Note

The 90/180 rule for British owners of Spanish property

§ 1The rule for British visitors

The UK government’s travel advice for Spain states that British citizens can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Spain, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Visits to other Schengen countries in the previous period count towards the limit. This page applies that rule to owners, as part of the chapter in more on British buyers. The general method of counting is explained in the residency section, in the chapter on Schengen stays.

§ 2Passport conditions

The same advice sets two conditions for the passport. It must have been issued less than ten years before the date you arrive, and it must be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. Some British passports were issued with extra months added to the validity, and those months do not count towards the ten years. Check your passport before you book a trip, since a refusal at the border is costly.

§ 3Counting your days

The count is rolling and covers the whole Schengen area. Keep a log of your entry and exit dates, and use the European Commission calculator. Owners who also visit France or Portugal must add those days. Owning a home gives you no extra allowance.

§ 4Overstaying

The UK government warns that overstaying may bring a ban of up to 3 years. The authorities decide each case, and the consequences can go beyond the ban. If you think you may overstay, seek advice before the limit, and keep proof of any event that prevents you from leaving.

§ 5Staying longer

The advice says that to stay longer you must meet the Spanish government’s entry requirements. If you hold a residence permit or a long-stay visa, your time in Spain does not count towards the visa-free limit. The routes are explained in residency after Brexit explained, including the non-lucrative visa for people with independent means.

§ 6The Entry/Exit System

The EU’s Entry/Exit System became fully operational on 10 April 2026, according to the European Commission. For non-EU visitors on short stays it replaces passport stamping with a digital record of each entry, exit and refusal, so the border authorities hold your dates electronically. The UK government’s travel advice, which we read on 26 October 2026, still describes the system as being implemented. Keep your own log of dates, boarding passes and bookings, and plan with a margin.

§ 7ETIAS

ETIAS, the EU’s online travel authorisation for visa-free non-EU visitors, is not in operation. The Commission expected it for the last quarter of 2026 when it announced the fee in July 2025, and as of 26 October 2026 we found no announced start date. ETIAS would be a permission to travel, and we read nothing saying it changes the limit of ninety days in every one hundred and eighty. We did not read the ETIAS regulation. Be wary of sites that charge for an application now.

§ 8For owners who are residents already

People who moved before 2021 with Withdrawal Agreement rights are in a different position, and the TIE is their document. They are not bound by the visa-free limit in the same way. Check your own status with the authorities, and see more on buying after Brexit for the wider changes.

§ 9Where to check

Official pages change, so confirm the point that matters to you on the source before you act, and keep a dated copy of what you read. Where a page here says we did not read a text, ask your adviser to read it for you.

§ 10More on this topic

Buying as a UK resident explained explains what a UK-based buyer should plan for and the UK-Spain tax treaty explained explains what the double taxation agreement does.

Legal note. How the process works in general. It is not legal advice, and it never replaces an independent Spanish lawyer acting for you.