# Is travel from the UK to Spain allowed for a family emergency?



## stu123 (Dec 27, 2020)

Hi.

I need some help if possible.

My partner's mum and dad both live in Spain.

Her mother has dementia and her father suffered a stroke a couple of days ago leaving him unable to look after her mother until he recovers.

Is there any way of my partner being allowed to travel to Spain from the UK at the moment to assist in caring for her mother?

I called the UK gov helpline and they said it was a no go unless you are a citizen but to check with the Spanish embassy just in case, the embassy is closed today (possibly tomorrow too) so does anyone here have any idea if they are letting people travel in compassionate grounds?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

stu123 said:


> Hi.
> 
> I need some help if possible.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear about the situtation.

Yes, atm only Spanish nationals & residents are allowed in from the UK, but exceptions are sometimes made for emergency situations, as far as travelling around the country is concerned, so perhaps that will apply here, too. 

I would definitely call the Spanish Consulate in the morning - it should be open tomorrow - & explain the situation - perhaps they will ask for proof of the medical situation, so have the doctor details to hand. 

Don't forget that she'll need a negative covid test too, so start planning that as well. 

Good luck & let us know how you get on.


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## stu123 (Dec 27, 2020)

xabiaxica said:


> Sorry to hear about the situtation.
> 
> Yes, atm only Spanish nationals & residents are allowed in from the UK, but exceptions are sometimes made for emergency situations, as far as travelling around the country is concerned, so perhaps that will apply here, too.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice. 

We hadn't thought about having the proof of the medical situation at hand. We'll try and sort that out now.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

I think the Spanish consulate is closed tomorrow because of UK bank holiday in lieu of Boxing Day which was a Saturday, but there may be an emergency number you can call.


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## stu123 (Dec 27, 2020)

Joppa said:


> I think the Spanish consulate is closed tomorrow because of UK bank holiday in lieu of Boxing Day which was a Saturday, but there may be an emergency number you can call.


I think you might be correct.

I did get a reply to an email I sent a bit earlier to the Spanish consulate in London and they told me to talk to the British Embassy in Madrid. Bit confused about that one as the British gov told me to talk to the Spanish consulate


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## Jenny Jitterbug (Aug 26, 2020)

Unfortunately these types of situations do happen with elderly parents. Do they have the essential reparation insurance to the UK?


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## stu123 (Dec 27, 2020)

Jenny Jitterbug said:


> Unfortunately these types of situations do happen with elderly parents. Do they have the essential reparation insurance to the UK?


Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure if they have that. I'll check.

So far we phoned the foreign office in the UK who sent us to the Spanish consulate. 

The Spanish consulate sent us to the British Embassy in Spain. 

This morning the British Embassy in Spain sent us back to the Spanish consulate in London.

I'm at a loss.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Must be a worry for you. Are they any other expats living close by who could contact social services at the local Town Hall.

The FCDO always have an emergency line (people dying, having accidents etc. all the time).

The obvious is the Spanish Embassy\consulate as the authorities in the country you’re travelling to are responsible for setting and enforcing the rules for entry. The UK cannot dictate who Spain allows in. You will definitely need a Covid test.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I am sorry to say that the Foreign Office 24 hour emergency line was completely useless when my sister was killed in Portugal last year. I rang early on a Saturday morning to report what had happened and asked if someone could go to the assistance of her husband and sons until I could get a flight up there to help. The response was that they don't do that and I would need to contact the Consulate in Lisbon when they reopened on Monday morning. When we did that, the only thing they were able to provide was a list of undertakers (which we had already found on the internet by then). 

I agree though that it should be the Spanish Embassy/Consulate who should be able to provide advice on this as it wouldn't seem to be within the remit of the British Embassy in Madrid.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

Repatriation means returning someone to their place of legal residence so would not cover transporting someone resident in Spain to UK.

Typically it's for tourists who have suffered medical emergencies or mishaps and would not be applicable in a case like this.


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## copping (Jan 4, 2021)

stu123 said:


> Hi.
> 
> I need some help if possible.
> 
> ...


Hello, Really sorry for your situation. Please could I ask if have made any progress in this area as we find ourselves in the same situation and if you can help in any way that would be incredible. Really hope you have had success for yourselves and fingers crossed you can share the knowledge and help us as well.


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## stu123 (Dec 27, 2020)

copping said:


> Hello, Really sorry for your situation. Please could I ask if have made any progress in this area as we find ourselves in the same situation and if you can help in any way that would be incredible. Really hope you have had success for yourselves and fingers crossed you can share the knowledge and help us as well.


Hi.

We eventually got in touch with the British consulate in Malaga who opened a case for us and made contact with the Spanish government on our behalf.

Unfortunately we heard back from them today that Spain are granting no exceptions on compassionate grounds.

They said we will have to wait and see what happens when Spain review the situation in the 19th.

Sorry I can't be of any more help.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

stu123 said:


> Hi.
> 
> We eventually got in touch with the British consulate in Malaga who opened a case for us and made contact with the Spanish government on our behalf.
> 
> ...


So sorry to hear of your plight. You must be so worried and feeling pretty hopeless right now, you don't say where you are in Spain, but try getting in touch with these people, Age Concern Spain, who if nothing else may be able to point you in the right direction
Age Concern España | Promoting the well-being of older people in Spain
This appears to be based in Mallorca, but again, worth a try
About | Age in Spain | Supporting English speakers in Spain | Later life Spain
Maybe this in the Alicante area?
Home
Let us know if you get any help. Or if you don't. And let us know which area of Spain you are talking about.
Sorry have just realised that you mentioned Malaga... 
Here's another possible organisation that can help
Alzheimer's & Dementia Help | Spain | Alzheimer's Association
TOMORROW 6TH OF JANUARY IS A HOLIDAY IN SPAIN, so you might not be able to contact people, but it's worth a try - good luck!


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## copping (Jan 4, 2021)

stu123 said:


> Hi.
> 
> We eventually got in touch with the British consulate in Malaga who opened a case for us and made contact with the Spanish government on our behalf.
> 
> ...


Thank you,

We are still trying and if we hear of a way we will let you know.


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