Traffic Lights No More: Changes to the UK Travel Rules

30 Sep 2021, 54 mins ago

Replacing the much-maligned traffic light system will be a streamlined guidance depending on one’s vaccination status, with select jurisdictions remaining on a ‘red list’.

When travelling from a non-red list country, those who are fully vaccinated will need to:

  1. book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test – to be taken after arrival in England;
  2. complete one’s passenger locator form – any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in England; and
  3. take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 after one arrives in England.

For vaccinated passengers, there will no longer be a need to take a pre-departure or day 8 COVID-19 test.

One will qualify as being fully vaccinated if:

  1. one has received a full dose under an approved vaccination programme in the UK, Europe, USA or UK vaccine programme overseas at least 14 days before arriving in the UK; and
  2. one can present proof of: forename and surname, date of birth, vaccine brand and manufacturer, date of vaccination for every dose and the country/territory of vaccination.

Those who are not fully vaccinated will, from 04:00 on Monday 4 October 2021, be required to:

  1. take a pre-departure COVID-19 test – to be taken in the 3 days before you travel to England;
  2. book and pay for a day 2 and day 8 COVID-19 test – to be taken after arrival in England;/li>
  3. complete one’s passenger locator form – any time in the 48 hours before one arrives in England; and
  4. upon arrival, quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8.

Those entering from a ‘red-list’ country, irrespective of one’s vaccination status, will be required to:

  1. take a pre-departure COVID-19 test – to be taken in the 3 days before you travel to England;
  2. book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 COVID-19 tests;
  3. complete one’s passenger locator form – any time in the 48 hours before one arrives in England; and
  4. upon arrival, quarantine in a managed hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests.

A list of ‘red-list’ countries can be found on the Gov.uk website.

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