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100 days to go: British Ambassador to Spain sends important message ahead of key Brexit date

The British Ambassador to Madrid, Hugh Elliott has published a video message to UK Nationals living in Spain as we reach the landmark of 100 days until the end of the transition period.

Published: 24 September 2020 13:11 CEST
100 days to go: British Ambassador to Spain sends important message ahead of key Brexit date
Hugh Elliott, British Ambassador in Madrid. Photo: FCO

With 100 days until the end of the Transition Period on December 31st, Elliott recorded a message for Brits in Spain in which he sought to reassure those living and to remind those that haven't yet done so, to make sure they are properly registered as a resident. 

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Speaking about the continuing negotiations on the future relationship between the UK and the EU, the Ambassador said: “I want to reassure you that your rights as UK nationals living in Spain are already protected under the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the EU. And that both the UK and Spanish Governments are fully committed to implementing the citizens’ rights provisions in the Agreement.”

The Ambassador reminds UK Nationals of the need to register as a resident as soon as possible and addressed the problems experienced by many in getting an appointment. 

“You’ll have heard me say this many times but I’m going to say it again,” Elliott emphasized in the video the crucial step required to protect your rights.

“If you are living in Spain and haven’t already done so, you must register for Spanish residency as soon as you can, please,” he urged. “I know that many of you are struggling to get residency appointments,” he acknowledged.

Importantly, he said that those who were unable to complete the process before the end of the year would still be protected if they can prove that they were resident here by December 31st.

“If you are unable to complete the registration process before the 1 st of January you will still be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement as long as you can prove that you were legally resident in Spain before the end of 2020,” he said.  “So we recommend making sure that you have your documentation in place, like your padron certificate that demonstrates that.”

For those who are struggling, the UK government has provided funding for organisations to provide practical support to UK nationals who may have difficulty completing their residency application or registration in Spain.

More information:

  • Spain's government has a dedicated Brexit page for UK nationals HERE
  • Check out the UK Foreign Office latest advice on Living In Spain HERE 
  • Follow the British Embassy Facebook page for updates as well as Live Q&A sessions HERE
  • Check our Brexit section for all the latest news and updates: HERE

 

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BRITONS IN SPAIN

FACT CHECK: Spain’s ‘£97 daily rule’ isn’t new nor a worry for British tourists

The British tabloids are at it again causing alarm over the so-called '£97 daily rule’ which Spain is apparently imposing on UK tourists, who in turn are threatening to ‘boycott’ the country. 

Published: 15 April 2024 14:28 CEST
FACT CHECK: Spain's '£97 daily rule' isn't new nor a worry for British tourists

American playwright Eugene O’Neill once said: “There is no present or future – only the past, happening over and over again – now”.

In 2022, The Local Spain wrote a fact-checking article titled ‘Are UK tourists in Spain really being asked to prove €100 a day?‘, in which we dispelled the claims made in the British press about Spain’s alleged new rules for UK holidaymakers.

Two years on in 2024, the same eye-catching headlines are resurfacing in Blighty: “’Anti-British? Holiday elsewhere!’ Britons fume as tourists in Spain warned they may be subject to additional rules” in GB News, or “’They would be begging us to come back’: Brits vow to ‘boycott Spain’ over new £97 daily rule” in LBC.

The return of this rabble-rousing ‘news’ in the UK has coincided with calls within Spain to change the existing mass tourism model that’s now more than ever having an impact on the country’s housing crisis.

Even though Spaniards behind the protests have not singled out any foreign nationals as potential culprits, the UK tabloids have unsurprisingly capitalised on this and run headlines such as “Costa del Sol turns on British tourists”.

READ MORE: Why does hatred of tourists in Spain appear to be on the rise?

What is the so-called ‘£97 daily rule’?

Yes, there is theoretically a ‘£97 a day rule’, but it is not a new rule, nor one that applies only to UK nationals specifically, and not even one that Spain alone has imposed (all Schengen countries set their financial means threshold).

As non-EU nationals who are not from a Schengen Area country either (the United Kingdom never was in Schengen), British tourists entering Spain could have certain requirements with which to comply if asked by Spanish border officials.

Such requirements include a valid passport, proof of a return ticket, documents proving their purpose of entry into Spain, limits on the amount of time they can spend in Spain (the 90 out of 180 days Schengen rule), proof of accommodation, a letter of invitation if staying with friends or family (another controversial subject in the British press when it emerged) and yes, proof of sufficient financial means for the trip.

Third-country nationals who want to enter Spain in 2024 may need to prove they have at least €113,40 per day (around £97), with a minimum of €972 (around £830) per person regardless of the intended duration of the stay. It is unclear whether this could also possibly apply to minors.

The amount of financial means to prove has increased slightly in 2024 as it is linked to Spain’s minimum wage, which has also risen. 

Financial means can be accredited by presenting cash, traveller’s checks, credit cards accompanied by a bank account statement, an up-to-date bank book or any other means that proves the amount available as credit on a card or bank account.

Have Britons been prevented from entering Spain for not having enough money?

There is no evidence that UK holidaymakers have been prevented from entering Spain after not being able to show they have £97 a day to cover their stay, nor any reports that they have been asked to show the financial means to cover their stay either. 

17.3 million UK tourists visited Spain in 2023; equal to roughly 47,400 a day. 

Even though British tourists have to stand in the non-EU queue at Spanish passport control, they do not require a visa to enter Spain and the sheer number of UK holidaymakers means that they’re usually streamlined through the process, having to only quickly show their passports.

The only occasional hiccups that have arisen post-Brexit have been at the land border between Gibraltar and Spain (issued that are likely to be resolved soon), and these weren’t related to demonstrating financial means. 

Therefore, the British press are regurgitating alarmist headlines that don’t reflect any truth, but rather pander to the ‘they need us more than we need them’ mantra that gets readers clicking. 

To sum up, there is a £97 a day rule, but it is not new, it has not affected any British tourists to date, and it is not specific to Spain alone to potentially require proof of economic means. 

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