Visa-free travel to the borderless Schengen Area, which consists of 26 European countries, is possible for the biometric passport holders of over 60 world countries, including here, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Albania, New Zealand, Georgia, and more.
However, visa-free does not mean requirement-free.
When showing up at the external borders of the Schengen Area, travellers from visa-free countries need to make sure they meet several mandatory conditions in order to be eligible to enter.
“The visa waiver does not give an unconditional right of entry and stay. The Member States have the right to refuse entry and stay in their territories if one or more of the entry conditions are not met,” the European Commission notes, explaining how visa-free entry works while also listing the requirements.
According to the Commission, travellers must meet the following most important conditions in order to be able to enter the Schengen countries:
- They must hold a valid travel document issued by one of the countries under the visa-free list
- They must hold proof on the purpose of their trip, proof they have sufficient financial means to support their stay, and proof on their intended date of return
- They must not have an alert on the Schengen Information System for the purposes of refusing entry
When it comes to proof that they have sufficient financial means to support their stay in the EU, each country has a different amount required. For example, the minimum required daily amount of money for entry into France is €120 if the traveller holds no proof of accommodation paid in advance. If the accommodation has been previously paid, the required amount drops to €65 per day.
According to Article 5(3) of the Schengen Area Border Code: “means of subsistence shall be assessed in accordance with the duration and the purpose of the stay and by reference to average prices in the Member State(s)concerned for board and lodging in budget accommodation, multiplied by the number of days stayed.”
Further, the European Commission also notes that the border guards may verify the sufficient means of subsistence on cash, travellers’ cheques and credit cards in possession of the traveller.
“Declarations of sponsorships, where such declarations are provided for by national legislation and letters of guarantee/invitation from hosts, as defined by national legislation, in case the third-country national is staying with a host, may also constitute evidence of sufficient means of subsistence,” the Commission explains.
Travellers to Spain Required to Prove They Have at Least €100 per Day
Only recently, through a statement on the official EULaw database & home of the EU Official Journal, shortly known as EUR-Lex, it has been announced that travellers from third countries reaching the national territory of Spain should continue to hold proof that they have an amount of at least €100 per day in order to be able to enter Spain.
The same requirement also applies to Spain Schengen visa applicants, which means that they need to show proof that they have at least €100 per each day they plan on staying in Spain when applying for a Schengen Visa to Spain.
“… foreigners who intend to enter the national territory must continue to prove that they have a minimum amount of €100 per person per day, those they intend to stay in Spain with a minimum of €900 or its legal equivalent in foreign currency, provided that they are required by the officials in charge of carrying out the control of entry into Spanish territory, and under the terms established in the aforementioned Order,” it is noted in the EUR-Lex website.
Why €100?
The amount of €100 per day represents ten per cent of the gross minimum interprofessional gross salary or its legal equivalent in third-country currency multiplied by the amount of days they plan on spending in the territory of Spain and by the number of other travellers whose expenses will also be covering.
As of January 1, 2022, the Spanish authorities have established the minimum interprofessional salary at €33.33 per day or €1,000 per month, depending on whether the salary is fixed by days or by months.
“I Travelled to Spain Several Times & I Was Never Asked For Such Proof”
Many travellers might have visited Spain more than once, and the same have never been asked to show proof of their sufficient financial means for entry into the country.
The reason behind such a thing is that while travellers are absolutely obliged to hold such proof, the border guards are not required to ask each person entering the country to present these documents. Inf fact, random travellers are selected to be asked for such documents.
“Foreigners must prove, if required to do so by the officials in charge of controlling the entry of people into Spanish territory, that they have economic resources [for entering the country],” the Spanish Ministry of Interior notes.
The Ministry also points out that travellers are eligible to prove they have the required financial means through cash or by presenting certified checks, traveller’s checks, payment letters, or credit cards, “which must be accompanied by the bank account statement or an up-to-date bank book.” Other means that reliably prove the amount available as credit of the aforementioned card or Bank account are also accepted.
In a forum of CaminoDeSantiago, discussing the requirement, many travellers have insisted that they have never been asked for such documents when travelling to Spain. Yet there were others who shared their experience of actually having had to prove they had enough means of subsistence to enter the country.
“The one and only time I was asked to provide evidence of funds to support myself, all I did was slap down my Mastercard, Visa card, a debit card and an ATM card on the bench and that was sufficient…I was not asked for bank statements or anything else. I carry the debit card & ATM card as a last line of defence should something go wrong…and one trip it did!” a traveller under the name Tassie Kaz wrote.
Whereas another commenter under the name Eve Alexandra said that about a week ago, during her trip to Spain, she was asked for her passport, proof if she had a vaccination card, and while she was asked whether she had €96 a day to cover the number of days of her trip, she was not required to prove it.
What Happens If I’m Asked to Prove I Have €100-Per-Day & I Don’t Have It?
The Spanish Ministry of Interior explains that if the border guards decide to ask a traveller whether he or she has the required means of subsistence, and the same fails to do so, the border guards have to right to refuse entry into the country to that traveller.
“In the event that, when carrying out the control of the entry of persons into Spanish territory, it is verified that a foreigner lacks sufficient economic resources for the time he wishes to remain in Spain and to continue his trip to the country of destination or to return to the country of origin, or does not have the nominative, non-transferable and closed ticket or tickets, in the means of transport that they intend to use, their entry into Spanish territory will be denied as established by law,” the Spanish Ministry of Interior Explains.
Furthermore, the Ministry warns that border officials have the right to permit entry into Spain to persons who do not have sufficient financial means but by reducing the length of their permitted stay in proportion to the amount of resources available, by diligence in the passport or similar document.
This means that the guards are eligible to set a deadline until which the travellers must leave Spain. Travellers will also have to purchase a new departure ticket according to this deadline.
>> Over 135,000 Third-Country Nationals Were Refused Entry at EU External Borders in 2020