Last edit by: NewbieRunner
Mod note on thread engagement:
A reminder that this thread is about the self-isolation requirements for UK arrivals.
It is a help/Information resource for those travelling or returning to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from outside the UK. Let's concentrate on news, questions and answers that are relevant and on-topic and stay away from speculations about the spread of the virus, the performance of politicians and other topics which are more suitable for OMNI.
Please stay within these requirements to avoid issues.
A reminder that this thread is about the self-isolation requirements for UK arrivals.
It is a help/Information resource for those travelling or returning to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from outside the UK. Let's concentrate on news, questions and answers that are relevant and on-topic and stay away from speculations about the spread of the virus, the performance of politicians and other topics which are more suitable for OMNI.
Please stay within these requirements to avoid issues.
LATEST UPDATES
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-t...virus-covid-19
18 March travel to the UK changes
If you will arrive in the UK from abroad after 4am, Friday 18 March, you do not need to:
- take any COVID-19 tests – before you travel or after you arrive
- fill in a UK passenger locator form before you travel
This will apply whether you are vaccinated or not.
You also will not need to quarantine when you arrive, in line with current rules.
Other countries still have COVID-19 entry rules in place. You should check travel advice before you travel.
If you will arrive in England before 4am, 18 March, you must follow the current rules as set out in this guidance.
*****
The following historical information is retained for the time being.
The Passenger Locator Form for passengers arriving into the UK can be found here:
https://visas-immigration.service.go...r-locator-form
This can only be completed once you are within 48 hours of arrival in the UK.
Exemption list from quarantine requirements - specific details:
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...k-border-rules
England
Statutory instrument for individual passengers arriving in to England: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/582/contents (this html version is updated, but may not have the very latest updates for Statutory Instruments released in the last few days)
Test to release for England only from 15 December, see post 4776 https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32841066-post4776.html
Statutory instrument for transport providers http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2.../contents/made
Scotland
Statutory instrument for individual passengers arriving in to Scotland: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2020/169/contents (this html version is updated)
Wales
Statutory instrument for individual passengers arriving in to Wales: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2020/574/contents (this html version is updated) &
Welsh language version: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2...0200574_we.pdf
Northern Ireland
Statutory instrument https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2021/99/contents (this html version is updated)
PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR QUICK RELEASE FROM SELF-ISOLATION (based on November 28th updates)
[This section has been moved lower down in the wiki post following the change in self-isolation rule on 7th January 2022[
Any PCR test noted as a UK Government Day 2 test will be accepted for release from self isolation as soon as you get the negative result. If it is any other PCR test (eg "Fit to Fly") and not advertised specifically as a Day 2 test then it won't be valid.
This means that you can:[list]
- Book a suitable Day 2 PCR test before you travel and use the booking reference for the test on the PLF (Passenger Locator Form).
- On your day of arrival go to your scheduled test.
- Proceed to you place of self-isolation and await the result, which will hopefully be same / next day.
Alternatively:- Book any Day 2 PCR test before you travel even if you do not intend to use this test, and use the booking reference for the test on the PLF to ensure entry to the UK.
- Note that you are not strictly required to have a PCR booking before arrival, but your carrier might not know that so you run the risk of being denied boarding
- On your day of arrival (or before end of Day 2) go to a walk-in test centre and take a different test to the one you booked.
- Proceed to you place of self-isolation and await the result, which will hopefully be same / next day.
If you are leaving the UK before the end of day 2 then you do not need to take a test, but are required to self-isolate for the duration of your trip (since you do not have a negative result). Also, if you are self-isolating while waiting for a result (and hence have not been informed of a positive result and need to isolate) you may travel to leave the country.
If you take a test and it is positive for any variant of COVID you will be required to isolate for 10 days from the date of the test.
Whether you take a test or not you may be contacted by the UK Test and Trace system at any time if it becomes apparent that you have been in contact with another case. This is very unlikely to happen before day 3 if it is in relation to your flight to UK. Depending on the suspected / identified variant for that case and if you are fully-vaccinated by an accepted programme (see below for links to what this means and valid exemptions) :- Omnicron or not fully-vaccinated: You will be required to isolated for 10 days, including a bar on travel to leave the country. A negative Day 2 test does not release you from this requirement.
