Due to the dangers posed by the new strains of Coronavirus, which have been circulating internationally, the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has set out new and harsher border measures aimed at providing an additional layer of protection to stop the spread of COVID-19.
The new measures require all international arrivals to England (including British nationals) to present a negative COVID-19 test, taken up to 72 hours before departure. This system will come into force in England from 4am on Friday 15 January.
Passengers will still be required to complete a Passenger Locator Form and be subject to national lockdown restrictions upon arrival in England. All passengers who are arriving from a country which is not on the Government’s travel corridor list will still be required to self isolate for 10 days, regardless of their test result.
The Test to Release scheme is still an option for those passengers arriving from a country that is not on the travel corridor list. This scheme offers the option to self-isolate for only 5 days upon arrival in the UK on the basis that a negative COVID-19 test result has been procured.
Passengers who fail to comply with the new regulations to provide a valid and negative COVID-19 test certificate will be subject to an immediate fine of £500.
Exceptions to the regulations include hauliers, children under the age of 11, crews, and passengers who are travelling from a country that lacks the infrastructure to administer a COVID-19 test.
If you have any questions regarding your entry to the UK, please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
©Gherson 2021