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Very confused about entry requirements for Spain - mixed messages

Posted by (Montreal, QC) on

Hi there -- I'm a fully vaccinated (+ boosted) traveler from Canada hoping to fly to Spain a week from today (February 20). I'm struggling with mixed messages on the entry requirements. It's necessary to fill out a health form and to present evidence of vaccination.

But Spanish official sources (in translation, anyway) are hard to understand as they alternate between vaccination AND test language and vaccination OR test language, and because it's not clear whether Canada counts as merely a risk country or a high-risk country (to which vaccination + test would apply):

  • "If you come from a HIGH RISK country/territory, in order to pass the health controls on arrival in Spain, you will have to present your SpTH QR code together with a certificate of vaccination or recovery, and also a certificate of diagnostic test for active SARS-CoV-2 infection (AIDT), with a negative result."

    • "NEW – SINCE FEBRUARY 14th, 2022: Persons with a vaccination certificate, that the Ministry of Health recognizes for this purpose, after verification by the health authorities. People between 12 and 18 years old who have a negative SARS-CoV-2 molecular nucleic acid amplification test-NAAT (RT-PCR or similar) performed 72 hours prior to arrival, after verification by the health authorities, or children under 12 years of age."

https://www.sanidad.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spth.htm

So I guess the question is... is Canada a high-risk country or a risk country? I can't find a list of high-risk countries, so I'm not sure what set of requirements apply.

Please help -- very confused and difficult to get a test here on a weekend in time to fly out.

Posted by
27063 posts

Although one would hope for clear, consistent language on readily-accessible government websites, when things are changing, it sometimes take time for updates to be made. Have you checked your airline's website to see whether it has information set up for you in something like a "Travel Ready Center"?

Posted by
149 posts

The airline says:

Passengers must have:
- a negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test taken at most 24 hours before arrival. The test result must be in English, French, German, Spanish or accompanied by a certified Spanish translation; or
- a negative COVID-19 NAAT test taken at most 72 hours before arrival. Tests accepted are: CRISPR, HAD, LAMP, NEAR, PCR, RT-LAMP, RT-PCR, SDA and TMA. The test result must be in English, French, German, Spanish or accompanied by a certified Spanish translation; or
- a COVID-19 recovery certificate issued at least 11 days after the positive COVID-19 NAAT test result. The sample for the certificate must have been taken at most 180 days before arrival; or
- a COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that:
- they were fully vaccinated at least 14 days and at most 270 days before arrival; or
- they were fully vaccinated and received a booster dose.
Vaccines accepted are AstraZeneca (SK Bioscience), AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), Covaxin, Covishield, Covovax, Janssen, Moderna (Spikevax), Nuvaxovid (Novavax), Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Sinopharm and Sinovac. Other vaccines are accepted if the last dose received is one of the previously listed vaccines.

Posted by
149 posts

Thank you! It looks like both the airline is saying vaccination + booster suffices and that Canada is not high risk, so no test is required.

Posted by
6508 posts

Even if not required, but to be on the safe side, why not get either a rapid antigen with 24 hours of arrival, or a PCR test within 72 hours. It couldn’t hurt. Of course, you need to fill out the Spanish Travel Health form via the app or website.

We plan on testing before going to the UK, and later this year to Spain, even though it isn’t required.

Posted by
149 posts

Because it's very expensive to get a private test where I am ($150 on the weekend for a PCR, nowhere I can find to get a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of a Sunday evening departure). If I were in the US and could get a free test for travel purposes at Walgreens/CVS, I would do it. But not the case in Montreal.

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