People have been told that the more intense checks have ‘an upside’ after arriving
Brits told ‘one upside’ to tighter new Gibraltar border checks(Image: Getty)
Brits visiting Gibraltar now face new rules, including security screening and passport scrutiny, when landing in the British Overseas Territory. Travel journalist Simon Calder reported for The Telegraph that new rules came into force from today, July 15, as part of a post-Brexit deal.
The UK-EU agreement to create an open land border between Gibraltar and Spain has been signed in Brussels – and was brought into effect from Wednesday. It will make Gibraltar effectively part of Europe’s passport-free Schengen Zone, with the removal of checkpoints and border fences.
But the changes introduce tighter border controls at Gibraltar’s airport. On arrival at Joshua Hassan Gibraltar International Airport, Brits should expect two new sets of checks, which will satisfy entry into Gibraltar and the Schengen Area:
- Gibraltar entry immigration controls – performed by the Gibraltar authorities
- Schengen entry immigration controls – performed by the Spanish authorities
This includes registration under the Entry/Exit System (EES) where it applies. All of the updated entry requirements for tourists can be found on the GOV.UK website here.
The main page reads: “To enter Gibraltar, your [full UK] passport must have been issued within the previous 10 years and its validity must extend for at least three months after the day you intend to leave Gibraltar or the Schengen Area.”
If you are a British–Irish dual national and travel on your Irish passport, you will be treated as an EU citizen on entry to Gibraltar and the Schengen Area. You will not be subject to the 90-day limits, EES or ETIAS. If you travel on your British passport, the conditions above apply.
What were the rules before July 15?
Before July 15, 2026, UK citizens visiting Gibraltar did not have their stay count toward the Schengen Area’s 90-day limit, and they only faced a single immigration check handled solely by Gibraltarian authorities upon arrival. Because the provisional UK-EU Gibraltar Agreement had not yet taken effect, Gibraltar operated entirely outside of the Schengen rules
UK nationals could visit Gibraltar for up to 90 days without a visa. Passports simply needed to be valid for the duration of the intended stay. But from today, tourists visiting the territory bordering Spain will face new rules.
What are the new ‘rules’?
As explained by Simon, he said: “From this summer, it gets a bit trickier to reach [Gibraltar] for British passport holders. The British Overseas Territory is not joining the Schengen area, but the effect for UK passport holders is the same.
On arrival in the Rock, you will be checked by Spanish passport officials to make sure that your passport meets those tricky rules on expiry and issue dates. They’ll also want to know if you’ve spent more than 90 days in the last 180 days in the Schengen area, and any time you spend in Gibraltar will count towards that total.”
With these new checks, Simon adds that there will be “an upside”. He claims that, with these stronger checks carried out in the airport upon arrival, visitors are considered inside the ‘frontier free zone’ and could travel straight into Spain without stopping again.