Spain effectively banning UK children from entering country

[Loudestcat14]

Anyone planning a Christmas holiday to Spain or the Canaries? You might have to rethink your plans. News broke overnight that Spain is only allowing fully vaccinated – ie, double jabbed – travellers from the UK and NI to enter the country, meaning anyone over 12 won't get in because they're only allowed one jab as things stand.

Their parents spend a lot of money though, and no early teens usually equals no parents either.

What a lot of horrible replies you’ve had OP.

So when some people whinge about kids on flights it's the over 12s they have a problem with and not the under 12s? That seems odd

@Whammyyammy not really child free if under 12s are allowed Sorry to burst your smug bubble.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair Seriously? It's one paragraph of information and that's it. Where's the gloating?! Bloody hell.

[quote SummerBluez]@Whammyyammy not really child free if under 12s are allowed Sorry to burst your smug bubble.[/quote]
Still a lot less children to ensure

Not only Spain - a lot of countries require evidence of a double vaccination in the over 12s. If you have a child between 12 and 18, then unless the rules change, you can forget overseas travel - unless you get a PCR test ahead of travel and then take your child to a testing centre in country and pay for a test every day (LFT) or every three days (PCR). A lot of travel agents don't seem to have picked up on this.

We have summer holiday booked for the Canaries with DS who's 13. October break in Spain... Looks like we won't be able to go on either holiday.

Thanks for posting op, I didn't know this, I still thought under 16s could get in with a negative test.

I wonder what the travel firms will do, its a pretty major change.

@Whammyyammy
Your child free beaches remain a figment of your own imagination. It's the under 12s that are loud and unruly. Enjoy that

[quote Sombra]@CactusFlowers I thought I had read that if you don't have access to a smart phone then you can request paper copy from 119, so even that doesn't include under 16s? It's ridiculous

[/quote]
Nope, there is no official way for a 12 to 16 in the UK to prove their vaccination status.

Siezethefish Crikey, I hadn't heard any of that! We went to Greece in the summer and it was relaxed by those standards! LFT for our 12 year old before we went, then a LFT for all of us to get back, then PCR on Day 2. I haven't checked what it is now though.

@CactusFlowers Well that's irritating. We were hoping to go to Germany next year so thought we would be safe

@Hodl

We have summer holiday booked for the Canaries with DS who's 13. October break in Spain... Looks like we won't be able to go on either holiday.

Thanks for posting op, I didn't know this, I still thought under 16s could get in with a negative test.

I wonder what the travel firms will do, its a pretty major change.

It may change again by the summer – I guess it's just a waiting game to see which way it goes. ie, whether those nations relax restrictions or UK relents on the double-vaxxing of children over 12.

But it is not true
It is double vaccinated
or
Pcr
Children can get pcr test

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

The Spanish government requires all arrivals to Spain from the UK (excluding children under the age of 12 years old) to present on entry one of the following:

documentation certifying that you have undertaken a COVID-19 nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT - e.g. PCR, TMA, LAMP or NEAR) within 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain and tested negative. Antigen tests can only be used in certain limited circumstances (as outlined in section ‘k’ of the ‘Entry requirements for entry in Spain from third countries’ on the Spanish Ministry of Health ‘Travel and COVID-19’ page) and are not accepted if you are travelling from the UK to Spain for tourism purposes (see Reason for travel to Spain below for further information)

or

proof of being fully vaccinated (with both doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a one-dose vaccine) at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain (date(s) of vaccination must be specified), with a vaccine authorised by

We have summer holiday booked for the Canaries with DS who's 13. October break in Spain... Looks like we won't be able to go on either holiday.

I expect you'll be fine by then. This is a short-term response to Omicron, trying to keep it out of the country for as long as possible while the scientists evaluate the risk/determine if vaccinations work against it. Once it's endemic and has displaced Delta as the dominant variant (which I think the experts are saying is inevitable) Spain will be keen to reopen its tourist industry.

So where does it say they dropping the pcr requirement? As an alternative?

What a lot of horrible replies you’ve had OP.

I agree with this. I know a family, children over 12, Dad lives in Spain, but they live in the UK with thrir mother.
This will be terrible news for many families.

Flyonawalk
Presumably this will change when Spain analyse the devastating effect on their tourist industry.
Doubtful as children don't tend to earn or spend a lot of money. We pay extra and book adult free hotels, now have the added bonus of child free flights and beaches 🍾🍾

@Whammyyammy
Of course it will have an effect on their tourist industry. They will lose out a lot as lots of parents travel with under 12's. Obviously children don't tend to earn or spend a lot of money but their parents do

But it is not true

That link you provided clearly says up to and including 30th November. OP is talking about the 1 Dec rule change.

@Embracelife

So where does it say they dropping the pcr requirement? As an alternative?

It says in this news report that you still need the PCR test AND proof of full vaccination.

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/covid-omicron-spain-pcr-israel-border-b1965418.html

I agree this is a grumpy thread, unnecessarily so.

The government will soon move to double vaccination for kids I suspect. It’ll be short term but no less devastating for those booked to go.

[quote Embracelife]But it is not true
It is double vaccinated
or
Pcr
Children can get pcr test

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements[/quote]
Rule change comes in on Dec 1. It was announced yesterday.

@Sombra

So when some people whinge about kids on flights it's the over 12s they have a problem with and not the under 12s? That seems odd

Was just thinking this. Id rather have over 12s on holiday than unders!

@NOTANUM

I agree this is a grumpy thread, unnecessarily so.

The government will soon move to double vaccination for kids I suspect. It’ll be short term but no less devastating for those booked to go.

Thank you. I posted for information because it hasn't been widely reported so far, not to gloat or have a pop at Spain!

France is off the travel list too - in fact I think they’re going to require adults to have not just had a 2nd jab but if it was over 6months you’ll need to have had a booster which will limit those in their 30s and under in the Uk as they’re not eligible yet….so that really will limit their ski tourism from the uk!