What visa will be required from visa-requiring third-country nationals who wish to visit Gibraltar under the 2026 UK/EU Treaty?
Short answer
Visa-requiring third-country nationals (not British citizens) need a Schengen short-stay visa. If Gibraltar is the main destination, Spain as the neighbouring Schengen State will issue the visa. If visiting both Schengen destinations and Gibraltar with Gibraltar not being the main destination, the visa is issued by the relevant Schengen State. Seafarer exemptions apply for crew with valid identity documents.
Detailed answer
In addition to fulfilling other entry conditions applicable, such persons will be required to be in possession of a Schengen short-stay visa. To obtain one, an application would need to be made to the appropriate Schengen authorities. Where the main purpose of the visit is to stay in Gibraltar, the treaty allows Spain, as the neighbouring Schengen State, and whose Schengen territory will actually be crossed by the traveller, to issue the visa. However, if a visit includes destinations both elsewhere in the Schengen Area (e.g. Portugal) and Gibraltar, and Gibraltar is not the main destination, the visa will be issued by the Schengen State competent to do so in accordance with Schengen rules (e.g. Portugal in this example if Portugal is the main destination). Separately, and a point that is important for shipping agents and port operators to note, exemptions from visa requirements will apply to civilian sea crew members, when they land to board a ship or go ashore to transit to another country, provided they hold a seafarer's identity document issued in accordance with the International Labour Organisation Conventions No 108 of 13 May 1958 or No 185 of 19 June 2003 or the International Maritime Organization Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic of 9 April 1965.