Spain to United Kingdom visa requirements

Spanish ordinary passport holders do not need a visitor visa for short UK visits, but they must have a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travel. The ETA costs £20, is linked to the passport, and allows multiple visits of up to 6 months. As of 19 June 2026, Spanish ordinary passport holders are visa-exempt for UK Standard Visitor trips such as tourism, visiting family or friends, short business activities and short courses, but they must hold an approved UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travel. Spain appears on GOV.UK's list of nationalities that can apply for an ETA, and GOV.UK says EU citizens other than Irish citizens can travel to the UK for holidays or short trips with an ETA instead of a visa. The passport used for travel must be valid for the whole stay; a Spanish national identity card is only accepted in limited cases such as settled/pre-settled status, an EUSS family permit, a frontier worker permit or S2 Healthcare Visitor status. The ETA costs £20, is normally decided quickly but can take up to 3 working days, is linked to the passport used in the application, and lasts for 2 years or until that passport expires, whichever comes first. It allows multiple journeys, but each visit remains limited to the UK visitor rules, normally up to 6 months. An ETA is permission to travel, not a guarantee of entry, and it does not allow ordinary paid or unpaid work, living in the UK through frequent visits, or marriage/civil partnership without the correct visa. Spanish citizens with a UK visa, UK immigration status such as settled or pre-settled status, or British/Irish citizenship do not need an ETA.