- The UK government confirms that international travel will gradually resume from May 17th as 12 countries and territories will be placed on the “green list”.
- To protect public health and our vaccination program, strict rules on testing and quarantine will remain in place, while people should not travel to “amber” and “red” countries in their free time
- International travel will be different as passengers are warned to expect extra checks and longer lines at the border
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced today (May 7, 2021) that international travel can be safely reopened from May 17, allowing people to travel abroad green list Countries.
The UK stay regulation will be repealed on May 17th, meaning vacation travel from England will no longer be illegal. However, at a press conference # 10 this afternoon, the Minister of Transport explained how strict border control measures will remain if international travel is gradually resumed. Various restrictions are placed on people returning to England from countries returning to England based on the traffic light system established by the Global Travel Taskforce.
people are be guided where they can safely visit without having to be quarantined on return to England – starting with the additions of Portugal including the Azores and Madeira, Israel and Jerusalem and Singapore among others on the “green list”. You will still need it Take a test before you leave Up to 72 hours before your return trip and a single PCR test on or before the second day of your arrival in England – this can be booked in the same way as now through private test providers.
Protecting public health remains our priority, which is why the “green” list is currently very small with only 12 countries and territories. As the epidemiological situation improves worldwide, it is expected that there will be more opportunities for vacation travel with a greater number of destinations being added.
A total of 12 countries and areas were included in the green list. Some of these are: Portugal including the Azores and Madeira; Australia; New Zealand; Singapore; Brunei; Iceland; Faroe Islands; Gibraltar; Falkland Islands; and Israel and Jerusalem. However, many ‘green list’ countries will continue to impose restrictions on UK travelers, including quarantine measures. Therefore, passengers are encouraged to review all requirements and FCDO Travel tips before booking trips abroad.
Given that the virus is still spreading in many parts of the world, people shouldn’t travel there Amber and red Countries for leisure. Day 10 Managed Hotel Quarantine Requirements for those who are allowed to return to England from “red” countries, stay where they are, and Home quarantine in addition to rigorous testing is needed for those returning from “amber” destinations.
Countries have been assigned by ministers based on the latest scientific data so that quarantine and testing requirements upon return from these countries are appropriate to the risk of coronavirus and variants of concern.
The lists are reviewed every three weeks and updated with public health recommendations, including the Joint Biosecurity Center’s assessment of the latest data. These regular checkpoints allow the government to balance and help the public understand COVID requirements when traveling to England, while allowing us to continually assess the risk for different countries.
The government will also publish a green watchlist in the future to provide an indication of when a country will be identified as a candidate for a changing country. All measures will be reviewed and further measures may be taken to protect public health.
Countries decide whether they need proof of COVID vaccination to enter and it is the responsibility of the traveler to check the individual requirements. If necessary, people in England who have both vaccine doses can do so provide evidence of their COVID vaccination status about the NHS app from May 17th. If you do not have access to the app, you can request a letter from the NHS from May 17th, proving your vaccination status under number 119. Test results are not reported in the app and the process for booking and presenting test results for travel remains unchanged. The government is working with the decentralized administrations to ensure this facility is available to everyone across the UK.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
Today is the first step in our cautious return to international travel. Most importantly, taking steps to protect public health and make sure we don’t throw away the highly competitive profits we are all aiming for this year.
This is a new way of doing things, and people should expect travel to be different this summer – with longer border controls as part of strict measures to keep new strains of the virus from entering the country and our fantastic ones Endanger vaccine rollout.
To continue protecting the country from new variants of the coronavirus, the Maldives, Nepal and Turkey will be added from Wednesday, May 12, 4 a.m. Red List.
If the trip is restarted it will be different, especially when returning to the UK. Reopening international travel while maintaining a 100% health check at the border means longer waiting times are likely. Passengers from any destination are still required to complete one Passenger tracking form (PLF) and show evidence of a Test before departure negative result. While vacationers may notice longer lines than usual, it is important that we maintain our strict border controls – some of the toughest in the world – to prevent new strains of the virus entering the country and jeopardizing our vaccine adoption.
Constantly looking to improve processes to make them as efficient as possible to minimize waiting times, the government will be committed to increasing the Border Force’s resources to meet the increased demand. This includes the deployment of additional border guards who are expected to have a high volume of passengers.
Border Force will verify that arriving passengers have followed current health precautions and passengers can help reduce delays by completing all necessary requirements before entering the country. We continue to urge airlines to carry out any necessary checks or fines of £ 2,000 for each passenger who does not have a valid pre-departure test certificate and £ 2,000 for each passenger who does not have a completed PLF.
The government will continue to pursue plans to integrate health measures into our border system and allow controls to be carried out at e-gates in key ports in the summer of 2021. After the UK leaves the EU and the end of the transition period, British citizens will be subjected to additional controls when entering EU countries. When traveling abroad, you need to take steps to ensure safety and prepare for anything that changes during your stay. Check out and subscribe to FCDO Travel tips Updates to understand the latest entry regulations and COVID 19 rules.
