UK to Remove All Countries from Its COVID-19 Red List
The good news to all travellers planning a trip to the UK soon is that all the countries included on the red list of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have been finally removed. In practice, it means that travellers do not need to undergo a hotel quarantine upon arrival in the UK anymore. The red list comprised the countries considered as the COVID-19 high-risk.
On November 1st, 2021, the UK government removed the remaining 7 countries, and now all travellers from the entire globe are allowed to enter the United Kingdom under the same conditions. No one entering the UK is obliged to book a quarantine accommodation at the hotel provided they are fully vaccinated against the COVID-19. Not vaccinated (or not fully vaccinated) passengers are still obliged to self-isolation. All arrivals in the UK, no matter their vaccination status, are required to fill out the UK Passenger Locator Form before a trip.
Despite the fact that the UK red list now is empty, the system of classifying the countries according to the ongoing coronavirus situation will continue in force. The government of the United Kingdom will be reviewingthe number of cases around the world and may add some countries to its red list again.
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UK Red List
Due to the coronavirus spread, the authorities of the United Kingdom decided to introduce the so-called traffic light system classifying the countries according to the level of potential COVID-19 risk. The red list was designed to comprise those countries where the number of cases is the highest one. Until recently, passengers arriving from the countries included on the red list were obliged to undergo a hotel quarantine, which entailed the cost of over GBP 2,000. Currently, since no country is on the red list, quarantine is no longer mandatory for fully vaccinated travellers. Nevertheless, it may change due to the constantly changing COVID-19 situation in the world.
7 countries recently removed from the Red List
- Colombia
- Haiti
- Peru
- Panama
- Venezuela
- Ecuador
- The Dominican Republic
UK entry rules for not vaccinated travellers
Not fully vaccinated travellers or those who have taken other COVID-19 vaccines than one of the approved by the British government to enter the UK, must:
- Provide the negative result of the PCR or lateral flow COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to departure
- Book two COVID-19 tests that must be taken after the arrival to the UK
- Undergo 10-day after arrival quarantine
Other changes in the UK entry requirements
- Starting from November 22nd, 2021, the UK will allow entry to travellers who have been vaccinated with Sinovac, Covaxin, and Sinopharm. They will be also exempt from quarantine requirements.
- Travelers aged under 18 who arrive in England will be recognized as fully vaccinated, which means a quarantine-free entry for them. They will no longer need to take neither the 8th-day test nor the pre-departure COVID-19 test. They will be subject only to post-arrival testing.
The new changes in the entry requirements to the United Kingdom are one of the most liberal in terms of the coronavirus-related travel restrictions introduced by the different countries in the world.
