Visas and Entry

Spain, Ceuta, Melilla

Spain is in the Schengen area. Citizens of the EU and EEA and Switzerland travel freely. Many other nationalities, including the UK, the United States, Canada and Australia, can enter for up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa.

Two things to note for 2027:

• ETIAS. The European travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors is expected to be in force. It is an online application, not a visa, and it is cheap and quick, but you must have it before you travel. Check the current status close to your trip.
• Ceuta and Melilla. Both are Spanish territory but sit outside the Schengen customs and border arrangements in practice, and there are identity checks arriving and leaving. Carry your passport or national identity card even on a domestic ferry from Algeciras.

Gibraltar

A British Overseas Territory and not part of the Schengen area. Most visitors who can enter Spain can enter Gibraltar, but it is a separate crossing with its own checks. Carry your passport in both directions. If you are staying in Spain and visiting for the day, allow generous time for the border, which can queue for hours in summer.

Morocco

Citizens of the EU, the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries can enter without a visa for stays of up to 90 days. A passport valid for at least six months beyond arrival is normally required.

If you are crossing from Ceuta or Melilla by land, expect the border to be slow, particularly in the first week of August. Crossing by ferry from Tarifa or Algeciras is generally more predictable.

Algeria

This is the one that needs planning. Most nationalities, including EU and UK citizens, need a visa obtained in advance from an Algerian embassy or consulate. There is no general visa on arrival.

• Applications typically require a passport valid six months beyond entry, confirmed accommodation or an invitation, a flight itinerary and sometimes proof of funds.
• Processing times vary widely and can run to several weeks.
• Some nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival when travelling with a licensed tour operator to certain southern regions. This does not apply generally.
• Start six months ahead. Consulates will be dealing with an unusual volume of eclipse applications.

For many travellers the simplest route into Algeria for this eclipse will be through an organised tour, because the operator handles the invitation and the paperwork.

Tunisia

Citizens of the EU, the UK, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries can enter without a visa for up to 90 days. Passport validity of three to six months beyond arrival is normally required. Arriving on a package tour can carry slightly different arrangements.

Egypt

Most visitors need a visa. There are three routes:

• E-visa: available online in advance for a long list of nationalities. This is the recommended route for the eclipse, because it removes the airport queue.
• Visa on arrival: available to many nationalities at the main airports, bought at a bank counter before immigration.
• Consulate visa: the traditional route, still needed for some nationalities.

Passports normally need six months validity. There are separate arrangements for visitors staying only in the Sinai resorts, which do not cover travel to the Nile valley, so they are not useful for this eclipse.

Apply early. Egypt will see an exceptional influx around 2 August 2027 and processing capacity is finite.

Libya

The path crosses Libya, and Benghazi gets 6 minutes 9 seconds, one of the longest durations anywhere. We do not cover Libya as a destination on this site. Entry is difficult for most nationalities and many governments advise against all travel to the country. Check your own government’s advice.

Practical points that catch people out

• Passport validity. Six months beyond your return date is the common requirement. Check yours now, not in July 2027.
• Blank pages. Some countries require two blank pages for stamps.
• Travel insurance. Check that it covers the countries you are visiting and any activity you have planned, and that it covers medical evacuation from remote areas.
• Multiple countries in one trip. If you plan to combine Spain with Morocco, or Tunisia with Algeria, check that your visas and entry stamps allow the sequence you have in mind. Land borders in the region are not all open.
• Drones and optical equipment. Several countries on this path restrict drones and, in some cases, professional camera and telescope equipment. If you are bringing serious astrophotography gear, check the import rules first.

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