- Other and fully vaccinated : You will not be required to isolate.
- Book any Day 2 PCR test before you travel even if you do not intend to use this test, and use the booking reference for the test on the PLF to ensure entry to the UK.
- Proceed to you place of self-isolation and await the result, which will hopefully be same / next day.
- On your day of arrival go to your scheduled test.
Test Providers for Day 2/8 tests & Day 5 Test to release
This section is for FTers to post their experience with specific providers (good or bad). Keep it brief and to the point. Please mention how the service is provided and your FT name.
DNA Workplace - Postal - Test kits arrived with me on time. Royal Mail slow for return. 5+ days for Day 2 result. #DaveS
DNA Workplace - Postal - Test kits both arrived on time, video of tests required, results by late evening Day 3 and Day 9. #TSE
ExpressTest Gatwick - Drive through - Tested early at 1000 a few times for TTR. Results came through in evening. #DaveS
NowTest - Postal - Day 2 kit arrived on time, day 8 did not. Will update with result arrival times when applicable. #wilsnunn
Collinson - Postal - Day 5 Test to Release kit arrived in time. Results and release by end of day 6. #tjcxx
CTM - Postal - Days 2/8 kits arrived together in time. Both sent results 2 days after posting. #tjcxx
Qured (Oncologica) - Postal -Day 2/8 kits arrived late. Results 3+ days from posting. #Gagravarr
Qured (Oncologica) - Postal - Day 2/8 kits arrived on time. Day 2 result on Day 5 and Day 8 result on Day 10 - happy customer! #EddLegll
Qured (Ocnologica) - Postal - Day 2/8 kits arrived on time. Day 2 result on Day 5 (after bedtime; ironically after my TTR result). #KSVVZ2015
Anglia DNA - Postal - Day 2/8 kits arrived early. (Both were labelled Day2). Results on Day 4 and Day 9. Cheapest on the list at the time, and good service/result. #tjcxx
Qured - Pre-flight test booked and bought through BA. Very efficient service. Highly recommended. #lhrsfo
Randox - Days 2 and 8. Booked two days before return, using BA discount. Kits already arrived on return. Slightly confusing instructions but manageable. Used Randox dropbox and results next day. Good. #lhrsfo
Randox - Day 2 (also used as pre departure test for a London to Milan flight). Used a drop box and results arrived at midnight the next day. #11101
Randox - Day 2 test centre - 2h30 queues outside the test centre in Waterloo. Results of antigen arrived 45 minutes later. #11101
Collinson - Test to Release at LHR T2. Good trip out! Very efficient service and well organised. Used BA discount. Results by end of day. Excellent. #lhrsfo
DAM - Test to Release in Fulham (they have many locations) - the cheapest fast turnaround TTR we have found. They promise 24 hours but in reality me, my wife, and my son (on different days) have received results inside of 12 hours. Very efficient staff as well. Princes outside of Central London as low as 99 GBP. Fulham is 129 GBP. #KSVVZ2015
Boots/Source Bioscience - days 2&8. Both packs sent in the same mail, waiting at the isolation address. Dropped off at postbox at 4pm, result back next day between 4 and 5 pm, very effective. Bought from Boots, £160, but same package sold directly bu Source Bioscience is just £120. Aaargh! Instructions said nasal and throat swabs, did only nasal and marked accordingly, no issues. #WilcoRoger
Collinsons/Stansted walkin TTR - test taken 1:30 pm, email with results 10:10 pm same day If the BA20OFF doesn't work (didn't work for us) there's another discount on the airport's site #WilcoRoger
Ordered Day-2 kit from Chronomics a week before our return for £18.99. Duly dispatched day we were returning to UK, so arrived on day following return. Reasonably simple process to do test and upload -ve result picture. Not sure where +ve result would have led to... #EsherFlyer
Hale Clinic testing centre (near Oxford Circus) - While not the least expensive, appoint schedules are accurate and results returned in promised timeframe. I've used the clinic for Day 2 tests (twice) and antigen test for US (once). I would def utilize again. #ecaarch
Halo at T5 (Sofitel) - Day 2 PCR spit test. Took the test 7pm, results arrived 7am the next day. No queues but a slightly awkward process to follow.
