London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Nov 06, 2026

Brits travelling to Spain must prove they can spend £85 every day during holiday

Brits travelling to Spain must prove they can spend £85 every day during holiday

Under new restrictions announced by the Spanish government, tourists from the UK must also provide proof of accommodation and evidence of a return flight or onward ticket

Brits have reacted in fury over having to prove they can spend £85 per day when travelling to Spain over the summer.

The Spanish government has released new rules stating tourists from the UK need to show they have enough money to enjoy their stay.

Brits must also provide proof of accommodation and evidence of a return flight or onward ticket.

The move has been met with backlash from travel firms, with many arguing the UK contributes hugely to the Spanish tourism sector.

Social media users also hit out at the toughened policies, reports the Manchester Evening News, with some questioning whether they are even enforceable.

Brits must also provide proof of accommodation and evidence of a return flight or onward ticket


One person wrote: "Let’s see where they are going to get their tourism from now if people chose other countries.. good luck Spain!"

Another queried: "Is this even enforceable? To check if you have at least £600 to spend, they'd have to check your bank balance.

"Accommodation is no problem as we all had to fill in forms stating where we were staying. Return tickets, to check you're not going rogue when you get there. It sounds like a misunderstanding to me, delivered as a way to scare people."

And a third added: "Pretty obvious what the Spanish are trying to do, restrict people coming for a holiday who don’t have a lot of money.

"If people are on an all inclusive holiday they are not spending money in the local area, so not helping the local economy."

Meanwhile, one woman said the rules were creating an "unnecessary hype", adding: "It will be on a spot check basis.

A Ryanair employee talks to a passenger at the check-in counters at El Prat airport in Barcelona


"Yes they are stamping all passports again now this is having to be resourced because we left Brexit and so I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a surcharge for this further down the line.

"But once again this will slow passport control down for other non EU passengers and in order to avoid legal challenge the recharge would need to be payable by each non EU visitor."

While another claimed: "This is normal for every country. Visitors must be able to prove they can support themselves for the duration of their stay.

"It's not actually checked for most people, but it's one of the first checks made if officials suspect you're coming in to work illegally."

The new restrictions were announced after a U-turn on plans to ease tourist congestion at airports by giving UK passport-holders their own automatic e-gates to enter the country.

The move has been met with backlash from travel firms


But Brits are still required to have their stamps done by hand, whether they use the new gates or not.

The UK Foreign Office said: "At Spanish border control, you may need to show a return or onward ticket; show you have enough money for your stay; show proof of accommodation for your stay, for example, a hotel booking confirmation, proof of address if visiting your own property (eg second home), or an invitation from your host or proof of their address if staying with a third party, friends or family.

"The Spanish government has clarified that the ‘carta de invitation’ is one of the options available to prove that you have accommodation if staying with friends or family."

Tourists may be asked to prove they are able to spend at least €100 each day of their holiday, equating to roughly £85, alongside an additional minimum of €900 (£766.94), added the spokesperson.

