Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
“Once you have your Spain Non Lucrative Visa, on entering Spain via an airport, do you still have to queue with the UK holiday makers waiting to have their passports stamped or can you follow the Spanish/EU passport queue?”
Answers
“If your passport is from the UK, you use the UK passport line.”
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“You still need to have your passport stamped to prove when you entered the country, this is proof for the TIE application.”
“Yep, you will need a stamp as proof of entry.”
“UK passport = UK queue.”
“Can I ask then what happens when the new system comes into play and they no longer stamp passports and just take fingerprints or photos. I believe this is coming in in November.” – “10th November.”
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Explore Cities →“Yes and you want to so you get your stamps to prove you don’t stay out of Spain too long as per Spain Non Lucrative Visa requirements.”
“The stamp serves as a record for when you entered Spain and activates the visa.”
“Your passport doesn’t change, so UK queue 🤔.”
“Passport stamping will end on the 10th Nov once the EES begins.”
Conclusion
Holders of a UK passport with a Spain Non Lucrative Visa (NLV) are required to use the UK passport line when entering Spain through its airports.
It is necessary to have your passport stamped as this acts as proof of entry for various administrative purposes, including the TIE application.
Changes are expected with the introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES), which will modify how entries are recorded, potentially moving from stamping to biometrics starting November 10th.
However, any delays in implementing the EES could affect this transition.
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Answers
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