Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade updated its Smartraveller advisory for Spain on 26 July, retaining the ‘Exercise normal safety precautions’ level but flagging two new mobility issues: wildfires and the EU’s Entry/Exit System. The notice warns Australian holiday-makers and long-stay digital-nomads that localised evacuations are underway in Madrid, Castile-La Mancha and Valencia, and that travelling into restricted areas could void insurance policies. DFAT also reminds travellers that from this year all non-EU nationals—including Australians—must have fingerprints and a facial photo taken on first entry to the Schengen Area under EES, with potential for “border delays during peak periods”. While the advisory is aimed at tourists, corporate-travel managers should note the insurance angle: several Australian underwriters now list ‘failure to comply with local evacuation orders’ as a standard exclusion. Additionally, visa-free business visitors who rotate frequently between Spain and Portugal must track their 90-day allowance precisely, as EES removes past flexibility around date-stamp legibility. The embassy in Madrid reports no flight cancellations despite the wildfires, but urges travellers to monitor Aena and carrier feeds. Australians on assignment are advised to register their itinerary on the Smartraveller portal so they can receive SMS alerts if conditions deteriorate. DFAT’s update mirrors similar revisions issued by the UK and Canada last week, suggesting a broader trend of governments linking natural-disaster warnings with the operational launch of EES.
Source: Australian DFAT – Smartraveller
