Brit tourists flocking to a popular Spanish city this summer have been warned over a little-known rule that could result in huge fines of almost £7,000 – especially if you’re staying with friends
UK holidaymakers have been urged to avoid eye-watering fines exceeding £6,000 when holidaying in Spain this year.
Despite the string of anti-tourist protests that have erupted across the country in recent weeks – it’s clear nothing will deter Brits from enjoying a week in the sun. In fact, Spain received a staggering 17 million international visitors during the first three months of 2025, a 5.7 per cent spike compared to the same duration last year.
It means hotspots like Benidorm, Barcelona, and Madrid could see record-breaking numbers of tourists during the summer holidays – even if fed-up locals continue to cause commotion on the streets. However, sun-worshipping Brits have been warned that a simple error may end up wrecking their finances.
Since the UK left the European Union, those who don’t hold an EU passport now need to carry proof they have accommodation when they visit Spain as a tourist for 90 days or less. If you’ve booked a hotel or rental through a site such as Airbnb or Booking.com – this is pretty straightforward.
Simply printing out your booking reference and handing it over to passport control when touching down in Spain should be enough to prove you have already booked accommodation for your stay. However, if you’re staying with friends or family – this is a little trickier.
As previously reported, you may need to obtain a ‘letter of invitation’ (aka carta de invitacion) from your host, which is an official statement that has to be issued by the police. It is your responsibility to get the letter, and your host needs to be either a Spanish national, an EU citizen living in Spain or a non-EU citizen with legal residence in the country.
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Failure to oblige could result in hefty fines of €8,000 (approximately £6,900). “Accommodation hosts now also have a legal obligation to collect quite a bit of personal data,” explains EuroWeekly.
“Expect to hand over your full name, gender, nationality, passport details, birth date, home address, and even your mobile and landline numbers. Don’t be surprised if you’re also asked how you paid for your stay—this is now the norm, not a scam.”
In a statement sent to the Mirror, Last Night of Freedom, the UK’s leading stag and hen do organiser, also warned of other crackdowns in Barcelona. This includes €300 (£258) fines for illegal gatherings (including pub crawls), and €5,000 (£4,310) fines for those found violating short-term rental restrictions – which mainly applies to local landlords rather than tourists.
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