A Guide To Travel Rules For Children During Covid

With so much of the world opening back up to the travel industry in September and October this year, it’s important that travellers understand the rules that are in place for a smooth and stress-free journey. Restrictions are simpler than ever, but the travel rules for children during covid is a topic that sometimes raises questions.

Can children travel? Where can children travel? Do children need to take tests or be vaccinated? These are all common questions surrounding Covid travel. So, here is an easy rundown of the restrictions to keep in mind concerning travel rules for children during covid.

Children Resident in the UK or Approved Vaccination Countries

If the child in question is a resident in either the UK or a country that run a vaccination programme approved of by the UK (you can check this list on the government website), then the requirements are as follows, whether or not they are vaccinated:

• All children are exempt from quarantine requirements returning from ‘Rest of the World’ countries.
• Children under 4 years of age are also exempt from testing requirements
• Children aged 5-17 are exempt from pre-departure tests but are required to take a day-2 PCR test on return to England. After the 24th of October 2021, this will be a lateral flow test.

This essentially means that children aged 5-17 returning to the UK from the ‘Rest of the World’ list countries will follow the same rules as vaccinated adults, even if they are unvaccinated.

Children Resident in Other Countries

If the child in question is a resident of a country that is not part of the UK’s approved vaccination list, then the requirements are as follows, whether or not they are vaccinated:

• Children 4 years old or younger do not have to follow testing restrictions but will have to quarantine (test-to-release on day-5 is an option to reduce quarantine time)
• Children 11 years old and older must take a pre-departure test before travelling to England.
• Children 5-17 years old must quarantine for 10 days at home, where they are staying, or
• Children 5-17 years old must take day-2 and day-8 tests on arrival back in England, test-to-release on day-5 is an option to shorten quarantine time, but day-8 tests must still be taken.

Destination Travel Rules For Children

The above restrictions cover entry into England, but we always highly recommend that you consult tourism boards, the Foreign Travel Advice page, and your trusted travel business to ensure that you are also aware of and comply with the destination’s requirements for children travelling.

For example, some destinations that are open to UK travellers allow children in under the same restrictions as vaccinated adults as long as they are accompanied by a vaccinated adult. However, depending on a destination’s restrictions for the UK, this may differ.

So, with the travel rules for children explained, when you’re ready to book your next awesome holiday, don’t forget to get in contact with a travel business registered with PTS offering complete financial protection through trust. Or, if you’d like assistance choosing one of the lovely PTS members to book with, you can contact PTS directly at 0207 190 9988.

And if you’d like to learn more about your consumer protection with PTS and how the Package Travel Regulations protect your holiday, check out our pages.