UK Eases Travel Controls, India Moves from Red to Amber List
Recently, U.K. moved India from its ‘red’ to ‘amber’ list. Two doses vaccinated passengers from India will no longer be imperiled to enforced 10-day hotel quarantine. Under Britain’s traffic light system for international travel, recurring from amber list countries means a 10-day quarantining at home. The change, announced by the Department for Transport.
U.K. Transport Secretary tweeted, “The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4 a.m. While its right we continue our cautious approach, its great news to open more destinations for people wanting to connect with families, friends and businesses across the globe, all thanks to our successful domestic vaccination programme.”
The conclusion has come as a respite for the Indian migration in the U.K., which had been challenging the simplification of travel norms between India and Britain.
Under the legal rules for countries on the amber list, passengers must take a COVID-19 test three days before leaving and book in advance for two Covid tests to be taken upon arrival in England as well as complete a passenger locator form on the entrance.
Entering England, travelers must quarantine at home or in the place they have confirmed as their location for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test on or before day two and on or after day eight.
Under-18 and those completely jabbed in the U.K. are discharged from the home quarantine, as well as those who have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the European Union and the U.S.
Also relieved are those completely vaccinated in the U.K. or under the U.K. vaccine program overseas; under 18 on the day you reach England and resident in the U.K. or in a country with a vaccination program approved by the U.K. and part of a U.K.-approved vaccine trial. Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, is likely to be covered under this exemption.
The update of the travel list came alongside an announcement that the cost for solo travelers from destinations still on the red list staying at a quarantined hotel will go up from August 12, from GBP 1,750 to GBP 2,285.
The charge for an additional adult sharing a room will increase from GBP 650 to GBP 1,430.
The government, states, “This is to better reflect the increased costs involved. Meanwhile, seven countries are moving to the green list – Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway – and France has been moved off the ‘amber watchlist’. For countries on the green list, people will not have to quarantine when returning from these nations, regardless of their vaccination status, although they will have to take a pre-departure test and another one two days after arrival.”
Four countries will be put on the red list: Mexico, Georgia, La Reunion, and Mayotte.