Before you go · Canary Islands
Canary Islands essentials
The practical things worth knowing before you arrive, checked against GOV.UK travel advice for Spain on 1 November 2026. Entry rules change: always check the official sources before you travel.
Updated November 2026
Passports, the 90-day rule and EES
You can stay in the Schengen area, which includes Spain, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, as a tourist, to visit family or friends, or for business meetings and events. Overstaying can lead to a ban from Schengen countries of up to three years.
The EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is being introduced across the Schengen area: on your first entry you may be asked to register your fingerprints and a photo at a special booth. There is no charge (GOV.UK).
Health cover
Carry a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Neither replaces travel insurance (GOV.UK).
Emergency numbers
Call 112 for the emergency services. If you are walking or climbing and get lost in the mountains, call 112 or the Civil Guard on 062 (GOV.UK).
Our advice: on Teide and the island trails, tell someone your route, carry water and a layer, and turn back early if the cloud comes down.
Questions and answers
Do I need a visa for the Canary Islands?
British visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area, which includes Spain, without a visa (GOV.UK).
What is the emergency number in the Canary Islands?
112; in the mountains you can also call the Civil Guard on 062 (GOV.UK).
Entry rules change. Check GOV.UK travel advice, or your own government’s, before you travel.