The change has just come into place for the peninsula, and Brits flying to the area will need to make sure their travel documents meet the new requirements, or could find themselves stranded at the airport
The airline warned passengers flying on one of its four routes(Image: Getty Images)
Budget airline easyJet has issued a warning to Brits flying on any of its four routes from the UK to a popular holiday hotspot visited by approximately 1.3million Brits every year, as new entry requirements came into force earlier this month.
In a statement, easyJet said: “From 15 July 2026, Gibraltar will align with Schengen entry requirements. If you’re travelling to Gibraltar, please check that your travel documents meet the new rules before you fly.”
The airline operates four routes from the UK to Gibraltar International Airport from Birmingham, Bristol, London-Gatwick, and Manchester. The only other airline that operates from the hub is British Airways, which has a London-Heathrow service.
The airline set out the key changes, saying: “UK visas and UK residence permits/share codes will no longer be accepted for entry to Gibraltar.” It also clarified: “Passports for travellers from non-Schengen countries (except Ireland and Cyprus) must have been issued within the last 10 years, and be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave Gibraltar.”
The requirements are now aligned with what Brits can expect at the other 29 countries in the Schengen area. This means they’ll need to go through registration under the Entry/Exit System (EES). EasyJet added: “Before travelling, please make sure you have the correct documents for your journey to avoid any issues at the airport, you can check the government website.”
While Gibraltar remains a a self-governing British Overseas Territory, as of July 15 a post-Brexit deal has allowed the border with Spain to be removed, getting rid of border controls and customs checks for those passing between Spain and Gibraltar.
Historically, the border has caused hold-ups and long queues for locals as it has had to handle an average of 15,000 people passing through it each day for work, education, and social purposes.
But the change means that, while Gibraltar still has autonomy, it’s now a de facto part of the Schengen free-movement area, which is why Brits will notice a change when visiting the territory. The EES system will involve the same fingerprint and face scans as the EU requires at every airport.
The FCDO added: “On arrival at Joshua Hassan Gibraltar International Airport, you should expect two sets of checks which will satisfy entry into Gibraltar and the Schengen Area: Gibraltar entry immigration controls performed by the Gibraltar authorities and Schengen entry immigration controls performed by the Spanish authorities as the authorities of the neighbouring Schengen State
“This includes registration under the Entry/Exit System (EES) where it applies. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will also apply once it is operational. Once you have cleared these checks, you can move freely across the land border from Gibraltar into Spain and the wider Schengen Area.”
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