Useful data sources:
New cases per 100k - 7 days: https://covid19.who.int/table
New tests per 1000 - 7 days: https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-testing
Vaccination doses per 100: https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
Sequenced samples uploaded to GISAID: https://www.gisaid.org/index.php?id=208
NHS Track & Trace data (positivity rates for arriving passengers are published every three weeks, so if you can't find the data in the current release it will be in one of the previous two) https://www.gov.uk/government/collec...weekly-reports https://assets.publishing.service.go...ut_week_50.ods
UK daily COVID data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/?_ga...827.1594116739
Risk assessment methodology to inform international travel traffic light system
Data informing international travel traffic-light risk assessments
Testing Terminology
Notes which may assist with understanding which tests to use and with "reuse" of UK tests for other countries regulations:
- LFT: Lateral Flow Test - A rapid antigen test using nasal / throat swab typically performed by the traveler at home, hotel, etc using simple disposable device. Usually tests the "outer shell" of the nucleus (which causes the symptoms and is reasonably stable across variants) and not the "spikes" (which allow new variants to invade more easily), so gives a positive result for many variants. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-...d_antigen_test)
- PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction - A laboratory based test which looks at the nucleus of the virus to determine which specific variant it is. After a positive LFT test ("I have some form of COVID") a PCR test ("You have the Gamma variant") allows identification and tracking of new variants to see if they are likely to become a "variant of concern". (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reaction)
- NAAT: Nucleic Acid Amplification Test - A general class of laboratory based tests which includes PCR, LAMP, etc tests. (See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...b/naats.html)
UK arrivals - pre-departure, quarantine and post-arrival [currently no requirements]
#3001
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: clue is in the nym
Programs: BA Gold, TP Gold, VS Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 832
It would likely also see the removal of Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark and Poland from the 'exempt' list by next weekend, with Turkey, Austria, Greece and potentially Ireland (albeit the politics is more complex in the latter case) looking problematic by the beginning of September.
That said, Shapps has (very recent!) form in not knowing what he's talking about and disseminating inaccurate information so I doubt that the figure quoted is either the actual or complete criteria!
#3002
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,837
On the public health side I see no movement in terms of adjusting the UK's threshold, other than the general principle that self isolation is most logical if a country has an obviously higher level of infections than the UK. The other factor is that because the Pillar 2 figures comes mainly from the hot spots there are now dozens of large cities which have had very low figures for weeks on end. Portsmoth had a single case on Wednesday, and 2 cases the previous Thursday (population 700k), so it's outperforming New Zealand. So the public health teams aren't buying the logic that the threshold should be adjusted. But on the political side it's difficult to get the Devolved Administrations to take on board any new country where their figures are even slightly above the UK average.
#3003
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: clue is in the nym
Programs: BA Gold, TP Gold, VS Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 832
#3004
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1
I am supposed to be going to Greece on the 28th, not too worried if the UK add this to the red list as quarantine on return would be possible for me, so more worried Greece close their borders to the UK. Is there any source where some rough ideas of the cut-off other countries are applying so I can get a sense of what might happen?
#3005
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 133
I am supposed to be going to Greece on the 28th, not too worried if the UK add this to the red list as quarantine on return would be possible for me, so more worried Greece close their borders to the UK. Is there any source where some rough ideas of the cut-off other countries are applying so I can get a sense of what might happen?
PCR rule can be found here: https://travel.gov.gr/#/
Edit: Welcome to FlyerTalk! Well, at least your first post in the last 12 years
#3006
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 1,773
Thank you again for sharing this information, and for all your advice and wisdom.
I know this is semi crystal ball territory but do you think Czechia is likely to be removed from the quarantine exemption list in the next week or so? I have a holiday booked from 21st August and I’m very much looking forward to it after the usual string of cancellations. However, I see their numbers are creeping up and my back up plan is to head to Germany.
