Yahoo News Warning document Brits may need to enter Spain this summer could take ‘weeks’
British holidaymakers have been warned that they may need a specific document to enter Spain this summer. Anyone who is staying with friends or family will need to produce a ‘letter of invitation’ to enter the country.
A ‘Carta de Invitacion’ can take weeks to be processed which means Brits could be caught out, the Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder warns. The document costs around £70 and must be applied for by your host in Spain - you cannot apply for it yourself.
The ‘Carta de Invitacion’ is an official document which your host will need to request from the authorities, and it must be granted by the police, according to the website immigrationspain.es. It’s not simply a handwritten letter from your host.
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Your host will need to make an appointment with the police and provide certain documents, including proof that they are the owner of the property or rental contract, and a copy of the passport of the foreign guest.
Once they have acquired the letter, they should then send it to you so you can use it to apply for a visa or for when you enter the border. The original document must be sent, not just a copy.
Those staying in places like a hotel, youth hostel or Airbnb, will not require the document, but they will still need to provide proof of accommodation for every night of their stay. According to the UK Foreign Office, visitors to Spain may need to show the following at the Spanish border:
a return or onward ticket
proof of your travel insurance
you have enough money for your stay - the amount varies depending on your accommodation
a hotel booking confirmation or proof of address if you’re staying at your own property
an invitation or proof of address if staying with a third party, friends or family, such as a ‘carta de invitation’ completed by your hosts
Simon Calder also warns Brits that they will need to have at least £862 in funds to cover a stay of up to nine days. However, he does say it is unlikely that you will be asked to provide proof.
