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]
Jul 8, 2021, 8:11 am
#9226
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,013
Jul 8, 2021, 8:17 am
#9227
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 6
So was anything announced today with regards to the 'fast track' lane for heathrow arrivals for fully vaccinated? Also I heard it will only apply to Virgin and BA flights from LAX - what if it was an AA flight instead? Would that matter?
Jul 8, 2021, 8:27 am
#9228
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,013
I'm disappointed that silly politics are keeping the UK from being open for guys like me (and the US being open to the UK) but you guys earned it the hard way and good for you. I hope BA and others are gearing up for large travel volumes for the remainder of the summer. Heathrow will be chaos!
Jul 8, 2021, 8:32 am
#9229
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 4
I'm flying out of London at 5 o'clock in the PM - does that cause any issues? I can't get to the airport 3 to 4 hours early taking public transport on the day of the flight (Sunday, Sunday - so good to me... not).
If I fly to Newquay to Belfast first, and then Belfast to London then should I put the end of my first PLF as the day I fly to Belfast (out of England)? Or just put in the whole time period as a single PLF, but list both addresses (home and the hotel)? Or: Should I fill out an additional PLF for the day to cover the time I fly back into the England (the same day, for 1 night). I get all confused!
-Flomach
Jul 8, 2021, 8:35 am
#9230
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Yet again it's a half thought through solution that makes it difficult to know where you stand.
Jul 8, 2021, 8:38 am
#9231
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,013
THAT IS GOOD NEWS!
I'm flying out of London at 5 o'clock in the PM - does that cause any issues? I can't get to the airport 3 to 4 hours early taking public transport on the day of the flight (Sunday, Sunday - so good to me... not).
If I fly to Newquay to Belfast first, and then Belfast to London then should I put the end of my first PLF as the day I fly to Belfast (out of England)? Or just put in the whole time period as a single PLF, but list both addresses (home and the hotel)? Or: Should I fill out an additional PLF for the day to cover the time I fly back into the England (the same day, for 1 night). I get all confused!
-Flomach
I'm flying out of London at 5 o'clock in the PM - does that cause any issues? I can't get to the airport 3 to 4 hours early taking public transport on the day of the flight (Sunday, Sunday - so good to me... not).
If I fly to Newquay to Belfast first, and then Belfast to London then should I put the end of my first PLF as the day I fly to Belfast (out of England)? Or just put in the whole time period as a single PLF, but list both addresses (home and the hotel)? Or: Should I fill out an additional PLF for the day to cover the time I fly back into the England (the same day, for 1 night). I get all confused!
-Flomach
Jul 8, 2021, 8:39 am
#9232
Join Date: May 2021
Location: YOW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 83
Sky is reporting the following which doesn't make me hopeful 
An important note - quarantine exemption for travel will only apply to people vaccinated by the NHS
In a move that could prove controversial among Britons living abroad, Downing Street has clarified the exemption to quarantine for double-jabbed people returning from amber list countries will only apply to those given a vaccine by the NHS.
The prime minister's official spokesman said: "It does need to be a vaccine administered through the NHS rollout so you would need to have received your vaccine through the NHS rather than in a different country."
An important note - quarantine exemption for travel will only apply to people vaccinated by the NHS In a move that could prove controversial among Britons living abroad, Downing Street has clarified the exemption to quarantine for double-jabbed people returning from amber list countries will only apply to those given a vaccine by the NHS.
The prime minister's official spokesman said: "It does need to be a vaccine administered through the NHS rollout so you would need to have received your vaccine through the NHS rather than in a different country."
I think this is just the first step. They need to figure out how to verify that people vaccinated in amber countries are vaccinated with vaccines that approved in the UK.
It's good that this is starting July 19, as they had said Aug I think. So, that makes it more likely that they might sort the rest out soon. I'm traveling Canada to UK in late Sept, with two jabs of Pfizer.
Jul 8, 2021, 8:44 am
#9233
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 710
I think this is just the first step. They need to figure out how to verify that people vaccinated in amber countries are vaccinated with vaccines that approved in the UK. It's good that this is starting July 19, as they had said Aug I think. So, that makes it more likely that they might sort the rest out soon. I'm traveling Canada to UK in late Sept, with two jabs of Pfizer.
