Carta de Invitacion.

Hi Greg99,

We are waiting for the British Embassy in Spain to confirm whether UK citizens now need to provide the official invitation letter for visiting guests - hopefully we will hear tomorrow.

Kind regards, 

Kim

Great. Thanks for the info Kim. I’m thinking it’s one of the bits I’m the Brexit deal but looking forward to hearing definitively. Pre Brexit we had at least 30 friends and relatives visiting each year so any requirement for an invitation letter would be very troublesome. 

Hello

Simon Calder, travel expert posted this on twitter this afternoon - 

"Family or friends with properties in France? The rules have changed this summer. At least a month before your visit, they must go to the town hall with evidence that you are insured, fill in forms and pay €30."

It was taken from an article on the subject of new post Brexit travel rules in the Independant.   Spain could possibly  go the same way....

independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Cheers

Elinspain

Thanks El, but Spain isn't France and Spain isn't mentioned in the Independent's article.  I don't want to set any hares running before we have a definitive response.  I'll update this thread once I see Spain's official stance.

Kind regards, 

Kim

Thanks Kim. You’re a star. Your efforts are very much appreciated. 

And it’s good to have a reliable source that we know we can trust. 

The British Embassy has advised that only Third Country Nationals, who require a visa to enter Spain, need to provide a Carta de Invitacion.  Although UK citizens are TCNs, the Trade and Co-operation Agreement does not require us to have visas.  So, you would think that means the Carta de Invitacion does not apply to UK visitors?  "We assume so......" 🙄  Not very helpful, further clarification awaited!

Kind regards,

Kim

Thanks Kim. I guess we have no option but to wait and see. 

Maybe I'm behind the curve on this, forgive me if so.....

If your friends or relatives rock up at Alicante airport with a return ticket (ie short holiday stay) why would Spanish authorities require a Carta? Why would it matter to the authorities where they are staying? It's not as if they're going to be recording the addresses of all holidaymakers. Or is it lol. Am I missing something?

Steve

I agree, Steve.  When I used to travel from the UK to other Third Countries on business, it was (is) normal to obtain a letter of invitation from a destination country where a visa is required.  However, Schengen countries don't require UK citizens, even with our post-Brexit TCN status, to provide visas, so it doesn't make sense to me that France is insisting on the invitation letter.  I guess, as a sovereign nation, they have the right to apply their entry laws as they see fit, but it remains to be seen whether Spain (or any other Schengen country) will follow their lead 🤔