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Aug 15, 2020 at 9:49 am Reason: Removed image from quote
#3007
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,541
#3008
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ABZ/NCL
Posts: 2,943
All these places lauded at the beginning now having resurgences again. Just shows this reaction hasn't worked. There has never been a reaction to a virus like this. The world carried on during HK flu. Probably wisely. This has been utter madness.
Last edited by flyingcrazy; Aug 15, 2020 at 5:25 am
#3009
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,837
I know this is semi crystal ball territory but do you think Czechia is likely to be removed from the quarantine exemption list in the next week or so? I have a holiday booked from 21st August and I’m very much looking forward to it after the usual string of cancellations. However, I see their numbers are creeping up and my back up plan is to head to Germany.
#3010
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,263
Just have to hope other countries in Europe act faster than Spain now their numbers are spiking and don't see a resurgence of a similar extent.
#3011
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
The wailing about the Spanish quarantine seems to have died down a bit now it's becoming really difficult to oppose based on the data, but doubt the Government is going to get any credit for being willing to act quickly and override the wails of the travel industry / tabloids / very opinionated experts who predominate on Flyertalk and apparently know much more about disease control than the Government's advisers.
Just have to hope other countries in Europe act faster than Spain and don't see a resurgence of a similar extent.
Just have to hope other countries in Europe act faster than Spain and don't see a resurgence of a similar extent.
Last edited by paulaf; Aug 15, 2020 at 6:10 am
#3012
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: clue is in the nym
Programs: BA Gold, TP Gold, VS Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 832
For current 'red' countries, entry is allowed if you have a negative PCR test 72 hours before flying. I'm not sure on the threshold numbers to move from 'Green' to 'Red'. So, I wonder what the chances are that you'll have a bit of a cough 72-hours before you fly, and need an NHS test
PCR rule can be found here: https://travel.gov.gr/#/
Edit: Welcome to FlyerTalk! Well, at least your first post in the last 12 years
PCR rule can be found here: https://travel.gov.gr/#/
Edit: Welcome to FlyerTalk! Well, at least your first post in the last 12 years
#3013
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 5,656
So apologies for not reading through the entire thread, but I have a question about the locator form itself.
Last Sunday (a week ago) I returned from Sweden and Norway and filled in the form accordingly, along with my exemption. I'm now in Austria, and will be returning from Germany tomorrow. Do I have to declare (again) my visit to Sweden and Norway on the form I complete for my most recent arrival into the UK as Sweden/Norway was within the last 14 days, or just this trip to Germany and Austria?
Last Sunday (a week ago) I returned from Sweden and Norway and filled in the form accordingly, along with my exemption. I'm now in Austria, and will be returning from Germany tomorrow. Do I have to declare (again) my visit to Sweden and Norway on the form I complete for my most recent arrival into the UK as Sweden/Norway was within the last 14 days, or just this trip to Germany and Austria?
#3014
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
Rocking up to one of the under-used NHS test centres with 'a bit of a cough' and getting yourself tested may do wonders fot your own peace of mind but it doesn't come with a certificate so it wouldn't be of any further use getting you in to Greece should the UK be added to the list of countries from which arrivals need a test . Greece like most countries requires a lab certificate with your passport/ID on it as as proof of a negative test, which at the moment means going private and paying ~£150-£200 a pop.
#3015
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,982
So apologies for not reading through the entire thread, but I have a question about the locator form itself.
Last Sunday (a week ago) I returned from Sweden and Norway and filled in the form accordingly, along with my exemption. I'm now in Austria, and will be returning from Germany tomorrow. Do I have to declare (again) my visit to Sweden and Norway on the form I complete for my most recent arrival into the UK as Sweden/Norway was within the last 14 days, or just this trip to Germany and Austria?
Last Sunday (a week ago) I returned from Sweden and Norway and filled in the form accordingly, along with my exemption. I'm now in Austria, and will be returning from Germany tomorrow. Do I have to declare (again) my visit to Sweden and Norway on the form I complete for my most recent arrival into the UK as Sweden/Norway was within the last 14 days, or just this trip to Germany and Austria?