As the country heads into autumn, Spain is changing the current health checks for non-EU travelers visiting the country. They will no longer have to undergo health checks at the airport to assess whether they have COVID-19.

Spain drops health checks for non-EU travelers

According to sources from Spain’s airport management Aena, health checks will be dropped for non-EU travelers from October 20, 2022. Meanwhile, the Spanish Health Ministry also confirmed that since September 20, international travelers no longer have to complete the Spth health control form on arrival in Spain.

From October 20, Spanish health authorities are reportedly planning the removal of another COVID-19 travel restriction, that of visual and temperature checks for international travelers visiting Spain. Meanwhile, this was reported by the Catalan newspaper, El Periodico, but has yet to be officially confirmed by Spain’s Health Ministry.

Health checks at airports

From the start of the pandemic, travelers arriving in Spain by air or sea had to undergo temperature checks by airport authorities to assess if they had a high temperature. This was achieved with either thermal cameras at the security gates, or infrared thermometers pointed at their foreheads. Meanwhile, visual evaluations were carried out to reveal if passengers showed clear signs of infection with the virus

Theoretically, if this screening suggested passengers could have the virus, they are then required to undergo a COVID-19 test at the airport before being allowed to leave. Moreover, some passengers were asked what non-EU country they were traveling from so officials could cross-check this against Spain’s list of high-risk countries. However, as the pandemic evolved, these tests at the airports have been less rigorous than they initially were.

EU travelers exempt from health checks

For some time now, travelers from other EU nations have not been required to undergo this screening. However, those from outside the EU bloc are technically still subject to health checks, despite the fact that no third countries are now listed on Spain’s high-risk list. Moreover, it is no longer mandatory to self-isolate should a traveler test positive for the virus in Spain. However, limiting social reactions is recommended.

Health controls to be dropped

El Periodico quotes sources from the public airport manager, Aena, confirming that the health controls at airports and seaports across Spain will officially end on October 20, 2022.

The Health Ministry in Spain also recently confirmed that from September 20, international travelers are no longer required to complete the Spth health control form to present on arrival. However, at the time, the state bulletin (BOE) didn’t put in writing the end of visual and temperature checks at airports and seaports.

As of September 27, the Aena website states:

It is no longer necessary to complete the health screening form to travel to Spain or to present the QR code at the destination airport. Passengers on flights from countries outside the European Union or the Schengen Area may be subjected to a health check that includes a visual check of their physical condition and temperature taking with non-contact thermometers or thermographic cameras.

Once the end of health checks is officially confirmed by Spanish health authorities, only two COVID-19 restrictions will remain. One is the wearing of masks on planes and public transport. Number two relates to proof of vaccination, recovery from the virus, or negative testing from non-EU travelers. These two measures will remain in place until further notice.