Jun 4, 2020, 5:57 am
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]
May 13, 2021, 7:48 am
#7831
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,977
May 13, 2021, 8:04 am
#7832
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: BA, LH, AF, TK
Posts: 213
Indeed. I wonder if this will become the default cheapest/best option for people visiting the UK, who need a PCR test to return: Buy the cheapest day 2 and 8 package, reduce self-isolation time by purchasing TTR and use the day 8 test a couple of days before leaving.
May 13, 2021, 8:06 am
#7833
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,227
Upthread someone had mentioned needing to cancel and rebook a Collinson testing appt in order to amend it. FYI, we were able to successfully amend the location, date, and time of our "Day 8 or later" tests with Collinson simply by using the chat function on their website. It took a good 25 minutes to get an agent to respond but once they did, the task was completed in a few minutes using our booking confirmation and contact details. The revised booking was immediately viewable upon logging in to their website.
Question: Is the Collinson LHR T2 testing location readily apparent? T5 had signs everywhere directing you to it, so it was easy to find.
Question: Is the Collinson LHR T2 testing location readily apparent? T5 had signs everywhere directing you to it, so it was easy to find.
I chose simply to cancel and rebook as it was faster than waiting for the chat function.
May 13, 2021, 8:21 am
#7834
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,293
May 13, 2021, 8:29 am
#7835
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,658
Yes,you just need to be careful with postal tests as they may be too slow for travel.
May 13, 2021, 8:33 am
#7836
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,293
I'm sure said providers of testing packages will be on it like a ton of bricks and force you to take the day 8 test within a certain timeframe. They can see the lost revenue right there.
May 13, 2021, 10:15 am
#7837
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: BA Gold, UA, Southwest
Posts: 119
Flew last night from SFO to LHR and wanted to chime in on my experience. I've flown back and forth a few times during the pandemic and experienced the joy of self-isolation before, but this is the first with the Day 2 and 8 test requirement. Thanks to the advice on here, I prebooked the Collinson test package and scheduled my Day 2 test for about an hour after landing and the day 8 on day 12, which is a couple days before I leave. I'm also scheduled to do TTR with Collinson at Heathrow next week. I used the Verifly app, which really helped with the check in agents in SFO. They relied on the app and didn't check any of my paperwork. But when I arrived at LHR, it was a totally different experience. The Border Agent was NOT amused when I tried to show him the app. He wanted to know who made the app because he was annoyed at all the people who tried to show it to him and intended to complain to put a stop to it. I had to pull out all my paperwork and show him item by item. He was a nice guy but very thorough and probably took a good 5 minutes with me. It was a good thing I was the second person off the plane and the first to enter the arrivals hall. There was literally no one in there for a while (I'd caught a train from our terminal as it was about to leave and the rest of my flight was on the next one). Luggage was starting to come off as I walked up to the carousel, and I was in and out of the Collinson testing facility in probably 15 minutes. [Aside: OMG that throat one is weird! I've had tons of covid tests in the US, but they are all nasal--quite a surprise to have the throat, too]. I was the only person on the Heathrow Express, and now I'm safely ensconced in my hotel room until I TTR. I have to admit, this whole process has been much more of a bummer than I expected compared to my previous trips. I've been fully vaccinated for months, but testing is still stressful, and the border cross examination (even a nice one) is oft-putting. I'm grateful to be allowed to visit, but I really hope the US and UK get some kind of travel corridor going or the rules for vaccinated passengers change. One of the flight attendants thought it was coming, but we'll see. This is a solo test run for me as we're due to travel as a family at the end of June. Crossing fingers that the situation is different by then.
May 13, 2021, 10:39 am
#7838
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: British Airways Gold
Posts: 2,636
The Border Agent was NOT amused when I tried to show him the app. He wanted to know who made the app because he was annoyed at all the people who tried to show it to him and intended to complain to put a stop to it. I had to pull out all my paperwork and show him item by item. He was a nice guy but very thorough and probably took a good 5 minutes with me.
May 13, 2021, 11:19 am
#7839
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVP Gold, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Lifetime TE
Posts: 154
May 13, 2021, 11:28 am
#7840
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,293
Not (trying) to be dense, but by "the day you arrive" do you mean the day we arrive at LHR, or the next day, when we arrive at our "final" quarantine location (i.e., after overnighting in Penzance en route to the Scillies)? It sounds like you're saying day 0 starts at LHR, but Cathay1101 posted upthread "Day 5 TTR test is done on the 5th day of quarantine, not the 5th day that you're physically present on UK soil. They chuck that in there to trip you up" -- which I took to mean that our overnight transit would delay our day 0 to the day we arrive in the Scillies (thus losing the transit day/overnight for TTR 5-day counting purposes).
May 13, 2021, 11:49 am
#7841
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
Nicely demonstrating the cultural problems with UK Border Force. The fact that passengers keep showing them an app on which they can pre-upload their documents for verification doesn't trigger the obvious response of "we could do that too", but rather "I'm going to complain to get this stopped".....
While we’re on the subject of UKBF and the Home Office, this just came out on the Standard. I hope it isn’t true, because if it is it’d be the dumbest thing ever:
Heathrow warns flights may be diverted to other airports
The airport said protocols are in place if the build-up of queues becomes too great as foreign travel reopens.The airport has reacted angrily after the Border Force warned last week that passengers arriving in the UK should be prepared for long waits as foreign travel resumes from May 17.Border Force director-general Paul Lincoln said it could take up to 15 times longer to process people than before the coronavirus pandemic due to the extra checks that will be required.
[...]
“Instead of telling passengers to brace themselves for a long wait in immigration queues, Border Force should step up its efforts to automate checks for green list countries, and put in place additional resource for passengers where manual checks might be needed,” the spokesman said.
May 13, 2021, 12:40 pm
#7842
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVP Gold, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Lifetime TE
Posts: 154
Third, any thoughts on how restrictive quarantining at a (non-managed) hotel actually is required to be, and in particular, whether technically we should able to get some occasional outside air on the hotel grounds and maybe even on the attached small beach/pier? Were we quarantining at home, I seem to recall that we'd be allowed time outside on our property, so, not sure how differently this works in a shared accommodation -- and not leaving our room at all would be a big downer, even if we manage to clear TTR in say a week.
Last edited by badah; May 13, 2021 at 12:56 pm
May 13, 2021, 1:10 pm
#7843
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,658
I guess clarity in what's allowed while quarantining may be too much to hope for -- but is there anything in the way of explicit rules pulling together (or framing) the scope of permitted activities during quarantine, whether at home or (even better) in a (non-managed) hotel? I think I've seen tidbits here and there suggesting a few particulars, but not sure I've seen anything overarching or comprehensive. Maybe put differently, is there a legal standard articulating the requirements and limits of necessary quarantining?
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-q...ive-in-england
May 14, 2021, 8:48 am
#7844
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
With the Qured one what app do they use for the video call please, I've not used it before bit of a technophobe on this, is it easy to use? Do they watch you taking the test too?
For Randox if buying for 2 people is it ok to order in 1 order or do you have to do 2 separate orders to get 2 numbers to put on the PLF?
For Randox if buying for 2 people is it ok to order in 1 order or do you have to do 2 separate orders to get 2 numbers to put on the PLF?
May 14, 2021, 10:17 am
#7845
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: DL, UA, AA, VS
Posts: 5,226
Boris Johnson was suppose to be speaking this evening about an outbreak of the Indian variant in Bolton. OF course they're just a couple of days from relaxing more restrictions across the whole country, including permitting some international travel.