What immigration controls will be carried out on people moving by land between Gibraltar and Spain further to the 2026 UK/EU Treaty in relation to Gibraltar's future relationship with the EU?
Short answer
None. Since Wednesday 15 July 2026 there have been no immigration controls on people moving by land between Gibraltar and Spain, and crossing is designed to feel like crossing between Schengen States. One consequence is that land crossings are not recorded in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES).
Detailed answer
None. Since the treaty began to apply provisionally on Wednesday 15 July 2026, there have been no immigration controls on people moving by land between Gibraltar and Spain. This is one of the main purposes of the treaty. Crossing by land between Gibraltar and Spain is designed to feel like crossing between Schengen States. Persons who are legally in the Schengen Area, like Gibraltar residents, do not need to show their passports and are not checked for immigration purposes. Persons legally residing in the Schengen Area and Gibraltar can circulate freely. The model agreed is the one that delivers maximum fluidity for movements by land, the issue of greatest socio-economic concern to Gibraltar arising from the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union. Without these arrangements, and with the Schengen Area tightening controls at its external borders through the Entry/Exit System (EES), fully operational since Friday 10 April 2026, Gibraltar's economic model and established way of life were at risk. Land crossings and the EES Because there are no immigration controls at the land border, crossings there are not recorded in the EES. The Government of Gibraltar reported on Tuesday 13 October 2026 that many residents who were registered in the EES, despite being exempt, now appear in the system as still present in the Schengen Area because their exit was never recorded. Anyone in this position is advised to ask the competent authorities of the Schengen State that recorded their most recent entry or exit to erase the record as soon as possible.