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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Akshita Jain

Green list countries announcement: Portugal, Australia, Israel included but Spain and France only amber

Photograph: PA
Grant Shapps explains ‘traffic light’ system for foreign travel

People in England can visit Portugal, Gibraltar and Israel from 17 May without self-isolating on their return, transport secretary Grant Shapps has announced.

They are the only popular summer short-haul destinations on the government's new green list for travel.

The green list also consists of Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Iceland and the Faroe Islands and the Falklands.

This is in addition to the remote territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha.

Meanwhile Turkey, the Maldives and Nepal have been added to the red list.

People returning from those countries after 4am on Wednesday will be required to stay in a quarantine hotel for 11 nights at a cost of £1,750 for solo travellers.

The Department for Transport has also announced that from 17 May, people who have had both doses of a coronavirus vaccine will be able to demonstrate their status on the NHS app currently used to book medical appointments and order repeat prescriptions.

People who do not have the app - which is different from the Covid-19 app - will be able to request an NHS letter from that date.

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