Ethiopia, Oman, Somalia and Qatar will be added to England’s ‘Red List’ starting this Friday, 19 March, in the first change to travel rules for months, to protect the country against new variants of coronavirus (COVID-19), at a critical time for the vaccine programme.
This means travellers cannot enter the United Kingdom if they’ve been in or through a country on the banned travel list (known as the ‘red list’) in the last 10 days unless they’re British, Irish or they have the right to live in the UK.
On the other hand, Portugal and Mauritius have been taken off the government’s red list. People will now be able to travel from the two countries – as well as the Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores – to England, the Department for Transport said.
Here is an updated England’s banned travel list:
- Angola
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Burundi
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecuador
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Oman
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Travellers are required to do a 10-day quarantine in a managed and government-approved quarantine hotel if they come from countries on the red list, home quarantine if not. They also need to provide their journey and contact details in the last 48 hours before they arrive in the UK. They must do this by completing the online passenger locator form.
Travellers also need to show proof that they’ve completed the form when they arrive at the UK border as well as proof of a negative PCR or antigen test taken three days before departure. They could be fined USD695 when they arrive at the border if they cannot provide proof that they have had a negative coronavirus test.
Travellers do not need a test if they are travelling within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey; from Ireland; from Ascension, Falkland Islands or St Helena; and children under 11 do not need a test.
After arriving at a quarantine hotel, they will be tested on days two and eight of their stay using a PCR test self-administered in their room. In Scotland, arrivals from all international destinations have to quarantine, even if they are not on the red list.
For more information about the UK’s travel restrictions, visit https://www.gov.uk/travel-abroad
Check out Marhaba’s FREE e-Guides here.
Like and follow Marhaba’s social media accounts for the latest updates and awesome contents
Facebook: Marhaba Guide Qatar
Instagram – @marhabaguideqatar
Twitter – @MarhabaQatar
LinkedIn: MarhabaInformationGuide
YouTube – MarhabaQatar
