Sun Lawyers has been asked by Facebook Group N332 to respond to an article published in the UK newspaper the Daily Star on 11 July about entry requirements for Brits visiting Spain who are staying with friends or family.
The article’s headline is ‘Brits staying with friends warned they need £70 letter to enter the country.’
The first sentence in the articles states: “British tourists who are staying with friends or family in Barcelona, Majorca, Benidorm, Alicante or any other Spanish territory must have an official invitation letter issued by the [Spanish] police.” It says the cost of such a letter is about £70 and it needs to be given to you by the people you are staying with before arrival.
Observation 1 – Is this article based on the experience of a British traveller entering Spain?
No it is not. You would think with such a ‘loud’ headline, that the story would be of a traveller refused entry to Spain at passport control because they were not in possession of said letter which apparently they “must” have.
Over 15 million UK residents visited Spain in 2022. Many will come to visit friends and family as somewhere between 800,000 and 1 million Britons own property across Spain. Unlike a holiday booking, a visitor staying with friends or family may not have proof of their final destination.
It doesn’t appear that the Daily Star can find anyone who has been turned away at the border, refused entry and sent home.
Observation 2 – What is the official line from the UK Government to Brits entering Spain?
Nowhere in the official government guidance does it say you “must” have an official letter if staying with friends or family.
Taken from the gov.uk website today (17 July) this is the exact wording about the entry requirements for travelling to Spain
Additional documents required by tourists
If you enter the Schengen area as a tourist, you may need to provide additional documents at the border. As well as a valid return or onward ticket, when travelling to Spain you could be asked to show:
- you have enough money for your stay
- proof of accommodation for your stay, for example:
- a hotel booking confirmation
- proof of address if visiting your own property (such as second home)
- an invitation or proof of address if staying with a third party, friends or family. A carta de invitation completed by your hosts is one of the options available.
You can see above the words ‘…may need to provide…’ and ‘A carta de invitation…is one of the options available.’ The language is far more muted than in the Daily Star article.
In theory the article is correct. But in theory you may be involved in a car accident on the way to the airport, but how many people will choose not to go on holiday because of the likelihood of it occurring?
Our pragmatic and proportionate suggestion
Our suggestion would be that if you are staying with family or friends in Spain, and because it is an invitation rather than a booking, have a signed letter from them ideally containing all of the following information:
- Their full name, passport number, NIE number, property address, email, contact number and their status in Spain e.g. British Citizen, Temporary/Permanent Resident of Spain. The letter should also include the relationship between the inviter and the guest. In respect of invitations to friends, how long the friendship has existed. Finally, include the date of arrival and of departure.
- Ideally, further documentary evidence to support the letter should include:
- A copy of their passport
- A copy of both sides of their TIE/Residence card (if applicable)
- Your travel tickets / boarding passes
And finally….enjoy your time in our beautiful country and don’t read the papers while you’re here!!
The content of this article does not constitute legal advice and is provided for general information purposes only.