The land border between Spain and Gibraltar, often referred to as ‘The Fence’ (‘La Verja’), is a controlled international boundary separating the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar from La Línea de la Concepción in southern Spain.
The border runs east-west for 0.75 miles (1.2km).
Historical Context
- 1713: Spain formally ceded Gibraltar to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht.
- 1730: The Lines of Contravallation of Gibraltar were a set of fortifications built by the Spanish. They established a defensive barrier across the peninsula, with the aim of preventing any British incursions. In fact, the area where the lines once stood is now part of the Spanish town La Línea de la Concepción, which was named after them (‘La Línea’ means ‘The Line’ in Spanish).
- 8th June 1969: Francisco Franco ordered the closure of the border in response to the Gibraltar Constitution Order and the 1967 sovereignty referendum when Gibraltarians overwhelmingly voted to retain their links with Britain.
- 15th December 1982: The frontier was reopened to Spanish and Gibraltarian pedestrians.
- 5th February 1985: Spain fully reopened the border to support its entry into the European Economic Community (EEC).
Crossing the Border
- The border remains a busy checkpoint, with thousands of people crossing daily for work, tourism and trade.
- Residents of Gibraltar currently have red ID cards. This allows them to cross into Spain without requiring their passport to be stamped or having to provide further evidence of their reasons for travel.
- As many as 15,000 people cross the border daily for work, the majority of whom are Spanish workers.
- On the Spanish side of the border, the Spanish Civil Guard and the Spanish National Police carry out customs and identity checks. Meanwhile, on the Gibraltar side, HM Customs Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Borders and Coastguard Agency handle border controls.
- Checks sometimes cause long delays at the frontier between Spain and Gibraltar. Following Brexit, British citizens now get their passports stamped when entering and leaving Spain, which can take extra time at busy periods. The Borders and Coastguard Agency provides a live camera feed of the queue at the Gibraltar Frontier, which is useful for planning your journey.
- There are customs rules about goods that you can bring into and take out of Gibraltar. Visit the HM Government of Gibraltar’s official website for more information.
- Maritime borders: The Gibraltar Port Authority manages the territorial waters of Gibraltar.
Current Political Situation
Post-Brexit negotiations continue regarding Gibraltar’s future border arrangements. No definitive agreement has been reached so far.
The current proposals include the possibility of including Gibraltar in the Schengen Area, potentially removing border controls in the future.
Moreover, the new EU digital border system (EES), expected to start in October 2025, is also part of the ongoing discussions. It will require non-EU travellers entering or leaving the Schengen Area to register their passport details and biometric information as a digital record before entry. This system could indirectly affect Gibraltar-Spain border crossings, particularly for non-EU nationals, impacting daily commuters and the local economy. However, the exact consequences will depend on future agreements between the UK and EU and how border controls are implemented at the Gibraltar-Spain border.
Last Updated on April 1, 2025 by Vanessa Kingwell