Canary Islands travel advice: Covid entry requirements, mask wearing and post-Brexit passport rules

There are no longer any Covid restrictions for travellers entering the Canary Islands. 

Year-round sunshine makes Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura a popular option for half-term and winter sun, and until 21 October travellers needed to show proof of full vaccination, recovery from Covid or a negative Covid test. But all these requirements have come to an end and there is no longer any need to fill out a health control form to enter the Canary Islands.

However, all British passport holders do need to check if their passport is valid for travel to the EU as the entry rules have changed since Brexit. Your passport needs to have been issued less than 10 years before your arrival date and be valid for at least three months after your departure. These passport expiry rules apply to travel to any EU country apart from Ireland, including the Canary Islands and Spain.

British passport holders could also be asked to prove they have sufficient financial means for their trip and can access €100 per person per day for its duration - and could be denied entry if they fail to do so. While few travellers are asked to prove this, spot checks do take place in Spain - and holidaymakers landing in the Canary Islands could, in theory, be asked as well.

This advice is based on the latest guidance from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for UK travellers, who are considered citizens of a third country by the EU since Brexit. Before travelling abroad, check the entry requirements on the gov.uk website. Travel restrictions can change very quickly and without warning.

Read on for more information on what UK travellers need to do before travelling, and the rules in the Canary Islands on mask wearing.

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What are the Canary Islands’ Covid entry requirements for UK holidaymakers?

From 21 October 2022, all Covid travel restrictions for travellers to Spain and the Canary Islands have been lifted. The rules that previously applied to travellers entering Spain no longer apply.

You are no longer required to show proof of vaccination, a Covid test or recovery. You no longer need to complete a health control form.

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What are the Canary Islands’ Covid rules while I am there?

Local rules have been dropped, including venue curfews and capacity limits, restrictions on the number of people allowed to sit at a table and so-called 'dancing bans'.

Will I need to wear a mask?

Anyone over the age of six must wear a mask on public transport, including taxis. Masks also need to be worn in pharmacies, hospitals and medical centres.

What should I do if I have Covid symptoms during my trip?

There’s no need to self-isolate but you should wear a mask, reduce social interactions and avoid crowded spaces and big events. It's a good idea to check if your hotel or accommodation-provider has in-house rules about what guests with Covid should and should not do. 

The tourist board has a list of authorised medical centres offering tests, or you can buy rapid lateral flow tests ("pruebas de antigenos") in most pharmacies. If your symptoms are severe, the Canary Islands has a regional hotline with English-speaking staff: +34 928 301012 for Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, or +34 922 470012 for Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma.

What Covid forms, tests and quarantines are required when I return to the UK?

The rules on returning to the UK changed in March 2022. Regardless of vaccination status, you no longer need to take any tests or fill out a passenger locator form to enter the UK.