Will friends visiting me in Spain need proof of stay?

Simon Calder answers your questions on visa red tape, compensation claims and whether it’s possible to visit Lviv

The recommended course of action for a property owner is to apply at the local police station in Spain for a ‘carta de invitation’, for which the fee is around £70 (iStock)

Q I am a non-resident homeowner in Spain. Do I have to provide a letter of invitation to visit friends who are UK passport holders?

David S

A Not a letter of invitation – it is even more bureaucratic than that. The democratic vote to leave the European Union, together with the insistence of the UK government that British travellers be treated as “third-country nationals”, has had many consequences. The obligation to provide proof of accommodation when entering the EU – and wider Schengen Area – is one of them.