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, Ł160, but same package sold directly bu Source Bioscience is just Ł120. 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 Ł18.99. 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]
Sep 3, 2021, 2:40 am
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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Well if we are quoting the law, it’s says
The answer is as I have already given above. The law is clear it is a 10 day period which begins with the day before you arrive, hence arrival day itself is day 0, and count backwards from that. My use of the term preceding 10 day period is entirely in accordance with the law.
[EDIT: and just to add, whilst not authoritative, the worked examples in the guidelines are in accordance with the answer I have given too.]
If you have been in a red list country on 2 September you must arrive in the UK no earlier than the 13 September in order to avoid being classified as a red list arrival.
…at any time in the period beginning with the 10th day before the date of their arrival in England…
[EDIT: and just to add, whilst not authoritative, the worked examples in the guidelines are in accordance with the answer I have given too.]
If you have been in a red list country on 2 September you must arrive in the UK no earlier than the 13 September in order to avoid being classified as a red list arrival.
Last edited by KARFA; Sep 3, 2021 at 2:47 am
Sep 3, 2021, 3:07 am
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It's fairly clear from my perspective, it's just 10 full calendar days before arrival, and having seen the paperwork from those going into hotel managed isolation, that is what happens in reality. It also aligns with the USA system incidentally.
Sep 3, 2021, 4:20 am
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https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2021/301/made
from 0400 on Monday 6 September those travelling to Scotland are no longer restricted to the CTM day 2/8 tests and can use private providers. It seems any of those on the uk gov list would be acceptable.
from 0400 on Monday 6 September those travelling to Scotland are no longer restricted to the CTM day 2/8 tests and can use private providers. It seems any of those on the uk gov list would be acceptable.
Sep 3, 2021, 4:25 am
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Posts: 1,751
The reason I am coming from this perspective is that the government's quarantine website is disgracefully woolly, and then they just ignore any correspondence requesting clarification, for months on end.
The website says:
"You need to go into managed quarantine unless you’re exempt because of your job or have been granted an exemption for medical or compassionate reasons."
This is not accurate.
In fact in law there is 'exemption' and 'modification' (applying to 'relevant persons'). These are two completely different things - the first is, er, exempt (for being a certain sportsperson) from quarantine, the second is very much NOT, and should not be described as such.
Anyway, the DHSC ignore most correspondence about their poorly written website, so in the end it turns out that certain things are simply legally impossible, because of the law, and there's no point in emailing them in the first place (partly because they won't respond, and partly because the law is mostly clear). So if you get the impression from the DHSC website that you can obtain an exemption in certain cases, than you can wait till hell freezes over while they ignore all your correspondence, but it's 100% pointless because the fact that their website is poorly written and ambiguous in no way permits them to do anything other than what is permitted under the law.
I believe there have been quite a few instances where silly things have happened because the law states that they must (e.g., the Indonesian badminton team at All England being banned from play because somebody had not yet anticipated the particular scenario they were caught under, which was 'test & trace' - fixed subsequently, but no use for them), so it doesn't particularly make sense to me to talk about paperwork in practice or what the US does, or whatever, in that they must enforce the law, not 'common sense', 'practice' or any thing else.
Of course check-in staff routinely enforce many things other than the law, but that's another matter.
Sep 3, 2021, 5:00 am
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 134
Just a quick question to hopefully avoid reading 30 pages. I'm headed back to the UK three weeks from now for three nights. Has anything changed since I was there other than the obvious no isolation required for vaxxed US citizens?
1. Submit PLF 48 hours out
2. Will use Walgreens ID NOW (again) to get into the UK
3. Will pre-order Randox DAY 2 (again) ONLY to be shipped to my mom's house in Kent
4. Will use my Binax NOW kit (again) test results to get back into the US
This is what I did last time. Is the only add to this I need to have my CDC card to show the border officer?
1. Submit PLF 48 hours out
2. Will use Walgreens ID NOW (again) to get into the UK
3. Will pre-order Randox DAY 2 (again) ONLY to be shipped to my mom's house in Kent
4. Will use my Binax NOW kit (again) test results to get back into the US
This is what I did last time. Is the only add to this I need to have my CDC card to show the border officer?
Sep 3, 2021, 5:18 am
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Sep 3, 2021, 5:21 am
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 134
Type of test
The test must meet performance standards of ≥97% specificity, ≥80% sensitivity at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml.
This could include tests such as:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavi...ing-to-england
The test must meet performance standards of ≥97% specificity, ≥80% sensitivity at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml.
This could include tests such as:
- a PCR test
- a LAMP test
- an antigen test, such as an LFD (lateral flow device) test
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavi...ing-to-england
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Sep 3, 2021 at 6:19 pm Reason: Font size
Sep 3, 2021, 6:19 am
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: I am a lowly ant
Posts: 1,751
Well if we are quoting the law, it’s says
The answer is as I have already given above. The law is clear it is a 10 day period which begins with the day before you arrive, hence arrival day itself is day 0, and count backwards from that. My use of the term preceding 10 day period is entirely in accordance with the law.
[EDIT: and just to add, whilst not authoritative, the worked examples in the guidelines are in accordance with the answer I have given too.]
If you have been in a red list country on 2 September you must arrive in the UK no earlier than the 13 September in order to avoid being classified as a red list arrival.
The answer is as I have already given above. The law is clear it is a 10 day period which begins with the day before you arrive, hence arrival day itself is day 0, and count backwards from that. My use of the term preceding 10 day period is entirely in accordance with the law.
[EDIT: and just to add, whilst not authoritative, the worked examples in the guidelines are in accordance with the answer I have given too.]
If you have been in a red list country on 2 September you must arrive in the UK no earlier than the 13 September in order to avoid being classified as a red list arrival.
