The Mirror understands Portugal will be removed from the green list and placed onto the amber list, in a huge blow for sun-starved Brits.
The country had been one of 12 countries and territories to be on the green list - and one of the handful which was actually open to British holidaymakers.
Now the country is on the amber list which means that anyone returning to the UK will need to self-isolate at home, as well as taking a pre-departure test and PCR tests on days two and eight back in the UK. (There is an option to take a test on day five with a negative result allowing you to be ‘released’ early).
The news comes after recent data shows the daily number of cases has nearly quadrupled in Portugal since the middle of last month, when UK travel restrictions were first lifted.
It's worth noting that the country in the last week has confirmed zero deaths three times.
But what happens when a green list country goes amber for those who have a holiday booked?
If you booked a package holiday
Your first port of call will be the travel company who you booked with. It's likely that holiday companies will be prioritising those due to travel imminently, so if your trip is a few weeks away they may ask you to get back in touch closer to the time.
In terms of your rights to a refund, this will depend on whether the Foreign Office changes its advice accordingly.
Currently, the Foreign Office advice allows for non-essential travel to Portugal, because it was on the green list.
If the Foreign Office advises against travel, then you will be entitled to your money back from a package holiday provider. (In this instance, if you still choose to travel, you risk invalidating your travel insurance because you're going against government advice, which could cost you thousands of pounds).
However, if the government simply moves it to the amber list but the Foreign Office advice doesn't change, it can get murky. In this scenario, you're not entitled to your money back. However, a lot of travel firms are offering plenty of flexibility.
We will update this page once we have confirmation regarding the Foreign Office advice.
A number of travel firms are offering plenty of flexibility for customers, especially in the scenario of a green list country becoming amber when you've already booked.
For example, TUI allows you to amend your booking for free in this scenario. Meanwhile, easyJet lets you change your flight booking free of charge for up to two hours before departure.
We've got a wider guide on companies' different rules for changing your holiday to give you a helping hand.
If you booked flights and a hotel separately
You'll need to get in touch with both your airline and accommodation separately.
Airlines like Ryanair, British Airways and easyJet are all offering flexible amends policy, allowing you to change your flight for free.
If the Foreign Office advises against travel, and the airline cancels your flight, you will be entitled to a refund. If the Foreign Office doesn't change its travel advice, the airline may go ahead with the flight - in which case, your options will likely be to rebook, or to get in touch and see if you can get a voucher or credit note for future travel.
As for your accommodation, whether you can get your money back will depend on your booking policy. Check your documents and get in touch with the provider directly. Again, it may be that you need to compromise and opt for a voucher or credit note for future travel.
- You can get more information in the Foreign Office's Portugal travel advice.
Has the Portugal news put you off booking holidays abroad this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
