New rules introduced to make travel to the UK "easier and cheaper" have come into force today.
As of 4am on Monday (October 4), the traffic light system involving green, amber and red lists was replaced with a new, simpler system with locations categorised as either on the red list or not.
People arriving from a red tier destination such as Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines or South Africa will still be required to spend 11 nights at a quarantine hotel costing £2,285 for solo travellers.
Read more: All the latest coronavirus news can be found here.
Last week, the Welsh Government has confirmed it will match the UK Government's latest travel rule changes - but is still to make a decision on testing rules. Read more here.
The Welsh Government says: "From 4am Monday 4 October 2021, the rules for international travel to Wales change to a single red list of countries and simplified travel measures for arrivals from the rest of the world
"The rules for travel from countries and territories not on the red list will depend on your vaccination status."
The new rules come amid reports the number of countries on the red list will be slashed to nine from 54 later in the week, with destinations such as Brazil, Mexico and South Africa expected to be opened up to quarantine-free travel.
Here is what you need to know if you are planning a trip abroad
What the Welsh Government urge you to check before travel
- Check if the country you are travelling to is on the red list or not.
- Check the entry requirements to enter the country you are travelling to. You may need to prove your vaccination status, provide a negative coronavirus test, fill out forms before entering, be tested while in the country and / or face mandatory quarantine.
- Check how you will prove your vaccination status and or/negative coronavirus test.
- Check what requirements you have to follow when arriving in Wales.
- Check the requirements for children and young people (if travelling together or independently).
- Check you have completed your passenger locator form for when you return to Wales.
- Check you have booked the correct / any necessary tests for when you are back in Wales.
What countries are on the red list
The following countries are on the red list. If you are travelling from one of these countries, you must follow the rules for travellers arriving from a red list country.
- Afghanistan
- Angola
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Burundi
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- French Guiana
- Georgia
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mayotte
- Mexico
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Reunion
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What you need to know if you planning a trip abroad
Before you go you must consult the requirements for visitors for the country you plan to travel to. Restrictions may be in place, including proof of vaccination, tests, quarantine and reasons for entry.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provide advice about travelling abroad, including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings. This includes advice and information about entry requirements such as covid tests and isolation for .
FCDO travel advice is based on risks to the traveller whilst in their destination country, which is different from the risks of imported infection in Wales or the UK from returning travellers.
The Welsh Government website advises: "Please be aware that requirements for outbound travel will be different from the requirements for inbound travel and both may change at short notice. It is advisable to check the latest up to date guidance before travel."
If you are not fully vaccinated or arrived from a ‘red list’ country (where it is permitted for you to enter Wales) for a short visit and you are required to isolate whilst you are here you may leave isolation to return to that country.
An NHS Covid pass is available for people in Wales who have had two doses of vaccination and are travelling to a country that requires COVID vaccination proof. How to download the Covid pass here.
If it is necessary to show a negative test before you can travel those must not be NHS tests instead you must.
What is happening with testing in England
Fully vaccinated residents - and unvaccinated under 18s - from more than 50 countries and territories can now enter the UK without needing to complete a pre-departure lateral flow test, take a day-eight post-arrival PCR test costing around £65, or self-isolate at home, with just a single day-two post-arrival test needed. The Welsh Government is still to announce whether it will also scrap the PCR requirement and is calling on the UK Government to reverse its decision.
Under 11s were already exempt from pre-departure testing.
People arriving from a red tier destination will still be required to spend 11 nights at a quarantine hotel costing £2,285 for solo travellers.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "We are accelerating towards a future where travel continues to reopen safely and remains open for good, and today's rule changes are good news for families, businesses and the travel sector.
"Our priority remains to protect public health but, with more than eight in 10 people now fully vaccinated, we are able to take these steps to lower the cost of testing and help the sector to continue in its recovery."
What you must do if you arrive in Wales and are fully vaccinated
People arriving in Wales, from a country not on the red list, who are fully vaccinated must:
- complete a passenger locator form
- take a post arrival test at day 2 (not required for children under 5)
- do not need to isolate for 10 days
Post arrival tests must be booked before your departure either:
- on the CTM booking portal, or
- from a private provider listed on GOV.UK
On the CTM booking portal you can book an NHS COVID-19 PCR test for £68.
If you choose a private test provider from GOV.UK, you should only buy ‘self-swab at home’ tests. Please note, any reference to your arrival in England on the GOV.UK pages for day 2 test providers include arrival into Wales.
Showing your vaccination status
You will need to prove you have been fully vaccinated with one of the authorised vaccines before you travel.
You will need to:
- declare that you have been fully vaccinated on your passenger locator form (or are on a formally approved UK clinical trial for COVID-19 vaccines, or under 18)
- show proof of your vaccination status to your carrier (ferry, airline or train) when you travel
This proof should be:
- A digital NHS Covid Pass (Wales/UK)
- an EU Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC) for Europe
- a CDC card for the USA – you’ll also need to show proof of USA residency, such as your USA passport, visa or Green Card
a document (digital or paper-based) from a national or state-level public health body that includes, as a minimum:
- forename and surname(s)
- date of birth
- vaccine brand and manufacturer
- date of vaccination for every dose
- country or territory of vaccination and/or certificate issuer
Why the rules in Wales are different on testing
The Welsh Government has now said it will bring in the same changes to the traffic light system and pre-departure tests. But it is still to announce whether it will also scrap the PCR requirement and is calling on the UK Government to reverse its decision. Read more here.
Health minister Eluned Morgan said: "We have regularly called for a careful approach to international travel to prevent coronavirus being re-imported into the UK, especially new and emerging variants which may not respond to the vaccines.
"The decision to move away from PCR tests from returning travellers on day two is concerning. This test, combined with genetic sequencing of all positive tests, is a vital part of our surveillance for coronavirus and protects our borders from the virus.
"We recognise the communication and enforcement challenges in having different testing requirements, and continue to thoroughly examine the evidence for a Wales-only testing regime, but the strongest solution to protect public health is for the UK Government to reinstate UK-wide testing."
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