Rules for travelling to the UK from red list country

 

The UK has tighter travel restrictions in place to reduce the introduction and transmission of new variants of COVID-19 from red list countries. This list is regularly reviewed, so make sure you check it regularly if you’ve recently traveled or are planning to travel outside of the UK.

Arrivals from red list countries must undertake a 10-day stay in a managed quarantine hotel, pre-departure testing, and mandatory PCR testing on or before day two and on or after day eight.

 

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM FROM A COUNTRY ON THE RED LIST?

You must:

• • Take a coronavirus test and ensure you receive a negative result within 3 days of your flight home
  • book a “managed quarantine package” including a day 2 test and a day 8 test.
  • Complete a passenger locator form.
  • Be aware that failing to do any of these three things is a criminal offense (unless you have a reasonable excuse).

You may only enter England through the following airports:

• • Heathrow Airport;
  • Gatwick Airport;
  • London City Airport;
  • Birmingham Airport;
  • Farnborough Airport;
  • Bristol Airport
  • London Biggin Hill Airport
  • Any military airfield or port.

 

TAKE A CORONAVIRUS TEST BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

• • You must take a coronavirus test, and receive a negative result, in the three days before your flight.
  • The test must be through a private provider (you cannot use an NHS test) and must be certified as accurate. The regulations about which tests are compliant can be found here, and the government guidance can be found here.
  • If you receive a negative result, you must carry notification of this negative result with you, either in paper or digital form.
  • The negative test result notification should be communicated in English, Spanish, or French and be shown on arrival.

This notification should contain the following information:

1. 1. The name of the person from whom the sample was taken,
   2. That person’s date of birth or age,
   3. The negative result of the test,
   4. The date the test sample was collected or received by the test provider,
   5. The name of the test provider and information sufficient to contact that provider,
   6. A statement that the test was a PCR test or the name of the device that was used for the test.

If you fail to produce notification of a negative test result, you can be required to take a test as soon as reasonably practicable and/or fined.

 

Travel operators are under an equivalent duty to make sure that people boarding their services to England possess a negative test result meeting the above requirements (unless they have a reasonable excuse or are exempt). This means that travel operators should deny boarding to passengers who are unable to show a negative notification.

If you receive a positive result, you therefore should not be allowed to board a vessel at all. If you are allowed to board, you will be liable to be fined when you are challenged for your negative result as you enter England. Please see below for the amounts of these fines.

 

 

BOOKING A MANAGED QUARANTINE PACKAGE

Prior to arriving in England, you must organize what is called a “managed quarantine package.” This includes:

• Looking for a place in accommodation specified in law;
• Booking transport to the accommodation
• A testing package including the two coronavirus tests that you will need to take during your 10-day managed quarantine in a hotel.

For red list countries, you must take the first test on or before day 2 following your return, and a second test on or after day 8 following your return (for this countdown, the day you return is day 0). If you test positive in the day 2 test, you are not required to take the day 8 test, but you must continue quarantining for a full 10 days from the date of the day 2 test.

If you test positive in the day 8 test, you must continue quarantining for a full 10 days from the date of the day 8 test.

 

The cost of this is:

The rate for 1 adult in 1 room for 10 days (11 nights)	£2,285
Additional rate for 1 adult (or child over 11)	£1,430
Additional rate for a child aged 5–11	£325

 

There are no additional charges if you have to stay in quarantine for longer than 10 days because you test positive for coronavirus once tested.

If you are traveling to the UK from a red list country, it’s important that you learn about what rules apply to you. By following this list of rules, you should avoid any trouble when entering the country and be able to enjoy your trip.