A BBC article briefs about the rules for travelling to green, amber and red list countries.
Changes in travel policy
The UK government might have given people more options for foreign travel but some destinations, such as Portugal which is on the amber list, are bringing in their own restrictions for British passengers.
From 28 June travellers to Portugal who are not fully vaccinated against coronavirus must quarantine for 14 days on arrival. This will last until 11 July.
Spain’s Balearic islands, Malta and Madeira were among the destinations added to the green list in the latest update to the UK’s travel traffic light system.
But Spain’s government has now said that Britons arriving in Mallorca, Ibiza and other Balearic Islands will have to present a negative test result or proof of vaccination.
The second of the three-weekly reviews took place amid calls from holidaymakers and the travel industry for more countries to be added to the quarantine-free list.
Changes to the policy are made based on the COVID-19 situation in different countries.
Green list rules
Spain’s Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira, and some islands in the Caribbean – including Barbados – have been added to England’s travel green list.
A negative test result or proof of vaccination is now required upon arrival in the Balearic Islands.
The Caribbean islands included are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Also on the go list are Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, and the Pitcairn Islands.
But, the announcement came with a warning from the Department for Transport (DfT), as all of the new additions to the quarantine-free travel list, with the exception of Malta, will also be added to the government’s ‘green watchlist’.
It means these countries “are at risk of moving from green to amber” and that passengers should “take extra care when thinking about travelling”.
The changes will come into effect at 4am on Wednesday 30 June.
People returning from a country on this list will not need to quarantine, and will only be required to take one test two days after arriving in the UK.
At present, UK tourists can travel to Malta without quarantine on arrival as long as they present a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure and complete a passenger locator and public health declaration form.
Tourists heading from the UK to the Balearic Islands do not have to provide a negative COVID test on arrival, although some accommodation may require proof of a negative test.
The green list also consists of Gibraltar, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, plus several small remote islands that are British Overseas Territories.
However, entry to Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei and the Faroe Islands is severely restricted.
Portugal was the only major European destination in this category originally, but was moved to amber after only a few weeks.
Read Also: Red, amber and green list rules for entering England
COVID-19 Traffic Light: What you should do when you return to England from these countries
Main restrictions:
- Red list: Hotel-quarantine for 10 days & pre-departure test, plus PCR test on day 2 and 8.
- Amber list: Home-quarantine for 10 days & pre-departure test, plus PCR test on day 2 and 8. “Test to release” option on day 5.
- Green list: Pre-departure test & PCR test on or before day 2.
You do not need to take a COVID-19 test or quarantine on arrival in England if you are travelling within the Common Travel Area
Amber list and rules
This covers the most popular UK holiday destinations such as Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said people “should not be travelling to these places right now“, but that this is likely to be updated “later this summer“.
Those who go against that guidance must take two post-arrival tests from private companies on day two and day eight after arriving.
They are also required to self-isolate at home for 10 days, although they can reduce that time if they take an additional negative test on day five.
UK travellers arriving in Portugal will have to prove they have had two doses of a vaccine at least two weeks ago, or they have to isolate for 14 days.
UK tourists are allowed into mainland Spain without a negative PCR test, despite the country remaining on Britain’s amber list.
Germany is also on the amber list but, due to the Delta variant, travellers from the UK will only be admitted if they are citizens or residents – or have urgent humanitarian reasons such as an immediate family bereavement.
However, they must quarantine for two weeks, even if they test negative.
Red list and rules
New additions to the red list include Eritrea, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda.
Other countries among the countries on the red list are Brazil, India, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Those returning from a red list country must stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel for 10 full days at a cost of £1,750.
The day of arrival in England counts as day 0.
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Source: BBC
