The United Kingdom is pressuring Spain to facilitate the passage of Britons at the gate

The British authorities are putting pressure on the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ease controls imposed on UK citizens residing in Gibraltar but… They were not registered in the colony To cross the gate towards La Linea, under the pretext of an “imminent” agreement with the European Union regarding Gibraltar’s relationship with the twenty-seven countries after Britain’s exit from the European Union, as was announced. south of Europe And I was able to confirm Discussion.

On 1 January 2021, the final separation between the United Kingdom and the European Union took place. From then on, British citizens who wish to enter Spain must, like any third-country national, justify the purpose and conditions of their visit and have sufficient means of subsistence. Furthermore, their length of stay may not exceed 90 days out of every 180 days, whether for a single visit or multiple visits, and even if they are visa exempt, They must identify themselves with their passport.

These controls remain in place at the gate, despite pressure from the UK, and also apply to Thousands of soldiers stationed in the colonyfor tourists arriving on cruise ships or planes and for professionals who work temporarily at the rock, often causing the Spanish authorities to stop many of these people in La Verja and not allow them to cross the border into La Línea de Conception.

The Spanish government makes Exception without regulatory protection With the citizens of Gibraltar to avoid applying the principle of reciprocity on the other side of the fence, considering that this would affect the thousands of Spaniards who work in the rock. However, queues are frequent at the border point, as a measure of the temperature in relations between Spain and Gibraltar and negotiations over the border. Britain's exit from the European Union.

Travel recommendations

The FCO has recently updated its travel advice for Gibraltar, highlighting… Possibility of delay at the gate. The update also informs travelers of stricter entry requirements into Spain as a result of Brexit. It is stated that “the border between Gibraltar and Spain is a busy external border of the Schengen Area and Gibraltar is outside the Customs Union.”

The document also warns that “some travelers were unable to provide the complete documentation requested of them Your travel plans have been interruptedIn addition, “there are rules regarding the validity of the passport and special restrictions regarding what you can and cannot bring into Spain, especially meat and dairy products.”

In parallel, the Deputy Prime Minister of Gibraltar said, Joseph GarciaHe met with the Secretary of State for Europe in the United Kingdom, Leo DochertyThis is within the framework of negotiations on the treaty that must extricate the colony from the legal impasse in which it finds itself and define its relationship with Spain and the rest of the twenty-seven countries after Britain’s exit from the European Union. In December, rounds of negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom resumed after months of blockade.