Gibraltar-Spain free movement, full rollout of EES, regularisation of 500,000+ undocumented migrants to kick off, tax season begins, prices forecast to increase, Easter and more – this is what to expect from April 2026 in Spain.
Gibraltar-Spain free movement deal to become reality in April
A post-Brexit treaty permitting free movement between the British enclave of Gibraltar and Spain is set to come into force in April.
The agreement, negotiated between Britain and the EU, seeks to remove physical barriers and checks on people and goods moving between Spain and the territory.
The deal was reached last June after years of difficult negotiations, following tensions between London and Brussels in the aftermath of the UK’s 2016 Brexit vote and subsequent departure from the European Union.
This provisional UK-EU agreement on Gibraltar is expected to be implemented by April 10th 2026, timed to coincide with the full implementation of the EU’s new EES travel rules.
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EES full rollout scheduled for April
In February, the European Commission confirmed that the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES) will be fully launched on April 9th 2026, with some caveats.
Even though Schengen countries must have the system in place by that date, they will be able to lower or remove these new passport checks to manage long queues during summer, Christmas and other peak travel times.
EES has been in place at numerous Spanish airports since October of last year when the soft launch began, but there have been reports of it causing several issues at some arrival terminals, with long queues, delays and machines that are not working properly.
READ MORE: ‘Not all EES machines work’ – Your views on the Entry/Exit System in Spain
EES is an automated IT system that replaces manual passport stamping for non-EU citizens making short stays (up to 90 days in 180 days) in 29 European countries. It records biometric data (fingerprints/photos) to track entries, exits, and overstayers.
Spain’s regularisation of 500,000+ migrants to kick off
Spain’s government approved a decree in February which will see more than 500,000 undocumented migrants given the right to work and reside legally in the country.
The news has made headlines internationally, given that there’s generally been a global shift towards tighter migration laws, making Spain an outlier in this sense.
The application window for these undocumented migrants is expected to open in early April 2026 and end on June 30th 2026.
Q&A: How Spain’s mass regularisation of undocumented migrants will work
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Tax season begins in Spain
Wednesday April 8th marks the start of the Spanish tax season, in other words when people in Spain can start to file their taxes for the previous year. The deadline is set for June 30th 2026.
From Wednesday April 29th, you can schedule an appointment to complete your tax return by phone. Appointments can be requested until June 29th.
READ ALSO: The key tax dates in Spain in 2026
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Prices expected to increase in April in Spain
Spanish think tank BBVA Research has forecast that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will climb to 3.5 percent by the end of March, driven primarily by rising fuel prices following the war in Iran.
Unfortunately, analysts believe it is likely that inflation in Spain will reach around 4 percent between April and May if current energy price trends continue.
The Spanish government has announced that it will seek to implement a raft of new measures to mitigate the economic effects of the Middle East conflictto be announced on Friday March 20th.
Easter in Spain
This year, Easter week in Spain runs from Sunday March 29th to Sunday April 5th 2026.
It’s an important holiday in much of Spain, with many people taking holidays from work and celebrations taking place in cities across the country.
Some of the best and most colourful Holy Week celebrations take place in Seville, Málaga, Granada, Zamora, Valladolid, Toledo and Cuenca. It typically involves groups of religious brotherhoods parading through the city streets carrying elaborate floats known as pasos featuring statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
READ ALSO: What are the best cities in Spain to see the Semana Santa processions?
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Big concerts in Spain in April
Several major international tours have scheduled stops in Spain during April.
Spanish superstar Rosalía’s highly anticipated “Lux Tour” includes four dates in Madrid, with shows on April 1st, 3rd, and 4th.
British pop star Louis Tomlinson will also be performing at Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi on April 12th, and at Movistar Arena in Madrid on April 13th.
Then there’s Australian indie group Tame Impala, who perform in Madrid on April 7th. Their countrymen, alternative dance group Rüfüs Du Sol, will have their DJ set in Barcelona on the 24th and Madrid on the 26th.
Spain’s PM to visit China
Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to visit China in April 2026 to strengthen strategic ties.
This follows the presentation of Spain’s new “Asia-Pacific Strategy 2026-2029,” which aims to position Spain as a key European partner in the East.
St George’s Day in Catalonia and Aragón
April 23rd marks St George’s Day. It’s not celebrated all over the country, but for certain regions it’s a very important festival.
In Catalonia, Sant Jordi’s Day is a celebration of the region’s patron saint and is marked by the gifting of books and roses. Many towns and cities will be draped in the traditional red and yellow stripes of the La Senyera (the Catalan flag). Dragons and roses will also decorate shop windows and plazas.
April 23rd is also the Aragon Day and a public holiday there. Like Catalonia, San Jorge is also the patron saint of Aragón. They celebrate with flower displays, cultural performances and meals with family. St George’s Day is also recognised in the Balearic Islands and some places in Valencia and is marked with similar celebrations to Aragón and Catalonia.
World Book Day
Not only is April 23rd St George’s Day, but it also coincides with UNESCO’s World Book Day (book day), as it celebrates the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and famed Spanish author of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes one day earlier on April 22nd.
Interestingly, it is international event, but originally started in Spain. The idea of celebrating Book Day came from Catalonia and Valencia. Valencian writer Vicente Clavel Andrés proposed it at Barcelona’s Chamber of Books in 1923 and it was later approved by King Alfonso XIII in 1926.
