If you are considering traveling to the UK, you are probably asking yourself “What’s the COVID situation there?” Entry restrictions remain in place in the United Kingdom, which is finally emerging from a lockdown that saw the enforcement of a year-long national policy of social distancing and the closure of pubs and restaurants, among other measures. Despite the easing of domestic limitations, travel to the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be subject to entry bans and other measures meant to curb the spread of the virus. Today’s blog will therefore examine the COVID-19 travel restrictions to the UK for August 2021. Keep reading to learn about the Amber and the Red and Green list rules for entering England (including which countries are moving to the Red list) and for the most recent UK travel update.
What’s the COVID situation in the UK?
- After more than a full year of domestic lockdown, the UK finally opened up on July 19th, removing occupancy restrictions from restaurants, bars, and other entertainment venues and allowing the re-opening of nightclubs and other non-essential businesses forced to close during the height of the pandemic.
- Broadly speaking, domestic restrictions have eased across the UK, however, as the COVID-19 situation in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland is country-specific, foreign (and domestic) travelers are advised to look into the particular rules for the country they seek to enter.
- With the national vaccination campaign in full swing (more than 2/3 of the entire UK population is completely vaccinated) the number COVD-19 infections and related deaths across the country has fallen from their previous height. However, the UK must also contend with the Delta variant of the virus, which continues to menace Europe.
What are the travel restrictions?
- The current COVID-19 travel restrictions to the UK for August 2021 can broadly be described as inclusive of pre-flight and post arrival testing, as well as mandatory self-isolation and quarantines. The below advice applies specifically to England and therefore generally to the UK. If you are arriving in the UK to somewhere other than England, check the specific advice relevant to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales to make sure that you remain in compliance.
- Nationals arriving from certain countries who follow all the preflight and post arrival guidelines may continue to travel to the UK during COVID-19. Fully vaccinated foreigners who can show proof of vaccination are subject to reduced entry requirements. If you are not fully vaccinated, you can still travel to the UK, but you will face more restrictions.
- Travelers face different restrictions depending on where they are arriving from, with the UK continuing to impose what is essentially a travel ban on those entering from the Red list of countries, while allowing non-essential travel from Green list and Amber List countries.
- Please note that any traveler who attempts to hide where they have previously traveled in order to avoid being subject to COVID-19 entry restrictions (or anyone who, post-arrival, does not follow their relevant quarantine guidelines) may be subject to jail and/or a £10,000 fine.
- The specific Amber and Red and Green list rules for entering the UK can be found below. Please note that these color-list rules will apply to you even if you are not fully vaccinated (i.e. the rules are the same for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers).
Green list countries
- If you are arriving to the UK from one of the Green list countries below (or you have spent time in a country on the Green list within the past 10 days of your intended UK-arrival), you will need to do the following:
- Have proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken three days prior to your flight to the UK.
- Fill out a Passenger Locater Form.
- Take a COVID-19 test upon arrival (or a maximum of two days post arrival). If you receive a positive result, you will have to go into quarantine.
- The below countries are currently on the Green list:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Austria
- Australia
- Barbados
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cayman Islands
- Croatia
- Dominica
- Germany
- Grenada
- Hong Kong .
- Iceland
- Israel and Jerusalem
- Latvia
- Portugal
- Malta
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Romania
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Taiwan
Amber list countries
- If you are arriving to the UK from one of the Amber list countries below (or you have spent time in a country on the Amber list within the past 10 days of your intended UK-arrival) you will need to do all of the following:
- Have proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken three days prior to your flight to the UK.
- Fill out a Passenger Locater Form.
- Take a COIVID-19 test upon arrival (or a maximum of two days post arrival). If you receive a positive result, you will have to go into quarantine.
- Amber list countries are below:
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- The Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Greece
- Greenland
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Honduras
- Hungary
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- The Occupied Palestinian Territories
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Russia
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Spain
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States (USA)
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Western Sahara
- Yemen
Red list of countries
- Red list rules prevent the arrival of anyone who has spent time in a country on the Red list within the past 10 days from traveling to the UK, with the exception of British and Irish citizens and those with UK residency.
- What are the travel restrictions facing Red list countries?
- Have proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken three days prior to your flight to the UK.
- Fill out a Passenger Locater Form.
- Take a COIVID-19 test upon arrival (or a maximum of two days post arrival).
- Quarantine post-arrival for 10 days in a government managed hotel (must be reserved before you arrive in the country).
- Take a quarantine test on or post day 8 of quarantine.
- If you are traveling from one of the below Red list countries you will have to abide by the above Red list rules. Please keep in mind that a number of countries recently moved to the Red list (as of August 8th). If your country was previously on the Green or Amber list, check below to make sure it has not been re-categorized as “red”:
- Afghanistan
- Angola
- Argentina
- Bangladesh
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Burundi
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- French Guiana
- Georgia
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mexico
- Mongolia
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Zambia
For the most recent UK travel update, contact us here.
Asaad