UK to Spain ETIAS: holidays, families and second homes
Spain is the most-booked European destination for British travellers, so it is the trip people most often ask about. Here is whether you will need ETIAS, when, and what it means for the mainland, the Balearics and the Canaries.
Quick answer
ETIAS at a glance
- Status
- Not live yet
- Expected launch
- 2027
- Applications open
- Not yet
- Official fee
- Expected €20
- Validity
- 3 years or until passport expiry
- Stay limit
- 90 days in any 180-day period
- Official application route
- Official EU ETIAS website / app when live
- Private help
- ETIAS Pro may offer optional support when applications open
Does a British passport holder need ETIAS for Spain?
Yes. Since Brexit, UK citizens visit Spain as visa-exempt third-country nationals, which is precisely the group ETIAS covers. Once enforcement begins, every British traveller will need one for a beach holiday, a city break or a stay at the family villa. Ireland remains outside the scheme; Spain is fully inside it.
When will UK travellers need ETIAS for Spain?
Not yet. The system is expected to open in 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed, and a transition period should mean it only becomes a hard requirement around six months after launch. Trips booked for before launch need nothing new. The timetable has slipped before, so check the latest status close to your travel dates.
Mainland Spain, the Balearics and the Canaries
One ETIAS will cover all of Spain: Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Valencia on the mainland, plus Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera in the Balearics, plus the Canary Islands. The Canaries sit a long way from Europe geographically, yet they count as Schengen territory for short stays. A week in Tenerife or Lanzarote needs the same authorisation, and uses the same day allowance, as a week in Barcelona.
Package holidays, second homes and family trips
ETIAS changes nothing about how you book. A package deal, a villa rental and a stay in your own Spanish property are all short visits under the same rules, provided each one fits inside 90 days in any 180-day period. Owning a home there does not add a single day; longer stays go through Spanish residence permits or a national visa instead. Each traveller applies individually, children included, though under-18s and over-70s are expected to pay no fee.
Passport rules that catch families out
Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive in Spain, and it needs 3 months of validity left after the day you leave the Schengen area. The trap is older adult passports: UK renewals made before September 2018 could carry up to 9 extra months, and those months no longer count. Check every passport in the family well before the school holidays. ETIAS itself is expected to be tied to one passport and to last up to 3 years, or until that passport expires.
What Spain regulars should do now
Nothing needs filing today, and nobody can legitimately sell you a Spanish ETIAS yet. Run the two passport checks above and renew early where needed. When applications open, expect to pay €20 per adult on the official EU site, with most approvals arriving within minutes. Frequent visitors get good value: one authorisation should cover roughly 3 years of Spanish trips.
Spain entry checklist for UK travellers
- A passport issued under 10 years before you enter Spain, with 3 months left after you fly home.
- One ETIAS per person from launch, babies and children included.
- Bookings a border officer might ask about: flights, your hotel or villa, and the return leg.
- Travel insurance; a GHIC card only covers Spanish state healthcare.
- A running count of Schengen days if you also holiday elsewhere in Europe.
Get the ETIAS launch alert for Spain trips
Get one email when ETIAS applications open. No passport details. No payment before launch.
Common questions
Do days in the Canary Islands count toward the 90/180 limit?
Yes. The Canaries are treated as Schengen territory for short stays, so a fortnight in Tenerife draws from the same 90-day allowance as time in Madrid. The same goes for the Balearics.
I own a second home in Spain. Does ETIAS let me stay longer?
No. ETIAS authorises visits within 90 days in any 180-day period, and owning property does not add a single day. Longer stays run through Spanish residence permits or a national visa.
Does every member of the family need their own ETIAS for Spain?
Yes, each traveller applies individually, babies included. Children under 18 are expected to pay nothing, while adults pay the expected €20 fee. A parent can submit the applications on the family’s behalf.
Can I apply for my Spain trip yet?
No. Applications have not opened for any destination, so any site offering Spanish ETIAS processing today is not legitimate. Launch is currently expected in 2027.
Related pages
Be ready for ETIAS before your next trip to Spain
ETIAS is not live yet. Check whether you’re likely to need it and get one email when applications open.