Haven't heard about the rules changing , we also travel by coach to spain, and have never had our passports checked, thats not to say that others dont . I think aslong as children are under the age of sixteen and you have at least 6 months left before expiry on your passport then you should be ok .

You don't need to have six months left on your passports ( unless your tour company has set a period of validity) EU citizens only need a passport that is valid for the period of their holidays. My passport has less that three months on it and I travel without problems.
I travelled between France and the UK by car a few weeks ago and my passport was checked at both borders, though it is possibly different when on a coach.

Hi Guys

I went through passport control with Siesta in May and I still had 3 kids on my passport and there were no issues so you'll be fine.

Hi ...thanks you all...bcause of all the security worries and children going missing you never know when they will change the rules...its great to be able to get recent info from others who have not long come back...
I have always taken my friends children as company for my youngest as there is a big gap between him and his brothers. Does any one know if I will have any problems taking his friend with me this year. Never did in past.

Does the person your taking have their own passport, as i believe if they are on the parents passport then the parents have to be with them ...... but i would definately check this with the passport office . In the past my daughter had to come off mine and to be transfered on to her grandparents passport as she was holidaying with them . Since then my children have all had their own passports .

Hi ...yes they have own passport. Was wondering if there were rules for taking unrelated children out of country on holiday.
Do any of the MOD's have info for forum on this

TWEETIE-PIE .. there is no minimum passport validity period stipulated by Spain as an immigration requirement, but there may be one imposed by your tour or coach operator. Some tour operators stipulate a minimum 6 month passport validity requirement for all destinations, even where no such immigration requirement exists.

With regard to taking someone else's children on holiday, I answered a similar question in our Costa Blanca forum recently ... please click here.

David

Thanks David...I have always taken friends children away with me. For years I never even worried about it , just made sure I had thier E11 and had a letter authorising me to take them out of country on holiday and deal with any medical emergency that arose. As they were friends children and I knew them well and would have phone numbers ect to contact parents quickly and take thier instructions and advice as well I thought I was all covered.
Lately due to rules and regulations getting stricter about just about everything I am starting to question things. I worry I may be at Dover docks and get told that there is a rule that forbids me from taking my sons friend with us out of the country, or in Frace or Spain. I would be in a bad position as couldnt leave child behind and we would all have to come home. You dont find out about these rules until its too late, and when I go looking on net on official sites there is no mention about what the rules are in these circumstances. I cant be the only person who takes childrens friend away abroad.

Hi TWEETIE PIE .... unfortunately there is no single rule which applies to all countries. Some have no rules at all, whilst others have very strict rules requiring written evidence of responsibility. The only advice available from the Foreign Office is to contact the Embassy of the country concerned to seek clarification.

David

Hi David....what would you say constituted written evidence of responsibility. I know I am a pain but might also be useful for others as well. Would a hand written letter from parent stating I stood in parentis loco (this is what teachers have but in a printed form for parent to sign ) or is it more offical

I would think a handwritten letter signed by both parents (if applicable) would suffice. Those countries which have such laws may not just apply them to adults taking their children's friends on holiday, they may also apply them to a parent travelling alone with his or her own child, in which case the letter may need to be signed by the spouse or ex-spouse.

The Foreign Office only gives very limited advice and as I said, that usually involves a referral to the UK Embassy of the country concerned. Such advice is usually given in the 'Entry Requirements' section of the Foreign Office travel advice pages for individual countries ... please click here.

David

This year we also had a friend's child with us but it wasn't a problem. We had passport check on the way out but that was someone just coming onto the bus and checking we all had passports but as she had her own and was holding it it was fine.#

Going in and out of the uk she was never asked who she was traveling with

On the way back we got of the bus to go through passport control and each person with a passport approaches the desk one at a time so as long as the kid has a valid passport of their own it shouldn't be a problem.

Kids that are still on their parents passports have to go to the desk at the same time as their parents.

Thanks Diane...thats been my experience in the past . I needed to find out if things had changed. Seems they are same.

HI Diane...out of interest where did you go and who with. I'm off to Callela DP with Siesta .