With less than eight weeks to go, the UK Home Office has launched a blunt “No permission, no travel” campaign aimed at Spanish citizens. From 25 February 2026, everyone from Spain who is currently visa-exempt must hold an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before boarding a plane, ferry or Eurostar service to Britain. The digital permit costs £16, is valid for two years (or until passport expiry) and will be enforced at check-in; carriers face fines if they allow non-compliant passengers to board([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-06/es/uk-issues-final-reminder-eta-becomes-mandatory-for-spanish-travellers-from-25-february-2026/)).
The ETA sits at the heart of London’s post-Brexit border-digitisation programme and pre-empts the EU’s own ETIAS system, now delayed until late 2026. Spanish corporates therefore face a twin-track compliance year: they must secure ETAs for staff visiting the UK while simultaneously preparing for ETIAS to enter force on intra-EU trips later in the year([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-06/es/uk-issues-final-reminder-eta-becomes-mandatory-for-spanish-travellers-from-25-february-2026/)).
![UK Issues Final Warning: ETA Mandatory for Spanish Travellers From 25 February]()
For travellers and mobility managers looking to simplify these parallel authorisation processes, VisaHQ offers a one-stop solution. Through its Spain portal, the company provides step-by-step ETA application support, document verification and real-time status tracking, helping Spanish citizens and their employers secure approvals quickly and avoid costly last-minute issues (https://www.visahq.com/spain/).
Travel-management companies report that many occasional Spanish visitors remain unaware of the requirement. Mobility teams are adding automated ETA reminders to booking platforms, advising employees to apply at least 72 hours before departure and warning dual nationals that travelling on a non-EU passport still triggers the ETA rule([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-06/es/uk-issues-final-reminder-eta-becomes-mandatory-for-spanish-travellers-from-25-february-2026/)).
For events in Britain after February, host companies should reference the ETA in invitation letters to avoid last-minute boarding denials. Budget forecasts also need to account for the £16 fee per traveller and potential re-booking costs if permission is refused or delayed.
The ETA sits at the heart of London’s post-Brexit border-digitisation programme and pre-empts the EU’s own ETIAS system, now delayed until late 2026. Spanish corporates therefore face a twin-track compliance year: they must secure ETAs for staff visiting the UK while simultaneously preparing for ETIAS to enter force on intra-EU trips later in the year([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-06/es/uk-issues-final-reminder-eta-becomes-mandatory-for-spanish-travellers-from-25-february-2026/)).
For travellers and mobility managers looking to simplify these parallel authorisation processes, VisaHQ offers a one-stop solution. Through its Spain portal, the company provides step-by-step ETA application support, document verification and real-time status tracking, helping Spanish citizens and their employers secure approvals quickly and avoid costly last-minute issues (https://www.visahq.com/spain/).
Travel-management companies report that many occasional Spanish visitors remain unaware of the requirement. Mobility teams are adding automated ETA reminders to booking platforms, advising employees to apply at least 72 hours before departure and warning dual nationals that travelling on a non-EU passport still triggers the ETA rule([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-06/es/uk-issues-final-reminder-eta-becomes-mandatory-for-spanish-travellers-from-25-february-2026/)).
For events in Britain after February, host companies should reference the ETA in invitation letters to avoid last-minute boarding denials. Budget forecasts also need to account for the £16 fee per traveller and potential re-booking costs if permission is refused or delayed.
