England has announced some post-COVID international travel rules. These simple rules are to bring success to UK’s domestic vaccine rollout. From 4 October 2021 at 4 am Monday new changes will be applied. And, the amber list will no longer be there.
Now, the vaccination status of the passengers will play an important role to travel from countries and territories. Self-isolation or quarantine will not be necessary anymore after reaching the UK. Below we are going to discuss the travel circumstances and their new rules to follow in four steps-
1. If you are fully vaccinated then you can travel from the ‘rest of the world
Yes, whichever your country is you can visit UK if you have completed the COVID-19 vaccine course (plus 14 days). The programmes you must take vaccines from are-
● The UK, Europe, US, or UK have approved overseas vaccination programmes.
● You can take any full course of the vaccines of Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, or Janssen from a relevant public health body in Australia, Antigua, and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Dominica, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea or Taiwan.
● Here, you have to remember that mixing between two-dose vaccines (Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna) in this list is also recognised.
● A formally approved Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial in the US, Canada, and Australia is also accepted. You must have digital or paper-based proof of participation from a public health body.
What to do and not to do to travel under this circumstance
You have some must-to-do things if you are a completely vaccinated person from the mentioned programmes for at least 14 days. And of course, your country is not on the ‘red list’, then the things to do are:
● After arrival in England book and pay for a lateral flow test. It is a cheaper replacement for the previous ‘day 2’ Covid-19 test. This should be taken on the second day or before that after you arrive in England.
● Do finish your passenger locator form within 48 hours before you arrive in England.
● Again, following the previous COVID-19 rules or taking PDT is not required anymore, for example:
● After arrival in the UK, you no need to quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days.
● No need to take a pre-departure test.
● No need to take a day 8 Covid-19 test.
Get prove of your Covid-19 vaccination status
If you are fully vaccinated (plus 14 days) then you need to have proof of it. It can be a digital or paper-based document. You should collect it from a national or state-level public health body that includes, as a minimum:
● forename and surname(s)
● date of birth
● vaccine brand and manufacturer
● date of vaccination for every dose
● country or territory of vaccination and/or certificate issuer
Remember, if this document from a select group does not contain this information, you should follow the nonvaccinated rules. Otherwise, you may be denied boarding.
In the case of the US vaccination document you also need to show proof of US residency. It is also possible that you may be fully vaccinated, but do not qualify under these fully vaccinated rules. In that case, you must follow the non-vaccinated rules.
2. Rules to travel the UK from the ‘rest of the world’ if you are not fully vaccinated
You will follow these UK international travel rules if you are not fully vaccinated or are partially vaccinated. So, ultimately you cannot remain under the fully vaccinated rules.
However, you have to perform the task for non-vaccinated persons. Before the 72hours of your travel, you need to take a PDT or pre-departure COVID-19 test. Afterward, you will book pay for day-2 and day 8 COVID-19 tests in England. Finally, before arrival in England, you should not forget to prepare your passenger locator form in 48 hours.
Moreover, after reaching the country, you must be quarantined at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days. You have to do a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8. Again, there is a chance to end your quarantine early. But, for that, you will need to pay for a private COVID-19 test through the Test to Release scheme.
3. Travel instructions for the people of ‘red list’ countries
If you want to travel England but staying in a country or territory from the red list even for just 10 days then rules are different for you. Although you are a fully vaccinated person below things are must do –
● Before, 3days of your travel, you need to do a PDT or pre-departure COVID-19 test.
● Pre-booking of a quarantine hotel package with 2 Covid-19 tests is required.
● Finish your passenger locator form 48 hours before arrival in the country.
Where you can find financial support for Covid-19 Travel tests?
Some UK universities pay for the COVID-19 travel tests for their students. Students have to check this with their universities. They must know that their hotel bookings and test payments have to be made before their arrival in the UK.
You can check the gov.uk website for all available test providers. And, feel free to knock us for any information regarding your admission to a reputed UK university and the new travel rules and updates.
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