UPDATE 08/07/2021
From 19th July 2021, double-vaccinated UK adults won’t have to quarantine upon return to England from an Amber list destination:
- People will have to prove they were vaccinated at least 14 days previously, using the NHS Covid Pass (on the NHS app) or an NHS Covid Pass letter
- Passengers will still need to pay for tests before and after their return. The second one must be a PCR test, but they will no longer have to take a day 8 test
- Under-18s returning from amber list countries will also be exempt from quarantine
- The guidance that people should not travel to amber list countries will also be removed from 19 July
You’ve just arrived on holiday and you have your feet up by the pool, or on the beach when the news comes in. The country you’re visiting has moved from the Green to Amber list. What can you do? Many will rush to book flights home and find out how long they will need to quarantine. However, one key point to remember is it’s not illegal to travel to an amber list country as of 17th May, therefore you do have some options.
Current travel restrictions
As of 17th May 2021, it’s no longer illegal to travel abroad. There are 3 tiers for those returning to England and restrictions are based on whether you have been in a country in the 10 days prior to your return.
Green list travel
Allows travel providing you take a COVID-19 test before you travel back to England. You’ll also need to book a ‘day 2 test’ and complete a passenger locator form.
Amber list travel
You must take a COVID-19 test before you travel back to England and book a day 2 and day 8 test, plus complete a passenger locator form. You then must quarantine for 10 days when you arrive back in England. You can reduce your quarantine to 5 days by taking advantage of the ‘Test to Release’ scheme.
Red list travel
First and foremost, you shouldn’t travel to a red list country. If you have been in any red list country you must take a COVID-19 test, complete a passenger locator form and book a quarantine hotel package before travel back to England. When you return you must complete your quarantine in the managed hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests.
Test to Release
The ‘Test to Release’ scheme was introduced to reduce quarantine times for travellers arriving back in England from certain countries. If you return from any country on the UK amber list, you must isolate for 10 days, therefore ‘Test to Release’ can be applied.
Using ‘Test to Release’ means your 10 days of quarantine can be reduced to a minimum of 5 days with a negative COVID-19 test. The scheme is voluntary but does mean you don’t need to spend the full 10 days isolating.
If you have arrived in England in the past 10 days from an amber list country, you must isolate for 10 days. After 5 full days of being home, you can take a ‘Test to Release’ COVID-19 test, a negative result means you can end your isolation immediately.
Find out more about Test to Release for international travel
Travelling to amber list countries
Whilst the UK Government advises to only travel to those countries on the green list, it is possible to travel to those countries on the amber list, providing you are prepared to isolate for up to 10 days upon your return or use ‘Test to Release’ to half this number.
Current red, amber and green list countries
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