Telephone: 0800 678 1767
Telephone: 020 7113 0371
They were very clear that you should fill in the form based on UK time. I said 'so if you leave Thailand at 1am Thai time on the 10th of September, which is 7pm UK time on the 9th of September, then you should fill in the 9th of September'.
And they said 'yes, that is correct'.
It was repeated several times to base it on UK time.
Sep 3, 2021, 6:35 am
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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I just called the UK Passenger Locator Form helpline https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-c...fore-travel-uk
Telephone: 0800 678 1767
Telephone: 020 7113 0371
They were very clear that you should fill in the form based on UK time. I said 'so if you leave Thailand at 1am Thai time on the 10th of September, which is 7pm UK time on the 9th of September, then you should fill in the 9th of September'.
And they said 'yes, that is correct'.
It was repeated several times to base it on UK time.
Telephone: 0800 678 1767
Telephone: 020 7113 0371
They were very clear that you should fill in the form based on UK time. I said 'so if you leave Thailand at 1am Thai time on the 10th of September, which is 7pm UK time on the 9th of September, then you should fill in the 9th of September'.
And they said 'yes, that is correct'.
It was repeated several times to base it on UK time.
there really is no point you asking questions if you won't accept the answer you are given. you clearly want the answer to be 12 September, so it's a bit pointless asking if you won't accept that is wrong.
Last edited by KARFA; Sep 3, 2021 at 6:40 am
Sep 3, 2021, 6:43 am
Join Date: Jul 2008
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as you have noted already, they often don't know what they are talking about. there is no basis to think that it is the time in the UK which applies wherever you are in the world. the SI is actually clear it is a 10 day period, and no suggestion that the date it happens to be in the UK matters when you are actually departing somewhere 7-8 hours ahead. i am sure if you were flying from somewhere 7-8 hours behind UK time zone you wouldn't try and invoke this time difference the other way, and it would make no sense to do so, which shows you the flaw in the whole argument.
there really is no point you asking questions if you won't accept the answer you are given. you clearly want the answer to be 12 September, so it's a bit pointless asking if you won't accept that is wrong.
there really is no point you asking questions if you won't accept the answer you are given. you clearly want the answer to be 12 September, so it's a bit pointless asking if you won't accept that is wrong.
I do not rule out that if you call them three times you might get three different answers. However this is so far the only official answer I have received.
Sep 3, 2021, 6:46 am
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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the law isn't written in a way which happens to go in your favour in your specific circumstances, as much as you would like it to be.
Sep 3, 2021, 6:50 am
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SW WA
Posts: 3,886
A number of people have used binaxNow for entry, but it has to be the proctored kind you get from eMed (not just the kind you get from the store and administer yourself). The Walgreens administered kind that you are using should be fine. As I understand it, it's just binaxNow, but adminstered by Walgreens at their store. I don't have one near me that does it, so I'm using the eMed kit.
Otherwise, my plan is exactly the same as yours: eMed for entry to UK, Randox for day 2, binaxNow for US return.
Otherwise, my plan is exactly the same as yours: eMed for entry to UK, Randox for day 2, binaxNow for US return.
Sep 3, 2021, 6:50 am
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Quick data point for those hoping to use Randox Day 2 tests for departure testing to fly out of the UK (to Italy in this case).
Two tests, both dropped off mid afternoon in different locations.
One had acknowledgement of receipt the following day at 0500, the other at 1100.
Both had results a couple of minutes either side of midnight.
At Gatwick we weren't asked to show proof of either, despite it being a semi-condition of entry to Italy.
edit: not sure how useful they are either. The test says only go up the nostril until you can encounter resistance and the swab is too thick to go further. Quite a bit different to the brain scraping the nurse gave me on the pre-arrival test.
Two tests, both dropped off mid afternoon in different locations.
One had acknowledgement of receipt the following day at 0500, the other at 1100.
Both had results a couple of minutes either side of midnight.
At Gatwick we weren't asked to show proof of either, despite it being a semi-condition of entry to Italy.
edit: not sure how useful they are either. The test says only go up the nostril until you can encounter resistance and the swab is too thick to go further. Quite a bit different to the brain scraping the nurse gave me on the pre-arrival test.
Last edited by 1010101; Sep 3, 2021 at 9:32 am
Sep 3, 2021, 7:18 am
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I called up the official helpline, they told me to use UK time. UK or local time was my question, UK was their answer.
I do not rule out that if you call them three times you might get three different answers. However this is so far the only official answer I have received.
I do not rule out that if you call them three times you might get three different answers. However this is so far the only official answer I have received.
Sep 3, 2021, 7:30 am
Join Date: Aug 2021
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 23
Just looking to book my return flight to London now. I'm flying from the West so time zones are "in my favour" as it were.
I leave MEX at 23:00 on 5th Sept local time (which is technically 6th Sept in UK time). I land in the UK, before transiting to Switzerland, in the afternoon/ evening on the 6th.
"If you have been in a red list country on 2 September you must arrive in the UK no earlier than the 13 September in order to avoid being classified as a red list arrival."
Based on this, I wanted to make sure it's the case that I can arrive in the UK on the 16th of Sept with no problems right? 16th is much preferable for me vs the 17th -- so just wanted to check with everyone here to be sure! Thanks.
I leave MEX at 23:00 on 5th Sept local time (which is technically 6th Sept in UK time). I land in the UK, before transiting to Switzerland, in the afternoon/ evening on the 6th.
"If you have been in a red list country on 2 September you must arrive in the UK no earlier than the 13 September in order to avoid being classified as a red list arrival."
Based on this, I wanted to make sure it's the case that I can arrive in the UK on the 16th of Sept with no problems right? 16th is much preferable for me vs the 17th -- so just wanted to check with everyone here to be sure! Thanks.