Jul 8, 2021, 8:50 am
#9234
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 963
I think this is just the first step. They need to figure out how to verify that people vaccinated in amber countries are vaccinated with vaccines that approved in the UK.
It's good that this is starting July 19, as they had said Aug I think. So, that makes it more likely that they might sort the rest out soon. I'm traveling Canada to UK in late Sept, with two jabs of Pfizer.
It's good that this is starting July 19, as they had said Aug I think. So, that makes it more likely that they might sort the rest out soon. I'm traveling Canada to UK in late Sept, with two jabs of Pfizer.
So (assuming my surgery wouldn't add my record; I fear they wouldn't after this announcement) while this will hopefully just mean one or two trips where I have to buy an unnecessary Day 8 test, avoid official work engagements (the limit of my isolation), and otherwise deal with harassing phone calls, telling my family not to answer the door when I'm out, and looking up and down the street every day I leave, I'm angry. Very angry. Especially as someone who has funded the NHS so heavily while taking LITERALY NOTHING in return.
Jul 8, 2021, 9:13 am
#9235
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Earth
Posts: 912
I think this is just the first step. They need to figure out how to verify that people vaccinated in amber countries are vaccinated with vaccines that approved in the UK.
It's good that this is starting July 19, as they had said Aug I think. So, that makes it more likely that they might sort the rest out soon. I'm traveling Canada to UK in late Sept, with two jabs of Pfizer.
It's good that this is starting July 19, as they had said Aug I think. So, that makes it more likely that they might sort the rest out soon. I'm traveling Canada to UK in late Sept, with two jabs of Pfizer.
I’m sure the hospitality industry in the UK is happy about that. Open the door for travel abroad but own a hotel in UK and you are still in bad shape because only the NHS jab will do? My gosh Boris have a spine man.
When the US opens, I hope they say those jabbed with Astra Zeneca cannot come. After all you should have a jab that works, not one given by a particular agency.
Jul 8, 2021, 9:13 am
#9236
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 29
Has anyone used the BinaxNow Home test with supervision (approved by US CDC for reentry) on transit through LHR? Experiences?
We are scheduled to transit LHR (CAI-LHR-ORD) and looking at taking the BinaxNow test with us for our return testing. I know it will work for US reentry but not sure if it will meet the need of UK for a covid test for transit. It is an antigen test. It meets specificity rules for UK but a little fuzzy on whether it meets the need for sensitivity (one place it looks like it does, another place it may be low)
TIA
We are scheduled to transit LHR (CAI-LHR-ORD) and looking at taking the BinaxNow test with us for our return testing. I know it will work for US reentry but not sure if it will meet the need of UK for a covid test for transit. It is an antigen test. It meets specificity rules for UK but a little fuzzy on whether it meets the need for sensitivity (one place it looks like it does, another place it may be low)
TIA
I used a travel clinic that used the BinaxNow antigen test and my results were accepted. Airline agent checking me in wasn’t too familiar with it, just had to show her where it indicated “antigen” as test type and all was good. Review previous posts above (search Binax) where somebody mentioned you need to print out the emailed results from embed.com or something and that will have all the info the UK requires to be printed on it. The app results may not show all the details.
Jul 8, 2021, 9:20 am
#9237
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 963
Lol. If Pfizer given in New York an written on a CDC card isn’t good enough, how is a proven-to-be-less-effective vaccine that the US hasn’t fully reviewed good enough?
Jul 8, 2021, 9:29 am
#9238
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 134
Can anyone confirm they have had succes with a Rapid Antigen test being accepted on arrival to the UK? I am considering this option instead of a PCR while transiting from Malaga-LHR-Denver
I believe the US and Uk are both ok with this test as of right now.
Testing website for Malaga airport
https://travelcovidtestcenter.com/
Any stories please, good and bad.
I believe the US and Uk are both ok with this test as of right now.
Testing website for Malaga airport
https://travelcovidtestcenter.com/
Any stories please, good and bad.
I'm actually flying from Malaga to London this weekend, and doing test from the same company, but at Seville Airport (I'm here during the week), so can report if I have any issues.
One thing I'd say though, it was a bit difficult finding slots at short notice, as they seemed fully booked in the next few days.