With the UK's traffic light system set to be overhauled in October, many have been left wondering which countries will be on the 'red list' and continue to face the toughest restrictions.
From October 4 the current three list system will be pared down to just two - red list countries and everywhere else where it is safe to travel to and from.
The red list will now consist of countries which are deemed to pose a "significant concern" in terms of Covid variants, reports HertsLive and will therefore be tougher to visit and return from.
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Before the rule change comes into effect from next month, Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps revealed that eight countries would be taken off the red list yesterday (September 22), bringing the total number down from 62 to 54.
Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Kenya, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Oman were all removed, and the 54 remaining red list countries will still be classed as out of bounds for holidaymakers.
They'll also need to quarantine in a government-managed hotel for the mandatory 11 nights, at a cost of £2,285 per person.
The red list in full
This is the full list of red-list countries after today's changes.
- 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
- Réunion
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe
For those returning from non-red list countries from the end of October, fully vaccinated passengers will be able to replace day two PCR tests with cheaper lateral flow tests and will no longer need to take pre-departure tests.
Testing requirements will also be reduced for eligible fully vaccinated travellers, who will no longer need to take a pre-departure test when travelling to England from 4am on October 4.
