Spain wants to scrap 90 day stay limit for British tourists

Queen Letizia stuns in green for Spain's National Day

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Since the end of the Brexit transition period, British tourists and expats without residency are only allowed to stay in the Schengen zone for 90 out of every 180 days. Britons who overstay in Spain could face detention, fines or even a ban.

Spain’s tourism secretary has said the country would like to scrap the tight limit for British tourists.

Fernando Valdés told the i that Spain would like to “get rid” of the strict rule that prevents Britons from staying as long as they like.

However, he added: “Unfortunately (the rule) is not something Spain has established by itself or can get rid of.

“It is true that after Brexit some problems have emerged with people wanting to stay longer.”

He said that Spain plans to lobby the EU to get exemptions from the rule for some British tourists.

“It is in our interest to lobby and convince (the EU) we can try to work an exemption with them. But the solution must come from them.”

Under the Schengen area rules, non-EU citizens are not permitted to stay for longer than 90 days.

Some British expats have been hit particularly hard by the rule with some prompted to sell their homes in Spain.

Expats, commonly known as swallows, used to travel to Spain for four to five months during winter.

They would then return to the UK during the summer and many didn’t obtain Spanish residency.

Since Brexit they can no longer spend the full winter in Spain unless their residency application is successful.

Non-EU citizens have to apply for Spanish residency from within the UK and expats will need a lot of proof to qualify.

Before the Covid pandemic, around 84 million tourists travelled to Spain every year for a holiday.

Britons made up a huge percentage of that number with around 17 million Britons travelling to Spain each year.

Numbers have started to climb again and 1.8 million Britons visited Spain in the first quarter of 2022.

Spain has also tried to attract Britons who want to escape high energy bills to spend the winter there.

“Thermal tourists” are invited to spend winter in the south of Spain where they may not need central heating.

Britons may be more attracted to do so if they are allowed to spend longer than 90 days in the country.

Last year, a British woman told Express.co.uk how she was detained overnight in Spain after unknowingly breaking the 90 day rule.

Sonia Steptoe was held in a detention centre overnight and was then escorted on a plane back to the UK.

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