Travelling UK to Europe this summer? Wondering whether there are any entry restrictions for your children or teenagers?

While many countries in the EU have removed all entry and testing requirements, the countries below still have entry restrictions at the time of publishing.

It’s often challenging to find out what’s needed for children and young people so, we’ve compiled our understanding of the requirements that remain in place, firstly into a summary table, and then in more detail by destination country.

Travelling to a destination outside the EU?

Check the travel rules for your destination

A few points to note before we get started:

1. As the UK is not in the EU or Schengen Area, UK citizens are classified as ‘Third Country’ nationals for the purpose of entry into EU countries, therefore entry requirements for ‘non-EU’ nationals apply.
2. We’ll mention ‘EU vaccination expiry’ throughout this article. Broadly, in order to be classed as ‘fully vaccinated’ for travel, the EU require that you have either had your booster jab, or alternatively that it has been less than 270 days since your 2nd non-booster jab (or since your 1st and only Johnson&Johnson jab). Rules for children vary by country (as we’ll detail below), but for comprehensive information about standard vaccination expiry timeframes, please read our article: Travel to the EU from the UK - is your vaccination still in date?
3. Children aged 12 and over (or their legal parent(s)/guardian(s)) should get an NHS COVID Pass for international travel to show proof of their vaccination, or to show that they have recently recovered from Covid-19. Be aware that it can take several days to create a login and verify their identity (although it normally takes around 24 hours), so ensure you create the account well in advance of travel and check that the personal details exactly match those on the traveller’s passport.
4. The entry rules detailed below are relevant when you’re travelling direct from the UK - if you are travelling through another country or territory (including by road/rail, transit stops or layovers) first, please also check the Entry requirements for travel from that country.

Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands

Sources: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements; https://www.sanidad.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spth.htm

Travellers aged 12 to 17 are subject to the same entry requirements as adults as follows:

• Fully vaccinated travellers must show proof of being ‘Fully Vaccinated’. The definition of 'Fully Vaccinated' is slightly more lenient for travellers under 18 than it is for adults. If you are aged 12 to 17 and have received two doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine approved for use by Spain, then at least 14 days must have passed since your last dose, to qualify as fully vaccinated. However, you continue to qualify as fully vaccinated more than 270 days after your last dose and do not need to show proof of having received a booster to travel.
• Unvaccinated travellers need to provide either:
  • Proof of a negative Covid-19 test which can either be a RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) performed no more than 24 hours before departure to Spain, or a PCR test performed no more than 72 hours prior to departure for Spain. You must declare your test results via the ‘SpTH Health Control Form’. Please note that, whilst the Canary Islands Tourist Information cites that Rapid Antigen Test can be conducted 48 hours before departure, mainland Spain’s Ministry of Health travel pages states that Rapid Antigen Tests must carried out no more than 24 hours before departure. Therefore, we recommend that you take your tests within the 24 hours prior to departure to Spain.; or
  • Documented proof of recovery from prior Covid-19 infection in the last 6 months.

Compare tests for Mainland Spain, The Canary Islands, or The Balearic Islands

Children aged 11 and under do not need to complete an online Health Control Form before travel, show proof of being fully vaccinated on entry to Spain, take diagnostic tests prior to arrival, or show proof of having recovered from prior Covid-19 infection in the last 6 months.

France

Soures: https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/covid-19-international-travel; https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements; https://uk.ambafrance.org/COVID-19-rules-for-travel-between-France-and-the-UK-28918

The French Ministry of the Interior website states that all children aged 11 and under are exempt from all Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Travellers aged 12 to 17 are subject to the same entry requirements as adults as follows:

• Fully vaccinated travellers must show proof of being ‘Fully Vaccinated’. The definition of 'Fully Vaccinated' is slightly more lenient for travellers under 18 than it is for adults. If you are aged 12 to 17 and have received two doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine approved for use by France, then at least 14 days must have passed since your last dose, to qualify as fully vaccinated. However, you continue to qualify as fully vaccinated more than 270 days after your last dose and do not need to show proof of having received a booster to travel.
• Unvaccinated travellers need to provide either:
  • Proof of a negative Covid-19 test which can either be a Rapid Antigen Test result (taken less than 48 hours before departure) or a PCR test result (taken less than 72 hours before departure); or
  • A certificate of recovery (positive result of a PCR or antigen test carried out more than eleven days and less than six months before you travel) showing you recovered from Covid-19.

Compare tests for France

Malta

Sources: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/malta/entry-requirements; https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/health-promotion/covid-19/Pages/travel.aspx

There are no requirements for children aged 11 and under to present a vaccination certificate or a PCR or Rapid Antigen Test to enter Malta.

Travellers aged 12 to 17 are subject to the same entry requirements as adults as follows:

• Fully vaccinated travellers must show proof of being ‘Fully Vaccinated’. The definition of 'Fully Vaccinated' is slightly more lenient for travellers under 18 than it is for adults. If you are aged 12 to 17 and have received two doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine approved for use by Malta, then at least 14 days must have passed since your last dose, to qualify as fully vaccinated. However, you continue to qualify as fully vaccinated more than 270 days after your last dose and do not need to show proof of having received a booster to travel.
• Unvaccinated travellers need to provide either:
  • Proof of a negative Covid-19 test which can either be a Rapid Antigen Test taken no more than 24 hours before arrival in Malta (Rapid Antigen Tests must be carried out by a trained healthcare professional, as self-administered tests are not acceptable), or a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival in Malta; or
  • A certificate of recovery indicating that no more than 180 days have passed since date of the first positive test (and no more than 180 days prior to arrival).

