Your support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong>Read more<\/p>\n UK visitors to Gibraltar<\/a> could be sent home on the next plane by Spanish frontier officials \u2013 even if they have a passport valid for the British Overseas Territory. <\/p>\n Once the post-Brexit<\/a> agreement between the UK, Gibraltar, Spain and the EU<\/a> is ratified, visitors to the British Overseas Territory will face two passport checks on arrival. The existing examination by Gibraltar\u2019s Borders & Coastguard Agency will be augmented by a Spanish frontier post.<\/p>\n The deal has been constructed to allow a free flow of passengers, vehicles and goods across the land frontier between Gibraltar and Spain<\/a>. In order to achieve this, Gibraltar must be treated the same as the Schengen<\/a> area \u2013 the passport-free zone that includes almost all the European Union, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.<\/p>\n Consequently, the \u201cthird-country\u201d rules that the Boris Johnson government negotiated for UK citizens will apply to the territory.<\/p>\n Spain will have the final say on whether a UK traveller can enter Gibraltar. Unless they meet the \u201cSchengen rules\u201d for passport validity and maximum length of stay, they will be flown back to the UK.<\/p>\n As Spain gains control of the territory\u2019s border, officials are at pains to stress that Gibraltar will not become part of the Schengen area.<\/p>\n The foreign secretary, David Lammy, said the settlement had tackled \u201cthe last major unresolved issue from our decision to leave the EU, providing much-needed certainty for people and businesses in Gibraltar\u201d.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThe deal removes another obstacle to closer ties with our EU friends and, crucially, protects British sovereignty over the Rock.\u201d<\/p>\n But the red tape that British travellers face will face is exactly the same as any Schengen frontier post. Because the Gibraltar-Spain border controls will be removed \u2013 allowing free movement as far as the Arctic and the Baltic \u2013 there is no alternative to treating UK arrivals as entering the zone<\/p>\n At present British visitors to Gibraltar must simply have a valid passport. The only rule: \u201cYour passport must not expire during your planned visit to Gibraltar.\u201d<\/p>\n When the agreement takes effect, British passports<\/a> will need to meet two stricter requirements:<\/p>\n