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]
#3541
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ABZ/NCL
Posts: 2,943
Does that not just further prove how stupid such rules are? By saying to people they are exempt from quarantine if they drive without stopping or god forbid opening in the window in Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Belgium etc on the way to the UK, are they not encouraging people to drive dangerously and risk road deaths?
This whole thing is just a complete custerfluck.
This whole thing is just a complete custerfluck.
#3542
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Does that not just further prove how stupid such rules are? By saying to people they are exempt from quarantine if they drive without stopping or god forbid opening in the window in Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Belgium etc on the way to the UK, are they not encouraging people to drive dangerously and risk road deaths?
This whole thing is just a complete custerfluck.
This whole thing is just a complete custerfluck.
Encouraging amateurs who might drive long distances once or twice a year is not a good idea.
#3543
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: 30,499
I do concur that the guidelines that were mentioned by the DoT are wholly absurd in any case. It should be that transiting in country A either makes or does not make you liable to quarantine (unfortunately, in all likelihood, should) but all that talk about getting out of the car or not, people coming on the train or not, etc is utter nonsense. It is unenforceable, it encourages dangerous behaviour (and in some cases illegal behaviour) in other countries, and more insidiously, it sends an image of petty/bureaucratic/ill-thought-through regulation which is likely to lower compliance even by those wholly unaffected by this specific discussion.
Last edited by orbitmic; Aug 27, 2020 at 12:35 am
#3544
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,873
I do concur that the guidelines that were mentioned by the DoT are wholly absurd in any case. It should be that transiting in country A either makes or does not make you liable to quarantine (unfortunately, in all likelihood, should) but all that talk about getting out of the car or not, people coming on the train or not, etc is utter nonsense. It is unenforceable, it encourages dangerous behaviour (and in some cases illegal behaviour) in other countries, and more insidiously, it sends an image of petty/bureaucratic/ill-thought-through regulation which is likely to lower compliance even by those wholly unaffected by this specific discussion.
Last edited by KARFA; Aug 27, 2020 at 12:51 am
#3545
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
Programs: AA, BAEC, Alaska, Flying Blue, United, IHG, Hilton
Posts: 2,950
Interestingly the law makes no distinction and simply states any transit of a non exempt country should result in self isolation. Perhaps the attempt by the government to provide some pragmatic guidelines is too much we should revert to the strict application of the law. I guess one advantage would be people won't then undertake silly 11 hour drives without a break and then trying to suggest "the law made me do it" as if they have no responsibility for their own actions.
Last edited by The_Bouncer; Aug 27, 2020 at 3:28 am
#3546
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,551
Does anyone know if the countries in the green list that allow UK residents in but with a test -- Greece, Cyprus, the Azores of Portugal etc - accept the text/email from the NHS as proof of being negative?
#3547
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,873
No test needed for Greece for UK arrivals, where are you getting that from?
#3548
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
Cyprus definitely does, I've been following stories on trip advisor as we're going in 3 weeks time hopefully, you have to upload the booking confirmation and test results onto the flight pass website 24 hours before travel. Test has to be done no earlier than 72 hours before departure. Greece does not require a test they do random sampling based on your QR code.
#3549
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: 30,499
Interestingly the law makes no distinction and simply states any transit of a non exempt country should result in self isolation. Perhaps the attempt by the government to provide some pragmatic guidelines is too much we should revert to the strict application of the law. I guess one advantage would be people won't then undertake silly 11 hour drives without a break and then trying to suggest "the law made me do it" as if they have no responsibility for their own actions.
#3550
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: 63,711
The above is the all important update for Thursday. I'll do some comments when I get out of the meeting that I am in at the moment.
#3551
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland / Estonia
Programs: AY+ Platinum, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, HH Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 6,525
corporate-wage-slave how do you know the incidence for CH today when the new infections have not been published yet? Switzerland usually publishes new case numbers between noon and 1pm local time.
