The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its guidance for travel to France and Spain this week.
It now says that anybody visiting those countries without a hotel or other accommodation booked may need to provide proof that they have somewhere to stay. Holidaymakers staying with friends or family could find that their hosts need to provide them with an official document from the local authorities.
In France this is called the ‘attestation d’accueil’ (accommodation certificate) and costs €30. The Spanish equivalent is called the “carta de invitación” and costs €78.
People visiting second-homes will have to provide proof of address, such as a utility bill.
New rules for travelling in Europe
A 2006 European directive allowed national governments to require this kind of proof of accommodation for visitors from outside the EU. It’s only since the Brexit transition ended on 31 December last year that these rules apply to British travellers.
However, member states were allowed to opt in or opt out of the requirement for travellers to prove they have accommodation booked when staying with friends or family. The FCDO pages for Portugal, Italy and Greece make no reference to British travellers needing to provide this proof.
Do I need an ‘attestation d’accueil’ if visiting France?
For most holidaymakers the rules are fairly simple. You’ll need to make sure you have proof of a hotel or other accommodation booking when you arrive at border control, just as you would when travelling to the United States. Second-home owners also have to carry proof of address. There’s no guarantee that you’ll be asked to show it but it is possible.
However, if you are staying with friends or family who live in France it might be more complicated. It will be difficult to prove to a border guard that you have a place to stay and it’s within their rights to refuse you entry to the country if not.
In France, people hosting visitors from outside the EU must apply to their local townhall for an accommodation certificate. This certifies that they will take responsibility for the expenses of the visitor while they’re in France.
A copy of this can then be sent to the visitor to show border control on arrival. You can see information in French on the rules here. It costs €30 and can take a month to obtain.
Do I need a ‘carta de invitación’ if visiting Spain?
The rules are similar for trips to Spain. You don’t need to worry as long as you can prove you have a hotel, Airbnb or similar booked, or that you are visiting your second home.
Again, it could be more difficult if you’re planning to stay with friends or family. The FCDO says the carta de invitación is ‘one of the options available to prove that you have accommodation’. It’s unclear what other options there are.
The form has to be applied for by either a Spanish national or somebody with the TIE residency card for Spain. It then has to be presented to the National Police, stamped and sent to the visitor. This too can take around a month, meaning last minute visits would not be possible. There is information in Spanish here on how to obtain and pay for the form.
However, some residents of Spain we’ve spoken to say they haven’t been asked to apply for the official letter for non-EU visitors in the past. One reported being able to simply sign a letter confirming that a visitor from South Africa was staying with them during their stay in the county.
Until travel on a large scale begins again it will be unclear whether British travellers are being routinely asked to provide this kind of proof or not.
New powers for border guards
While it seems implausible for major tourist destinations to check the accommodation documents of millions of holidaymakers, it’s clear that border guards now have more discretion to refuse entry.
British visitors would be advised to do everything they can to ensure that they have the correct documentation before travel. There have already been reports of visitors to the UK from EU countries, including Spain, being sent to detention centres and deported after failing to prove their visit is legal.
The same discretion will also apply to Spanish and other border guards now welcoming visitors from UK.
We asked Frontex, the European Union border agency, whether the new rules are likely to be enforced for British visitors but it told us that it was a matter for national governments.
We have also contacted the Spanish and French national authorities.
Spain reopens border to UK holidaymakers
Spain announced today (Friday 21 May) that British holidaymakers are to be allowed into the country from Monday 24 May. They will no longer need to provide a negative Covid test and they will not need to have proof of vaccination.
However, Spain remains on the UK’s amber list and the government has said that British people should not yet travel there unless it is essential.
What do I need to visit European countries after Brexit?
The rules now say that British visitors, like those from other non-EU countries, can now be asked to show a return or onward ticket and provide proof that they have enough money for their stay. They may also be required to show that they have insurance.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/05/government-warns-of-new-travel-rules-when-staying-with-friends-and-family-in-spain-or-france/