- Spain has confirmed visa-free entry for citizens of nine CARICOM nations for stays up to ninety days.
- The policy excludes Jamaica, Guyana, and Haiti while applying to several African and Indian Ocean nations.
- Nations operating citizenship programs face a June 2028 deadline to reform or lose Schengen access.
Spain named nine CARICOM countries on Tuesday for visa-free entry of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation issued the update in Madrid on July 14, 2026.
The nine are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Jamaica, Guyana, Suriname, Belize and Haiti were left off.
The exemption applies to ordinary passport holders. It covers tourism, business trips, family visits, medical treatment, study, and non-work internships.
Free toolSchengen Short-Stay Visa CalculatorSpain still ties that access to Schengen rules. The ministry's entry conditions page says travelers need proof of travel purpose and sufficient funds.
The ministry put the rule this way:
"Citizens holding an ordinary passport from these [nine] countries can travel to Spain without first applying for a visa. if they stay only for 90 days within a 180-day period. provided they meet the entry conditions established in the Schengen Border Code."
Spain did not stop with the Caribbean. The same updated list also includes Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius, Seychelles, Cape Verde, and Rwanda. José Manuel Albares confirmed the framework as part of Spain's broader commitment to reducing travel barriers.
The announcement also sharpened the legal backdrop. Spain has reaffirmed and consolidated its visa-free travel list, and the broader roster has been described as running from 60 to 93 countries worldwide. The release came amid broader regional tensions over Citizenship by Investment programs.
Brussels is pressing Caribbean passports toward a 2028 deadline
Brussels has tightened the pressure around citizenship by investment. The European Commission introduced a revised Visa Suspension Mechanism in December 2025, and under that rule, the mere operation of a CBI scheme can trigger the loss of visa-free access.
Magnus Brunner sent a formal letter on June 25, 2026, asking Caribbean nations to phase out those programs by June 1, 2028, or risk losing Schengen-wide visa-free access. Five of the nine named nations fall under that deadline.
Those five are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. Gaston Browne said Antigua and Barbuda would seek a "high-level meeting with European officials" to address security concerns without losing visa-free access.
The pressure is not limited to Europe. In January 2026, the United States reduced visitor visas for Antiguan citizens from 10-year multiple-entry to 3-month single-entry permits, citing similar CBI security concerns. Spain's tourism industry is forecast to reach 100 million international arrivals in 2026, and the country's nominal GDP is estimated at $2.09 trillion.
Starting in late 2026, citizens of these visa-free countries will also need ETIAS. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System permit will cost €20 and stay valid for three years.
