To think it should be possible to take a just turned 12 year old to Spain?

[needabreak5]

We have a holiday booked for Easter. The family we are going with are now saying they won't be able to come because their 11 year old (who turns 12 three weeks before flight), won't have been fully vaccinated so Spain won't allow entry? Surely there must be an exemption. They have a 14 year old who'll be fully vaccinated and a 9 year old who doesn't need vaccinated. It doesn't seem right that they other 2 kids are fine to go but the middle one can't!

@JackieCollinshasnoauthority

Do you think this an oversight on behalf of the Spanish government? Or do you think they have made a conscious decision that their vaccination rules are more important than a small amount of lost tourist income?

They have a made a decision that keeping covid under control is more important. Spain was hit incredibly hard at the very beginning of the pandemic. Whole care homes if residents killed by covid. I’m not surprised they’re careful now.

France it is 12 years 2 months. Pretty ridiculous for Spain to be 12 years 0 months if that's the case.

They have a made a decision that keeping covid under control is more important

No they have made an administrative decision which means anyone can now go there, unless they are 12 years and 1, 2 or 3 months, when it is impossible to be fully vaccinated.

[quote JackieCollinshasnoauthority]@stickygotstuck unvaccinated people can't enter Spain for the purpose of tourism.[/quote]
Thank you.

How about dependents of Spanish citizens, not for tourism? I must look into it fully (again) but does anyone happen to know?

@RonCarlos

They have a made a decision that keeping covid under control is more important

No they have made an administrative decision which means anyone can now go there, unless they are 12 years and 1, 2 or 3 months, when it is impossible to be fully vaccinated.

But this only applies to the UK, doesn't it? Everybody else started vaccinated their 12s and under much earlier. So it makes perfect sense (for everybody else)

@RonCarlos

They have a made a decision that keeping covid under control is more important

No they have made an administrative decision which means anyone can now go there, unless they are 12 years and 1, 2 or 3 months, when it is impossible to be fully vaccinated.

Or an EU national, or a national of one of the many countries that does vaccinate people younger than 12.

UK is an outlier in this.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements

@needabreak5

Thanks! Frustrating that none of us thought about checking this when we booked last summer (though my own DC are younger so 12 year old rules weren't really on my radar).

That wouldn't have helped I'm afraid OP, the current regulations only came in from early December. It's frustrating but there's no way around it.

We have had to cancel our holiday to Spain for august because my dd doesn’t turn 12 till may and won’t have her second jab in time, I’ve spoken with travel agents who have said spain have no leaway and anyone over 12 and 0 months must be double jabbed, I can’t see a way round it so have had to cancel.

@RonCarlos

France it is 12 years 2 months. Pretty ridiculous for Spain to be 12 years 0 months if that's the case.

Why? Where I am in the EU under 12s can be vaccinated and get covid passes so it's no big deal? I presume Spain is vaccinating under 12s too. The UK have chosen to be out of step with this, why would Spain make its rules around the UK? That would be ridiculous.

In that case it's even less of an understandable decision intended to control covid, and more of an administrative loophole, which was my point. I can't imagine they think unvaccinated people who are 12 years 2 months from the UK are a huge threat.

Our 11 yr old got covid …which pushed back their first vaccination date, meaning we can’t get the second jad in time for travel to Spain. If they were a little younger it wouldn’t matter. If they were a little older all vaccinations would have been done. Won’t be the only ones. Understand that there has to be a line drawn somewhere but it’s very, very disappointing. We booked at beginning of September when things were looking so much better and people were travelling.

We haven't booked a foreign holiday again this year because our kids are 9 and 6 and my concern is that with countries now vaccinating 5-11 year olds there's a good chance they will change the rules again to cover that age group.

I wish the government would authorise the vaccine, even if they just said they would make it available for travel purposes!

Another thing is, these are the rules now. Between now and Easter/summer/whenever your trip was planned for, so many things can change. It's useless getting worked up about a holiday which is months away, as the rules can change a number of times between now and then.

@RonCarlos

They have a made a decision that keeping covid under control is more important

No they have made an administrative decision which means anyone can now go there, unless they are 12 years and 1, 2 or 3 months, when it is impossible to be fully vaccinated.

It's not impossible to be vaccinated at that age in most European countries. Why on earth would you expect them to change their rules to suit residents of a country that is out of sync with everywhere else?

@EileenGC that’s what I’m hoping! Haven’t told the children holiday may be off! I know they’ll be gutted and blame themselves when it’s not their fault at all.

Why on earth would you expect them to change their rules to suit residents of a country that is out of sync with everywhere else?

I don't? We didn't make our vaccination rules, and I can't believe it was a deliberate exclusion, so I am empathising with the OP. You should try it.

@RonCarlos

Why on earth would you expect them to change their rules to suit residents of a country that is out of sync with everywhere else?

I don't? We didn't make our vaccination rules, and I can't believe it was a deliberate exclusion, so I am empathising with the OP. You should try it.

You said it's an 'administrative decision' and that it's 'impossible' to be fully vaccinated. It isn't, unless you're in the UK.

And who do you mean by 'we', as in 'we didn't make our vaccination rules'? The UK did make UK's own vaccination rules, who's responsible for that decision if not the UK themselves?

These rules came in from December and are currently extended until 28/02/22.

[quote JackieCollinshasnoauthority]www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements[/quote]
Thank you.

That was my understanding. Our issue is with our recently turned 13 year old, for whom the NHS would not provide a recovery certificate before Xmas. They would have for a 12 year old, I was told. Blew my mind.

Because of having had covid, now we have no time to vaccinate DC fully by Easter. This is to visit elderly relatives, not tourism.

I think you probably know that I mean the people going on holiday with children aged 12 years 0-3 months didn't make the rules. Many of us didn't even vote Brexit. Are we responsible for that too?

And yes, I get that it's possible outside of the UK, you aren't the first to point this point but well done.

What happens to children who have a medical exemption? And can’t be vaccinated please

@Thatswhathappens, we’re in the same boat. My Dd won’t have chance to get her second jab (June born) before our trip to France in August. I haven’t cancelled just yet because the rules might change. I live in hope - and have booked a trip in May.

Our issue is with our recently turned 13 year old, for whom the NHS would not provide a recovery certificate before Xmas. They would have for a 12 year old, I was told. Blew my mind.

Spain does not accept recovery certificates for over 12s if coming from the UK. Recovery certificates are only accepted if you're an EU national.

@Thatswhathappens I think you may have jumped the gun a bit there. More and more countries will start to drop or reduce their entry restrictions now, I'd be very surprised if Spain haven't at least relaxed theirs by August.