Very soon Britons will be able to extend their stay in Spain, as the Spanish government has called for the 90-day limit on stays in EU countries to be abolished after Brexit.
Under current law, Britons can stay in EU countries for a maximum of 90 days out of every 180 after Brexit. In order to stay longer, an early visa of up to six months can be arranged. However, Spain is now feeling the effects of this rule after Brexit and hopes to lobby to change it. Spain’s acting Minister of Tourism, Hector Gomez said:
“Unfortunately, the rule is not something Spain has established by itself or can get rid of. It is in our interest to lobby and convince the EU that we can try to work an exception with them. But the solution must come from them.”
It comes just after the French Senate voted in favour of amending immigration law to give British second homeowners automatic eligibility for a long-term visa. French politicians said they voted in favour of the amendment for the sake of those who had been “penalised by Brexit”.
Now a similar exercise could be underway for Britons planning to visit Spain, after Mr Gomez confirmed that the Foreign Office had an “important meeting” with the UK’s director of consular affairs and crisis management Jennifer Anderson earlier this week. He said they “discussed issues of interest in relation to British tourists staying in Spain and looked at co-operation projects for future seasons”.
Andrew Hesselden, director and founder of the 180 Days in Spain campaign, which advocates freedom of movement for Britons in Spain, spoke of his delight at the decision in France. He said it was in line with the aims of his campaign. He noted he was “delighted that French senators have recognised the unfairness of the situation faced by British residents living in Spain for part of a year after Brexit”.
Mr Hesselden stressed that members of his campaign “continue to hope for similar recognition in Spain for all those affected”.
Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) reports that the UK accounts for the largest influx of tourists to Spain, with 23.8 per cent of visitors to the country last year coming from the UK.