Compare tests for Malta

Luxembourg

Sources: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/luxembourg/entry-requirements; https://covid19.public.lu/en/travellers/visiting-luxembourg.html

It is our understanding that children aged less than 12 year and 2 months are exempt from providing proof of vaccination, recovery, or Covid-19 tests for entry.

Children aged 12 years and 2 months or older are subject to the same entry requirements as adults as follows:

• Fully vaccinated travellers must show proof of vaccination in line with EU vaccination expiry rules (note that the Luxembourg government states that a screenshot or a photo is not sufficient)
• Unvaccinated travellers need to provide either:
  • Proof of a negative Covid-19 test which can either be a Rapid Antigen Test (taken no more than 24 hours before your flight arrives in Luxembourg), or a PCR test (taken no more than 48 hours before your flight arrives in Luxembourg); or
  • Proof of recovery (the validity of the recovery certificate starts on the 11th day after the date of the first positive NAAT test result and ends at the latest 180 days after the given result).

Compare tests for Luxembourg

Note that, if you are arriving in Luxembourg by land, you are not required to present a vaccination certificate, recovery certificate or a negative test. Full details are available on the Luxembourg government website.

The Netherlands

Sources: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/netherlands/entry-requirements; https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad
https://reizentijdenscorona.rijksoverheid.nl/en; https://www.government.nl/topics/c/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/exemptions-to-the-entry-ban/eu-entry-ban-exemption-categories; https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/requirements-for-proof-of-recovery

From 23 March all travellers from the UK to the Netherlands do not require a negative pre-departure test for travel to the Netherlands, regardless of their vaccination status.

All travellers aged 12 and over must complete a vaccine declaration form to demonstrate their vaccination status (see the definition of fully vaccinated, below).

It’s worth noting that the vaccine declaration form states “Children under the age of 18 travelling with their vaccinated parent(s) or legal guardian(s) are exempt from this requirement, but they must show a negative COVID-19 test result.”. However, the link within the declaration form leads to a site stating: “From 23 March 2022 people travelling to the Netherlands from outside the EU/Schengen area no longer need to show a negative test result.”, and the ‘Fully Vaccinated’ section here states: “Children under 18 travelling with their fully vaccinated parent(s) or legal guardian(s) do not have to be vaccinated themselves.”

Therefore, our understanding is that travellers under 18 who are travelling with fully vaccinated parent(s)/legal guardian(s) are able to travel without proof of vaccination.

Children aged 12-18 travelling alone are subject to the same entry requirements as adults as follows:

• Fully vaccinated travellers must show proof of vaccination - note that the vaccination rules for entry to the Netherlands largely follow standard EU vaccination requirements, however, be aware that if you received the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine then at least 28 days and no more than 270 days have passed since receiving your vaccination).
• Unvaccinated travellers need to provide either:
  • A certificate of recovery from Covid-19 with documented proof, valid for 180 days following a positive result from a NAAT (PCR) test or antigen test. Travellers should also carry a recovery declaration; or
  • Must demonstrate that they are exempt from the EU entry ban, as established by the Dutch government.

Travellers who are not fully vaccinated or who do not hold a certificate of recovery and who do not meet the requirements of an EU entry ban exemption category are not allowed to enter the Netherlands from the UK. Covid-19 tests are not part of the entry requirements for travel from the UK to the Netherlands, therefore there is no option to take a test if you are unvaccinated.

All travellers are advised to take a self-test immediately after arriving in the Netherlands and again on day five. Note that this is not an obligation and is therefore not enforced.

Slovakia

Sources: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/slovakia/entry-requirements; https://www.minv.sk/?entry-of-foreigners-into-the-territory-of-the-slovak-republic-during-an-emergency-situation

Entry is now permitted for all fully vaccinated passengers travelling directly from the UK or any other 'Third Country' (non-EU or non-Schengen country) to Slovakia. UK nationals may enter if fully vaccinated.

UK nationals who are not fully vaccinated may only enter if they fall under certain limited exemptions, including if you can show that you recovered from Covid-19 no more than 180 days before arrival. Covid-19 tests are not part of the entry requirements for travel from the UK to Slovakia, therefore there is no option to take a test if you are unvaccinated.

There are no exemptions from these rules for children.

For the purposes of entry to Slovakia, your vaccine must be in date according to EU rules, however, note that if you received the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine then you must ensure at least 21 days have passed since receiving the vaccine (but no more than 270 days).

As per other EU countries, you can use the NHS COVID Pass as proof of your vaccination. Note that if you are travelling with a printed PDF proof of vaccination status, it must date from 1 November to ensure that the certificate can be scanned successfully.

Written by Abbie Pullman
Published on 06/07/2022

Abbie is Operations Director at Covid Testing Network, overseeing the operational running of the business.

The information within this article is accurate at the time of publishing.

Information about testing requirements, entry requirements to the UK and travelling abroad during Covid-19 is CTN’s understanding of the requirements from multiple sources including the UK Government foreign travel advice website at the time of publishing - always check full requirements including mandatory documentation and quarantine rules before you travel! By using our site, you confirm that you accept our user terms and conditions and you agree to comply with them. We amend these terms from time to time. Every time you wish to use our site, please check these terms to ensure you understand the terms that apply at that time.