#3552
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: 63,711
So on the figures above, Switzerand followed by the Czech Republic are the two countries which look at risk of losing their exemption status. They aren't the highest, Gibraltar is presumably suffering from the same surge as Spain, with a figure of 198. It's worth noting that the Faroes were at 200 for the last week or so, but has now fallen to 147. In the other non highlighted countries, the British Virgin Islands are on 56.6 but I don't think they are at immediate risk. On the plus side, Singapore should be admitted to the list soon, it's 19.0 and has been below 30 for over a week now.
Spain has now the dubious distinction of exceeding the USA. I think it's probably best to see this as being in the same ballpark, since there are differences in the approach to testing, with Spain getting their test results through much faster than the USA, but however you look at it, it is bad. The Spanish government has still left control to the regional governments, but they have been pushing their contact tracing App (Radar) nationally. It's difficult to see that as being sufficient. The infection has moved around, so the figures for Aragón, the Navarre and Catalonia are falling quite sharply, only to be replaced by higher figures in the Balearics, which have now recorded over 900 infections in one day, out of the national figure of 7,000. Suffice to say that Spain will not be getting exemption status any time soon.
Spain has now the dubious distinction of exceeding the USA. I think it's probably best to see this as being in the same ballpark, since there are differences in the approach to testing, with Spain getting their test results through much faster than the USA, but however you look at it, it is bad. The Spanish government has still left control to the regional governments, but they have been pushing their contact tracing App (Radar) nationally. It's difficult to see that as being sufficient. The infection has moved around, so the figures for Aragón, the Navarre and Catalonia are falling quite sharply, only to be replaced by higher figures in the Balearics, which have now recorded over 900 infections in one day, out of the national figure of 7,000. Suffice to say that Spain will not be getting exemption status any time soon.
#3553
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: 63,711
corporate-wage-slave how do you know the incidence for CH today when the new infections have not been published yet? Switzerland usually publishes new case numbers between noon and 1pm local time.
#3554
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Programs: BA Gold, Accor Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 551
So on the figures above, Switzerand followed by the Czech Republic are the two countries which look at risk of losing their exemption status. They aren't the highest, Gibraltar is presumably suffering from the same surge as Spain, with a figure of 198. It's worth noting that the Faroes were at 200 for the last week or so, but has now fallen to 147. In the other non highlighted countries, the British Virgin Islands are on 56.6 but I don't think they are at immediate risk. On the plus side, Singapore should be admitted to the list soon, it's 19.0 and has been below 30 for over a week now.
Spain has now the dubious distinction of exceeding the USA. I think it's probably best to see this as being in the same ballpark, since there are differences in the approach to testing, with Spain getting their test results through much faster than the USA, but however you look at it, it is bad. The Spanish government has still left control to the regional governments, but they have been pushing their contact tracing App (Radar) nationally. It's difficult to see that as being sufficient. The infection has moved around, so the figures for Aragón, the Navarre and Catalonia are falling quite sharply, only to be replaced by higher figures in the Balearics, which have now recorded over 900 infections in one day, out of the national figure of 7,000. Suffice to say that Spain will not be getting exemption status any time soon.
Spain has now the dubious distinction of exceeding the USA. I think it's probably best to see this as being in the same ballpark, since there are differences in the approach to testing, with Spain getting their test results through much faster than the USA, but however you look at it, it is bad. The Spanish government has still left control to the regional governments, but they have been pushing their contact tracing App (Radar) nationally. It's difficult to see that as being sufficient. The infection has moved around, so the figures for Aragón, the Navarre and Catalonia are falling quite sharply, only to be replaced by higher figures in the Balearics, which have now recorded over 900 infections in one day, out of the national figure of 7,000. Suffice to say that Spain will not be getting exemption status any time soon.
#3555
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 963
What's the view on Italy? Numbers are moving up quickly but from everything I read, most seems to be due to a well designed testing program for people returning from holiday. That should mitigate spread and also peter out after next week. While they are still a long way from 30, would the UK government also consider those factors if Italy approached 30 (which it will in 7-10 days at the current rate)? I was considering tacking a UK visit onto a Middle East trip but if they are unlikely to come off, may try and tack it onto an Italy trip in a couple weeks (US citizen but have an exemption to enter Italy).