to share your COVID status whilst on holiday particularly should you require medical assistance for whatever reason.

Due to the constant updating of the information regarding the restrictions and measures caused by COVID-19 contained on this website, before travelling, it is your own responsibility to consult the requirements and recommendations of the public bodies and competent national authorities in each country.

Casas Cantabricas take no responsibility for the information shown here and will not be liable for any issues arising should said information be incorrect or out of date at the time of your travel.

The information found on this website is not binding and has no regulatory effect. Likewise, it is based on the information gathered from the official websites of the countries listed.