On Friday 7 May 2021, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that international travel can begin to safely reopen from 17 May, allowing people to go on foreign holidays to 'green list' countries.
Importantly, strict rules on testing and quarantine will remain in place to protect public health and our vaccination programme, while people should not travel to ‘amber’ and ‘red’ countries for leisure. Many ‘green list’ countries will continue to place restrictions on UK travellers, including quarantine measures, so passengers are encouraged to check all requirements and FCDO travel advice before they book any foreign travel. To reiterate, travellers must ensure that they adhere to the requirements of the United Kingdom and the country of destination when travelling.
If required, people in England who have both vaccine doses will be able to demonstrate their COVID vaccination status via the NHS app from 17 May. Those without access to the app can request a letter from the NHS proving their vaccination status by calling 119, from 17 May. Test results will not be stated in the app and the process for booking and presenting test results for travel remains unchanged.
Countries have been allocated by ministers according to the latest scientific data, so quarantine and testing requirements on return from those countries are appropriate to the risk of coronavirus and variants of concern. The lists will be reviewed every three weeks, informed by public health advice, including the Joint Biosecurity Centre’s assessment of the latest data - the Government's risk assessment methodology can be viewed here.
As part of the Government's methodology and as a precautionary approach, countries and territories are assumed to be amber unless there is specific evidence to suggest they are:
- green – presenting (with confidence) a low public health risk to the UK from all COVID-19 strains
- red – presenting a high public health risk to the UK from known Variants of Concern (VOC), known high-risk Variants under Investigation (VUI) or as a result of very high in-country/territory prevalence of COVID-19
The Government will also be publishing a green watchlist to provide an indication when a country is identified as a candidate for changing country list. Importantly, while the watchlist will warn travellers of potential changes in advance, the Government will not hesitate to act immediately should the data show that a country's risk rating has changed.
Ministers are working with the travel industry and private testing providers to see how they can further reduce the cost of tests for the public, while ensuring travel is as safe as possible - the cost of some tests have already fallen significantly.
What you must do when you arrive in England from abroad depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive - more information here. Furthermore, from 19 July 2021, arrivals who have been fully vaccinated with an NHS administered vaccine in the UK (plus 14 days), or are on a formally approved UK vaccine clinical trial, returning to England from amber list countries will no longer need to quarantine – passengers will need to provide proof of their vaccination status to carriers in advance of travel and pre-departure testing and day 2 testing measures will remain. More information can be viewed here.
Guidance on travelling abroad from England can be found here.
Guidance on travelling to England from abroad can be found here.
'Green List' Countries
Travelling to a 'Green List' Country
The latest UK Government restrictions relating to travelling internationally can be found here.
Passengers are encouraged to check all requirements and FCDO travel advice before booking any foreign travel; countries and territories determine their own border health rules.
Returning from a 'Green List' Country
Travellers will need to take a pre-departure test up to 72 hours before their return travel, and a single PCR test on or before day 2 of arrival into England – this can be booked in the same way as is in place now, through private test providers. Travellers must also complete a passenger locator form.
Further information can be found here
'Amber List' Countries
Travelling to an 'Amber List' Country
The latest UK Government restrictions relating to travelling internationally can be found here. People should not be travelling to 'amber list' countries for leisure.
Passengers are encouraged to check all requirements and FCDO travel advice before booking any foreign travel; countries and territories determine their own border health rules.
Returning from an 'Amber List' Country
Travellers will need to take a pre-departure test up to 72 hours before their return travel, and a single PCR test on or before day 2 of arrival into England – this can be booked in the same way as is in place now, through private test providers. Travellers must also complete a passenger locator form.
On arrival in the UK, travellers must quarantine at home or in the place they are staying for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8. Those who return from amber list countries and fail to self-isolate will face fines of up to £10,000.
If travellers have been fully vaccinated, from 19 July 2021, different rules will apply.
Further information can be found here.
'Red List' Countries
Travelling to a 'Red List' Country
The latest UK Government restrictions relating to travelling internationally can be found here. People should not be travelling to 'red list' countries for leisure.
Passengers are encouraged to check all requirements and FCDO travel advice before booking any foreign travel; countries or territories determine their own border health rules.
Returning from a 'Red List' Country
Travellers will need to take a pre-departure test up to 72 hours before their return travel, and a single PCR test on or before day 2 of arrival into England – this can be booked in the same way as is in place now, through private test providers. Travellers must also complete a passenger locator form.
On arrival in the UK, travellers must undertake adhere to the 10-day managed hotel quarantine requirements.
Further information can be found here
The traffic light system will be reviewed through a series of checkpoints in June, July and October, taking into account the latest domestic and international data. Summaries to date of the key data used by the Joint Biosecurity Centre to inform international travel risk assessments can be viewed here.
Further information can be found here and here.
You should check the GOV.UK travel abroad page to help plan your journey.
