Tarjeta de invitacion

[Trooperman]

I've just been made aware of this document and the "need" for any non-EU visitor/non-Shengen visitor to prove they have somewhere to stay whilst visiting Spain.

I further understand that it has been the law for some years now.

Has anyone had experience of the operation of this law?

I'm also told that this tarjeta is not needed if the visitor (with or without any necessary VISA) is staying in an hotel, hostel or other "approved" lodging but that it will apply to persons, friends and family visiting either their own holiday home or someone else's home not in the "approved" category.

It was suggested that a way around this legislation (and I believe obtaining the tarjeta from the National Police will cost about 70 euros) is to make a cancellable booking via, say, Booking.com and then do just that: cancel the booking, but retain the downloaded booking to show the border police.

I could go on at length about a government shooting itself in the foot and destroying the tourist trade, but I'll resist that temptation whilst I hear from the practical members of this site!

[El Cid]

Yes, it's been the law for some time, but only since Brexit does it apply to UK visitors.

The need to produce it is down to the specific border control official who I doubt would ask for it unless there were other reasons to doubt the visitor's motives for entering Spain. If it was a frequent occurrence, it would have been all over the UK press, especially bearing in mind the cost of getting one.

There may be exceptions to this where it is enforced, the Gibraltar border springs to mind, but if it was being asked for at Málaga airport, the resultant queues would bring border control to a complete halt.

Sid

[Enrique]

Hi,

"the Gibraltar border springs to mind"............ Sid hit that one on the head, Mrs E was checked on her last trip to Gibraltar from Spain.

Will depend also if a jobs worth is on Duty and is doing the checks.

[peteroldracer]

It is of course a way of collecting info on who may be indulging in a bit of untaxed unregistered b&b...

[El Cid]

My opinion, FWIW, is that it's an old rule, rarely used apart from the occasional dodgy looking visitor, the existence of which has surfaced in some expat sources after Brexit and is best ignored (unless you are inviting one of the dodgy types!).

Sid