On 17 May, foreign leisure travel got the go-ahead in England.
Holidays have resumed under a traffic light system, with destinations graded as red, amber or green according to the level of risk of travellers reimporting Covid-19 infections.
According to the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, recreational travel is only recommended to countries on the green list; travellers have been advised they “should not be travelling to ‘amber’ and ‘red’ countries for leisure”.
The “green list” was first revealed on 7 May, and was subsequently reshuffled on 3 June, which removed Portugal.
The latest green list review on 24 June added Malta, Madeira and the Balearics in Europe, alongside a host of Caribbean islands.
But when will more countries be added to the list, and how often will it be updated?
Here’s what we know so far.
Which countries are on the green list now?
There are now 27 territories on the green list, many of which do not currently let in British travellers or are impossible to reach directly, thereby necessitating travel through an amber country.
On 24 June, 16 territories were added: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Balearic Islands, Barbados, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Madeira, Malta, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands and Turks & Caicos.
Green list in full
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Australia
- Balearic Islands
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Gibraltar
- Grenada
- Iceland
- Israel
- Madeira
- Malta
- Montserrat
- New Zealand
- Pitcairn Islands
- Singapore
- Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
However, 16 of these destinations are on the green list, meaning they are at risk of moving from green to amber:
Green watchlist destinations
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Balearic Islands
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Israel
- Madeira
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
When will the green list be reviewed and updated?
Previous updates took place on 3 and 24 June.
The lists are expected to be updated “every three weeks”. That timeframe indicates that the next list review will be on Thursday 15 July, with changes coming into effect within the week after that date.
Amends to the lists will be informed by public health advice, including the Joint Biosecurity Centre’s assessment of the latest data.
“These regular review points will allow the government to balance helping the public to understand Covid requirements when travelling to England while allowing us to constantly evaluate the risk for different countries,” according to the Department for Transport (DfT).
What are the rules for green list countries?
Green list countries have the lightest restrictions for inbound travellers to the UK, with no quarantine imposed and just one PCR test required within two days of arrival.
All travellers must also show proof of a negative Covid test – PCR, rapid antigen or lateral flow – before departure to the UK.
What are the rules for amber list countries?
Transport secretary Grant Shapps announced on 8 July that from 19 July, double-vaccinated Britons and accompanying under 18s would be exempt from quarantine when arriving into the UK from amber list destinations.
The requirements will be the same as green arrivals: a pre-departure test, and a day two PCR.