The Spanish Ministry del Interior added: "Foreigners from third countries must prove if required to do so by the officials in charge of controlling the entry of people into Spanish territory, that they have economic resources for entering the country, through cash, travellers' cheques, payment letters, or credit cards, which must also be proven to have sufficient funds available on them."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Office for National Statistics Reports Stable Consumer Confidence and Modest Retail Growth Heading into Winter
Welsh Government Launches Strategic Regional Transport Initiative to Modernize Rail Links Across South Wales
Home Office Expands Digital Border Security Controls and Electronic Travel Authorisations for Inbound Visitors
Scottish Government Announces Emergency Housing Investment Package to Tackle Urban Homelessness Crises
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Bipartisan Consensus on Public Sector Pay Reform and Budget Allocations
Automotive Manufacturing Sector in the West Midlands Welcomes New Electric Vehicle Supply Chain Investments
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Approves Offshore Wind Expansion in the North Sea
HM Treasury Finalizes Regulatory Framework for Stablecoins and Digital Asset Markets in London
National Health Service Unveils Comprehensive Digital Integration Strategy to Slash Hospital Waiting Lists
Bank of England Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged Amid Persistent Wage Growth and Inflationary Pressures
United Kingdom and Caribbean Nations Agree to Establish Formal Diplomatic Dialogue Following Reparations Discussions
Cambridge University Appoints Senior Barrister to Lead Independent Review into Death of Academic Jason Arday
Historic Hastings Castle and Kent Dickens Chalet Added to National Heritage at Risk Register Amid Deterioration Concerns
Incoming British Ambassador to Japan Calls for Deepened Bilateral Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence and Semiconductors
Milburn Review Urges Employment Revolution to Unlock Workforce Opportunities for Young Disabled Britons
British Healthcare Worker Evacuated from Democratic Republic of Congo to United Kingdom Following Ebola Exposure
United Nations Refugee Agency Criticises Government Proposal for Thirty-Year Earned Settlement Pathways for Asylum Seekers
Parliamentary Inquiry Warns United Kingdom Remains Exposed to Chinese Critical Mineral Dependencies
Bank of England Prepares Interest Rate Decision as Inflation Pressures Prompt Expectation of Four Percent Benchmark
Department for Business and Trade Overhauls Protection Standards for Digital Animation and Moving Image Files
Intellectual Property Office Introduces Thirty-Month Grace Period for International Product Launches
Intellectual Property Office Targets Anti-Competitive Filings With New Powers to Verify Novelty Before Registration
Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray Praises Regulatory Reforms to Safeguard Small Businesses and Micro-Enterprises
Government Unveils Major Design Framework Overhaul to Protect British Creators and Boost Economy
Global Asset Management Reports Surge in British Dividend Payouts Driven by Strong Financial and Mining Sectors
HM Treasury Confirms Strongest Group of Seven Growth Figures as Fiscal Consolidation Plans Progress
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Approves Construction of New North Sea Offshore Wind Hub
Northern Ireland Executive Finalizes Public Sector Pay Agreements Following Months of Inter-Agency Negotiations
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan Secures Cross-Party Support for Regional Clean Energy Infrastructure Bill
Competition and Markets Authority Launches Formal Investigation Into Dominant Artificial Intelligence Cloud Partnerships
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy Concludes High-Level Diplomatic Mission to Washington and Ottawa
Scottish Government Announces Emergency Housing Investment Package to Address Escalating Urban Homelessness
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Finalizes Corporate Tax Adjustments Ahead of Upcoming Business Investment Summit
National Health Service England Unveils Emergency Winter Resilience Plan to Combat Projected A&E Overcrowding
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Votes to Hold Base Interest Rate Steady at Four Point Seven5 Per Cent
UK Gross Domestic Product Expands by Zero Point Four Per Cent in Third Quarter Driven by Resilient Services Growth
Northern Ireland Executive Agrees on Multi-Year Public Sector Pay Restructuring Framework at Stormont
Department for Transport Confirms Acceleration of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Rollout Along Strategic Motorways
Welsh Government Announces Emergency Funding Package to Support Agricultural Sector Facing Severe Weather Impacts
High Court Rules in Favor of Environmental Coalition Over Government Carbon Reduction Plan Deficiencies
Office for National Statistics Reports Stable Retail Sales Growth Supported by Strong Digital Commerce Volumes
Scottish First Minister John Swinney Secures Cross-Party Support for Renewable Energy Export Expansion
National Health Service Digital Reports Major Breakthrough in Reducing Elective Waiting Lists Across England
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Outlines Infrastructure Spending Reforms to Boost Regional Economic Growth Across Northern England
Bank of England Holds Baseline Interest Rate at Five Percent Amid Persistent Core Inflation Pressures
House of Lords Advances Representation of the People Bill to Modernize Electoral Law Ahead of General Election
Financial Markets and Private Equity Assess Tax and Corporate Realignment Following Recent Chancellor Budget Adjustments
Justice Committee Warns Legal Aid Is a Service in Managed Decline Due to Inadequate Government Funding Responses
Royal Navy Intercepts Russian Intelligence Vessel and Warships Across Intensive North Sea Operations
Business and Trade Committee Slams Government Policy on China as Fragmented and Lacking Strategic Direction
×