Entry requirements Portugal and Soain

You have credit cards, right? Then you will be fine. No one will ask you about money.

Thanks for your reply. Breathing easier now…

I’ve been to Spain 7-8 times as a US citizen on vacation and I’ve never been asked a question by passport control.

This is what Spain says: https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/toronto/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Condiciones-de-entrada-en-Espana.aspx The thought of people like us being forced to carry a copy of our last bank statement is obscene. Ignore it, the law is not intended for people like us. If there are any questions at the border just refer the Spanish authorities to this forum post.

If you’re concerned, save a copy of a bank statement to your phone. Chances are nobody will ask for it or your credit card. With EES you may never converse with an immigration official upon arrival at all.

Then again, you could be the random person immigration decides to stop and ask. Your choice.

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I few to Spain in early September. No one asked me about money or requested proof of my financial well-being.

There you go! Mary is obviously one of us, and if they didn't ask her they sure as heck won't ask us. Further proof is me. I entered the EU at Madrid for a few day stay in Spain in July. I didnt get checked either. So thats proof positive we are above all of this. And if they do, then again i would tell the authorities to reference this forum thread.

Good idea about the bank statement on your phone. It wil save you from having 2 sheets of paper throw you over the carryon weight limit. But I would go back and read the rules and restrictions I posted above. Again, not that the Spanish government ever intended any of this for us.

Thanks everyone! I feel less concerned now.

Glad your mind is at rest. To to enusre no other concerns, two other issues that come up with Spain from time that were only ment to apply to tourists, and not to us.

• The requirements for who must carry their passport and when (Ley Orgánica 4/2000)
• The legislation regarding the bringing in of personal medication (Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2015, de 24 de julio).
  

But the most excellent news is:

Under international rules set by the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO Annex 9), the airline that brought you to a country
is generally obligated to transport you back to your point of origin
or another place where you are admissible if you are refused entry

So you never have anything to lose.

While few are asked, or queried, the EES kiosk that you should first interact with may ask a number of questions, among those, a common one is something to the effect of "Do you have proof of sufficient funds for your trip?" If you answer "No" you likely will be talking to a border agent, "Yes" you may go through the e-gates, or you may still go to a manual line to see a person. (This is also if they are using the kiosks)

There are a number of requirements that travelers on the visa-waiver program (like us from the USA, Canada, etc.) are required to meet, including the monetary one that seems to get lots of attention. Others would be "proof of onward travel", be able to state the purpose for your trip, and sometimes proof of some type of medical coverage. You can also be asked about your plans or where you are staying. They can even, if you appear injured or ill, deny you entry.

Like others said, it is rare you are asked to provide hard proof of anything, but you may be asked the question. If you give a plausible answer, then you move on, if not, then they ask more questions, or ask for proof. Also, as mentioned, older Americans rarely get a second look, we are "low risk" apparently, but be a disheveled looking 20 something with only a rucksack, a very loose itinerary, with no return ticket, and the equivalent of a couple hundred euro...the story changes.

This is a case where being aware of the requirement and having a plausible answer "I have my credit and ATM cards" is prudent. Defiantly stating that "I have never been asked this before" or arguing the requirement probably won't get you far.

Paul if you read the UK news over the past few months it sounds like their citizens are getting caught in it. But then if you search for specific examples ... nothing. Not that I would call the BBC to report that I got turned away because I didnt obey the law. I also looked for Spanish stats. I came up with something around 9,000 turned away at airport immigration checks. But the Spanish are not terribly transparent and dont report why. Sounds like a fairly high number because passports and visas are all checked before you get on the plane to go. So what is left is maybe overstaying Schengen or the money issue or being on a watch list or not hotel; maybe no onward flight but airlines generally check that before boarding too ... but not always.

And having a credit card is apparently not enough. They want to know you still have room on it. But as has been well established above, this isnt for people like us.