Health Control Form (HCF)

What is the Health Control Form?

The Spain Health Control Form allows the Spanish government to track and limit the spread of illness between Spanish citizens and travelers from other places. It is specifically designed for use relative to COVID-19, but can also be used to track other contagious diseases.

The form allows the government to know who is entering their country, where they are coming from, and when they are coming. This allows them to limit travel from certain countries if those countries are at high risk for COVID-19. It also allows them to know who needs to quarantine, who needs to show proof of vaccination, and who needs to bring negative COVID test results with them.

The HCF also gives the government email contact information for every traveler. If someone is exposed to COVID-19 while they are in Spain or something changes about their health status while they are in the country, government representatives have a way to contact them and let them know what is going on.

Who Needs a Spain Health Declaration?

Every traveler to Spain needs to fill out the HCF. They will not be permitted entry to the country without it. Some airlines may require passengers to show that they have a printed form or the QR code before they can board a plane to Spain.

Transit Passengers

Even travelers who are only transiting the country - those who are not leaving the airport but, instead, are changing planes - need to fill out the form. That way, the government knows they were there and can contact them if they get exposed to COVID in the airport or if there are any other health issues they need to know about.

Minors and Disabled People

Minor children and disabled people also need to fill out the Health Form, though their parents or guardians can do it for them. There is a place to note on the application if a traveler is filling out the form as a parent or guardian. In these cases, the parent or guardian is responsible for making sure all of the information on the form is accurate and valid.

Every person entering Spain needs to fill out their own health form. There is an option to fill out a form for a group, as well. It is the responsibility of every adult to make sure they are covered by a valid HCF before they try to enter Spain.

Every individual trip to or through Spain requires a separate HCF. They are only valid for a single entry and cannot be reused or reissued. Because they are free and easy to fill out, this should not be a problem for most visitors.

Is the HCF Required to Visit Spain?

Yes, a completed Health Control Form is required in order to enter Spain. Immigration officials will not allow visitors into the country unless they can show the QR code, either on an electronic device or printed out.

Some travelers will need additional health documentation in order to be allowed entry into Spain. Vaccinated travelers should bring official proof of their vaccination. Unvaccinated travelers from "at risk" countries will need to show that they tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the time their flight departed.

Note that unvaccinated travelers will not be permitted entry to Spain unless their travel is deemed "essential".

All travelers from India, regardless of vaccination status or whether they have had COVID-19 recently or have negative PCR test results, will need to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Spain.

If Additional Permissions Is Needed

Travelers who come from countries that require a visa or other permission to enter Spain will need to get this permission before they come. The HCF is not a visa and does not permit entry on its own. Visitors will need to demonstrate that they have this additional documentation, too, before immigration officials will let them in the country.

What Do Travelers Need to Fill Out the Health Form?

Before they fill out the health control form online, travelers to Spain should gather the following documents:

• Their passport, national ID, or foreign resident paperwork
• Their EU COVID Digital Certificate, or other paperwork from their country certifying that they have recovered from COVID or been vaccinated for COVID
• Proof of negative PCR test results (if applicable)

Travelers also need to make sure that they have a valid email address and that they will maintain access to this email address until they can get their QR code for the health form or print off the health form that is emailed to them.

Most travelers will need a phone or other electronic device. This can be used both to fill out the health form and to show the QR code at immigration.

A reliable internet connection will ensure that filling out the form goes quickly and easily and will help travelers locate the email with QR code when they need to show it.

When Can Travelers Fill Out Their HCF?

Travelers cannot fill out their health control form until at least 48 hours before their time of departure. This is because the government wants to make sure that people are healthy close to the time that they arrive in Spain. If they allowed forms to be submitted earlier than that, they would not be able to do as much to ensure health in both travelers and Spanish citizens.

Most travelers get their form and QR code quickly after they submit the form. However, some travelers have to wait up to 24 hours for their form to be processed. It's best, therefore, to fill out the form as close to 48 hours before departure as possible. This allows for plenty of time for the government to receive the form, process it, and get back to the applicant.

Parents or guardians filling out the Health Control Form for minor children or other dependents need to fill out the form in the same time frame that is listed above. Every minor child traveling with a family will need to have their own form, even babies and/or infants.