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Do Brits in Spain still have to quarantine on return to the UK?

The British government on Thursday July 8th announced a relaxation of its quarantine rules for fully vaccinated travellers, however this does not include Brits who live abroad.

Published: 8 July 2021 16:02 CEST
Do Brits in Spain still have to quarantine on return to the UK?
Do Brits in Spain still have to quarantine on return to the UK? Photo: Ben FATHERS / AFP

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Thursday that from July 19th, fully vaccinated Brits visiting amber list countries, including Spain, would no longer have to quarantine on arrival back in the UK.

However this exemption is not extended to the majority of UK nationals who live in Spain, who will still have to quarantine when visiting friends or family in the UK, even if they are fully vaccinated.

Shapps said that the new changes would “prioritise those vaccinated in the United Kingdom” and are for “residents returning to England”.

The Department for Transport confirmed to The Local that this exemption is for anyone who was vaccinated in the UK or part of a UK clinical trial on vaccines.

This means that British residents living in Spain who received their vaccinations in the UK can travel quarantine-free, but the majority who got their Covid jabs in Spain will still have to undergo a 10-day quarantine if they want to travel to the UK to visit friends and family. They will also have to still pay around £160 for the compulsory travel testing package.

Speaking on Sky News on Friday morning, Shapps said he hoped to be able to have news to announced on whether the UK can recognise people vaccinated in other countries “within the next couple of weeks”.

Essentially, those vaccinated in the UK, will be able to visit family members resident in Spain, without the need to quarantine upon return, however those same family members will not be able to visit relatives back in the UK without the need for quarantine.

Founder and CEO of The Local James Savage expressed his anger at this on Twitter when he said: “People who the UK will let in without quarantining: 1) Italians who want to watch football. 2) Brits returning from a fortnight in Shagaluf. People the UK refuses to admit w/o quarantine: 1) Fully vaccinated Brits living in the EU who haven’t seen their families for a year”. 

Many other British residents in the EU have taken to Twitter to express their anger at the new change which does not include British citizens vaccinated abroad. One said: “I was really hoping that we could all go to the UK this summer and not have the cost of all the tests plus the 10-day quarantine. This truly is heartbreaking….” while another Tweeted: “I live in Spain… What about the 100s of 1000s of Brits in Spain who might want to visit family and friends?”. 

Shapps explained: “We want to welcome international visitors back to the UK and are working to extend our approach to vaccinated passengers from important markets and holiday destinations later this summer, such as the United States and the EU”.

A source from the European Commission told The Local “When it comes to the UK, the talks are ongoing at the technical level and are progressing well and going in the right direction. This is in particular because technically speaking the EU’s and the UK’s architectures are aligned”.

Currently, those vaccinated in Spain can make travel easier to anywhere within the EU or Schengen Area by downloading their Digital Covid Certificate to prove they’ve been fully vaccinated, tested or have recovered from Covid. 

READ ALSO: How to get a Digital Covid Certificate for travel from Spain to the EU

The UK is not currently part of the EU-wide scheme, but talks are ongoing to allow non-EU countries such as the UK and USA to join for mutual recognition of the certificates.

READ ALSO – REMINDER: Everything Brits need to know about travel to Spain under new rules in July 2021

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EU

How would a ‘youth mobility scheme’ between the UK and EU really work?

The EU and the UK could enter into a 'youth mobility' scheme allowing young people to move countries to work, study and live. Here's what we know about the proposal.

Published: 18 April 2024 17:09 CEST
How would a 'youth mobility scheme' between the UK and EU really work?

Across the 27 countries of the EU, people of all ages can move countries to work, study, spend a long visit or chase the possibility of love – and all this is possible thanks to EU freedom of movement.

That freedom no longer extends to the UK. As a result of Brexit, a UK national who wants to move to an EU country, or an EU citizen who wants to move to the UK, will need a visa in order to do so.

However, a new ‘mobility scheme’ could re-create some elements of freedom of movement, if the EU and UK can come to an agreement.

The European Commission on Thursday announced proposals for a ‘youth mobility scheme’.

Who would benefit?

First things first, it’s only for the youngsters, older people will have to continue with the time-consuming and often expensive process of getting a visa for study, work or visiting.

The Commission’s proposal is for a scheme that covers people aged 18 to 30. 

Their reasoning is: “The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the EU and the UK. This situation has particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the Channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges.

“The proposal seeks to address in an innovative way the main barriers to mobility for young people experienced today and create a right for young people to travel from the EU to the UK and vice-versa more easily and for a longer period of time.”

How would it work?

We’re still at an early stage, but the proposal is to allow extended stays – for young people to be able to spend up to four years in the EU or UK – under a special type of visa or residency permit. It does not, therefore, replicate the paperwork-free travel of the pre-Brexit era.

The Commission states that travel should not be ‘purpose bound’ to allow young people to undertake a variety of activities while they are abroad.

Under the visa system, people must travel to a country for a specific purpose which has been arranged before they leave – ie in order to study they need a student visa which requires proof of enrolment on a course, or if they intend to work they need a working visa which often requires sponsorship from an employer.

The proposal would allow young people to spend their time in a variety of ways – perhaps some time working, a period of study and then some time travelling or just relaxing.

It would also not be subject to national or Bloc-wide quotas.

It seems that some kind of visa or residency permit would still be required – but it would be issued for up to four years and could be used for a variety of activities.

Fees for this should not be “excessive” – and the UK’s health surcharge would not apply to people travelling under this scheme.

Are there conditions?

Other than the age qualification, the proposal is that young people would have to meet other criteria, including having comprehensive health insurance, plus financial criteria to ensure that they will be able to support themselves while abroad.

The visa/residency permit could be rejected on the ground of threats to public policy, public security or public health.

Will this happen soon?

Slow down – what’s happened today is that the European Commission has made a recommendation to open negotiations.

This now needs to be discussed in the Council of Europe.

If the Council agrees then, and only then, will the EU open negotiations with the UK on the subject. The scheme could then only become a reality if the EU and UK come to an agreement on the terms of the scheme, and then refine the fine details.

Basically we’re talking years if it happens at all, and there’s plenty of steps along the way that could derail the whole process.

Don’t start packing just yet.

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