Non-Essential Travel from Spain to Countries Within the EU or The Schengen Zone Will Stay Restricted Until May 15

THE Spanish Government has extended the temporary restrictions placed upon non-essential travel from third countries to the European countries and associated Schengen countries for reasons of public order and public health until May 15.

This travel restriction was noted in Order INT/356/2020, which was included in the Official State Bulletin released on Tuesday. It advocates extending the application of this measure that was first enacted by the European Council in order to limit the spread of the pandemic.

Under this travel restriction, only third-country nationals (non-EU nationals) will be allowed to travel and only if they are returning to their place of residence or hold a long-term visa issued by a member country to which they are going to work.

In addition, those allowed to travel include health or elderly care professionals returning from their workplace, personnel dedicated to transporting goods, military, diplomatic, or consular personnel and those who can justify their movement by causes of force majeure or imperative family reasons.

Thus, only people who are registered as residents and are travelling straight to their country of residence in another EU state, Schengen nation or Andorra, will be allowed to travel. Exceptions are made of course in the case of Andorra and Gibraltar.

In the Official State Bulletin Order, Spain also highlighted the temporary closure of the cities of Ceuta and Melilla.

The order, signed by the Ministry of Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, will enter into fruition on April 22 at midnight and will remain until May 15, however the option of another extension is not discarded but that will have to be revisited at a later day.