The Diplomat
From yesterday, Wednesday, until 15 February, Spain can deny entry to third-country nationals arriving on direct flights from any airport in China if they do not provide a digital EU Covid Certificate or equivalent or negative diagnostic tests, on public health grounds, according to a resolution on restrictions at external air borders by the Ministry of the Interior published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
However, passengers travelling from China who are habitual residents of the European Union, Schengen associated states, Andorra, Monaco, the Vatican (Holy See) or San Marino will be exempt from being refused entry to Spain and must provide documentary proof of this.
Travellers holding a long-stay visa issued by a Schengen-associated Member State will also be exempt from being refused entry to Spain; transport company crews; minors under 12 years of age and persons who can provide documentary proof of force majeure or necessity or whose entry is permitted for humanitarian reasons.
In order to avoid having to resort to the administrative procedure for refusing entry, the resolution establishes that there will be cooperation with transport operators to ensure that travel is not permitted. Airport transits that do not involve crossing an external border will remain unchanged.
In view of the explosion of coronavirus cases in China, the Directorate General of Public Health and the Ministry of Health issued a resolution last week to carry out health checks on passengers arriving from China, consisting of a documentary, visual and temperature check, as well as a diagnostic test for active infection at the point of entry.
