Can I travel to an amber list country without quarantining on my return?
Yes, if you live in England and have had two Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the UK. The vaccines must have been given 14 days prior to travel. The policy begins on 19 July. Authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not said if they will follow suit.
Which countries are on the amber list?
More than 140 countries, including popular destinations such as Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Portugal and the US – although some will have tough restrictions on UK visitors. The full list can be found here.
What about under-18s who have not been offered vaccination?
People aged under 18 will also be exempt from the requirement to isolate on return.
Do I still need to get tests?
Yes. People returning from holidays from amber destinations will be required to take a Covid-19 test three days before returning. They will also have to take a PCR test on or before the second day of their return, but will be exempted from the day-eight test.
Which vaccines are recognised?
The exemption to quarantine for holidaymakers returning from amber-list nations will only apply to those who have been vaccinated by the NHS – therefore those who have been vaccinated in different countries cannot use the exemption. The exemption must be proved by using the NHS app or the NHS Covid certificate which you can request by dialling 119.
Will this mean UK citizens living abroad and others from amber-list countries won’t be able to skip quarantine?
Yes, and this is likely to cause a significant backlash especially from Britons who live abroad and have been vaccinated in countries such as France, Spain or the US. Currently the UK is only accepting the NHS certification as proof of vaccination.
Those travelling to the UK from amber-list countries who have been vaccinated abroad will still have to quarantine at home or in the place they are staying for 10 days, taking a test on day two and eight.
Will the system discriminate against younger travellers who are single-jabbed?
Yes. Young people could lose out on summer holidays because of the eight-week gap between first and second doses, meaning many people in their 20s will not receive their second doses until September.
Can I go on holiday to an amber-list country?
Yes, the government will lift its advice not to travel to amber-list countries on 19 July.
What’s the difference with a green-list country?
In essence, for fully vaccinated travellers the requirements for green and amber-list countries are the same. Travellers to green-list countries, which currently include a small number of destinations including the Balearics, do not have to quarantine on return, regardless of their vaccine status.
Are there still red-list countries?
Yes, and travellers will still have to go into hotel quarantine returning from those countries, which currently include Argentina, Bahrain, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Maldives, Turkey and Tunisia.
