What are the current rules for school trips travelling to and from Spain?

30 Nov 2021, 09:00 by Kate Moore

Are school trips to Spain allowed in 2021?

This is our understanding of the requirements for school groups travelling to and from Spain from December 2021. The rules to enter Spain, and to return home, are subject to change and may be relaxed by the time your trip departs.

New travel restrictions, in response to the Omicron variant, mean that all teenagers and adults now need to be fully vaccinated to enter Spain.

Health Control form to enter Spain

Spain’s entry rules only make a distinction between unvaccinated and vaccinated travellers, so unvaccinated children, aged 12 years and over, are treated as if they are unvaccinated adults.

From 1 December all travellers, aged 12 and over, must be fully vaccinated to enter Spain.

All travellers, regardless of age, must complete a pre-travel Health Control form declaring any known exposure to COVID-19 and must present evidence of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival..

The online Health Control form must be completed no more than 48 hours prior to travel. Once submitted, you will receive an email with a QR code that will need to shown at the departure airport and again on arrival in Spain. The QR code can be printed out or saved on a phone. Under the current rules, minors are not able to complete their own Health Control form and so each child will need to be added to the party leader’s form before the trip. 

Read more about testing requirements to enter Spain.

The rules for entering and staying in the Balearics and Canary Islands are different and some accommodation in certain regions of Spain, such as the Canary Islands, may require you to present evidence of either a negative test or proof of being fully vaccinated.

Passenger locator form to return to England

All travellers must complete this passenger locator form in the 48 hours before arriving back from Spain. Through our industry body, the School Travel Forum, we are working with the Department for Transport to simplify the passenger locator form process for school groups.

Our top tip for teachers — Parents can create an online account and complete their child's form online before the trip. The online form can then be submitted by the parent or child in the 48 hours before the group returns to the UK. Children will need their login details to access the completed form, so it may be wise for parents to share the login with the teacher as a back-up.

Current rules for school groups returning from Spain

The Department for Transport has confirmed that children returning to England with a fully vaccinated teacher as part of a school trip will benefit from the same rules as the fully vaccinated adult, regardless of their vaccination status.

Currently, all travellers returning from abroad are required to take a PCR test and stay at home while awaiting their test results. Read more about the current rules for school trips returning to the UK from abroad.

Can I travel to Spain if I'm unvaccinated?

The current rules mean that unvaccinated travellers aged 12 and over cannot enter Spain.

More information from the COVID-19 Travel Hub

• School Travel Insurance with COVID-19 cover
• Voyager School Travel Peace of Mind Promise 
• Guide to Restarting School Trips 
• COVID-19 Travel FAQs