Her Majesties Government and its Department for Transport has been updating its travel list, with some changes in the Green, Amber and Red Lists.
Let us check in on the changes.
Countries moving to the Green List
- Canada – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/canada
- Denmark – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/denmark
- Finland – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/finland
- Liechtenstein – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/liechtenstein
- Lithuania – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/lithuania
- Switzerland – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/switzerland
- The Azores – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal
Green list arrivals will require a pre-departure test, a passenger locator form, and a Day 2 PCR test. There will be no requirement to quarantine at all, vaccinated or otherwise.
The changes go into effect at 4 am on Monday 30 August 2021.
Countries moving to the Amber List
- None
Countries moving to the Red List
- Montenegro – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/montenegro
- Thailand – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand
Red List Countries/Territories limits entry to UK citizens and permanent residents. Red List Passengers are required to pre-book a quarantine hotel, take a pre-departure test, isolate for 10 days in a managed quarantine facility, with day 2 and day 8 PCR tests.
The changes go into effect at 4 am on Monday 30 August 2021.
According to The Department of Transport, the high rates combined with lower levels of published genomic surveillance in Thailand and Montenegro than other countries mean that an outbreak of a new variant or existing variants of concern (VOC) or variants under investigation (VUI) cannot be easily identified before it is imported and seeded across the UK.
Where is the constantly changing list?
The list is published at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england.
You should always check against this before you travel.
In addition, this list is not reciprocal – this means that countries have their own entry criteria you will need to meet. You should check the entry requirements of each country (in particular the requirements or if they will even let you in).
As usual please plan ahead – this year of travel seems to be more confusing than ever.
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