It's official: U.K. government lifts quarantine restrictions for travel from 59 low-risk countries
International travel is about to get a lifeline from the U.K. government. As of Friday, the government has unveiled plans to allow for those from 59 low-risk countries to not have to self-isolate when entering England as of July 10.
Travelers returning to or visiting England from certain destinations will no longer have to isolate for 14 days when they arrive in England as of July 10. The full list of 59 exempt countries includes:
- Australia and Pacific Islands: Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand
- Africa: Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles
- Asia: Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam
- Caribbean and Central America: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, St Barthelemy, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago
- Europe: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Vatican City
- North America: St Pierre and Miquelon
"These are countries where it is now possible to travel if you're in England to those countries and back and not have to quarantine at the end of the holiday," Transport Minister Grant Schapps said in an interview on Friday.
Ireland, as well as the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man remain on the exempt list. In addition, the 14 British Overseas Territories are exempt. The restrictions apply to all who travel to England by train, ferry, coach, air or any other route.
It's worth noting that if you are a national of one of the 59 exempt countries but have traveled to a nonexempt country in the past 14 days, you will still be subject to the 14-day self-isolation requirement when arriving in England.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has also updated its guidance. As of July 4, the FCO said that travel to 67 countries "no longer presents an unacceptably high risk to British people traveling abroad." As such, it's revised its nonessential travel restrictions. You can find the full list of 67 countries that the FCO says it is safe to travel to here.
In effect, this means that for travel to these 67 countries, your travel insurance is once again valid.
In March, the FCO set out its original guidance, advising British nationals against all nonessential international travel, which has remained in place since. Friday's announcement is the first change to that policy, which will allow travelers to visit eligible countries without having to worry whether or not their insurance will be valid.
On June 8, the government first implemented its mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arriving international passengers — including U.K. nationals. The aviation and travel industries had largely opposed the requirements since it was introduced, with IAG, Ryanair and EasyJet formally taking legal action against the government.
According to the government, the list of exempt countries will be kept under constant review.
All passengers, regardless of where they're arriving from, will still be required to provide contact information when arriving in the U.K. This applies to both visitors and U.K. residents. You can find the form here.
Arriving passengers from countries not on the exempt list will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival in the U.K. Additionally, the changing FCO advice will not apply to countries that are deemed high-risk, such as the United States.
Featured photo by Nachosuch/Getty.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.