Guidance

Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Check what COVID-19 tests you need to take and the self-isolation rules for travel to England.

Applies to England

This page tells you what you must do before you travel to England and after you arrive.

What you must do depends on whether you qualify as fully vaccinated under the rules for travel to England.

Read separate guidance to check if you qualify as fully vaccinated.

If you are fully vaccinated

Before you travel to England you must complete a passenger locator form. You need to do this in the 348 dayshours before you arrive in England.

You do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests before you travel to England or after you arrive.

You do not need to quarantine when you arrive in England.

Read separate guidance to check if you qualify as fully vaccinated.

Red list countries and territories

There are different rules if you have been in a red list country or territory in the 10 days before you arrive in England. There are currently no countries or territories on the red list.

If you are not fully vaccinated

This is what you need to do if you do not qualify under the fully vaccinated rules for travel to England.

Read separate guidance to check if you qualify as fully vaccinated.

Before you travel to England – not fully vaccinated

Before you travel to England you must:

You will need to enter your PCR test booking reference number in the passenger locator form.

Read separate guidance about taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to England.

When you arrive in England – not fully vaccinated

You do not need to quarantine when you arrive in England.

You must take the COVID-19 PCR test that you booked before you travelled.

You can take the test any time after you arrive and before the end of day 2 at the latest. The day you arrive in England is day 0.

If the test result is positive or unclear, you should stayfollow atpublic homehealth advice.

Red list countries and avoidterritories

There contactare withdifferent otherrules people.if Findyou outhave whatbeen toin doa ifred you’velist hadcountry ain positivethe or10 uncleardays COVID-19before testyou result.

Readarrive separatein guidanceEngland. toThere checkare ifcurrently youno qualifycountries asor fullyterritories vaccinatedon the red list.

Travelling with children

Children aged 17 and under do not have to:

  • take any COVID-19 travel tests
  • quarantine on arrival in England

You should check the rules in the country you are travelling from as they may require children to take a test at the start of your journey to England.

There are different rules for children who have been in a red list country or territory in the 10 days before they arrive in England. There are currently no countries or territories on the red list.

Medical and work-related exemptions

Some people cannot be fully vaccinated for medical reasons.

Read separate guidance about medical exemptions from vaccination.

There are also medical exemptions from testing before travel to England.

Some people are exempt from some or all of the requirements because of the job they do.

Transiting through England

Read separate guidance if you are transiting through England as part of an international journey.

Ireland, the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

If you’re travelling to England from within the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you do not need to:

  • complete a passenger locator form
  • take any COVID-19 tests
  • quarantine on arrival in England

This only applies if you have not been outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man in the 10 days before the day you arrive in England. If you have, you must follow the international travel rules in the place where you arrive.

See separate guidance on travel within the Common Travel Area after international travel.

Red list countries and territories

There are currently no countries or territories on the red list.

There are different rules if you have been in a red list country or territory in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

If you need to follow red list rules, you must do so if you are fully vaccinated or not.

There are currently no countries or territories on the red list.

Travel abroad from England

Read separate guidance about what you need to do to travel abroad from England.

Published 22 June 2021
Last updated 2824 February 2022 + show all updates
  1. From 9am Monday 28 February, you can fill in the UK passenger locator form up to 3 days before you arrive in England.

  2. From 24 February, there is no legal requirement to self-isolate if you get a positive day 2 test result.

  3. You do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests or self-isolate on arrival in England if you qualify as fully vaccinated.

  4. The testing and quarantine rules for international travel to England will change 11 February 2022.

  5. You can now choose a lateral flow test or a PCR test as your post arrival test.

  6. From 4am 7 January you do not have to quarantine on arrival in England if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England.

  7. Changes to rules for fully vaccinated people travelling to England from 4am 7 January 2022.

  8. People who qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England can now end self-isolation after 7 days with 2 negative lateral flow tests.

  9. Further information about quarantine rules for children aged 4 and under.

  10. People aged 12 years and over must COVID-19 test before they travel to England from abroad.

  11. From 4am, Tuesday 7 December all people aged 12 years and over must also take a PCR or LFD COVID-19 test before they travel to England from abroad.

  12. People who qualify as fully vaccinated must quarantine and take a PCR test before the end of day 2 after they arrive in England. Lateral flow tests will not be accepted.

  13. From 4am 30 November 2021, fully vaccinated people must self-isolate and take a PCR test before the end of day 2 after they arrive in England. They may leave self-isolation if their PCR result is negative. Lateral flow tests will not be accepted.

  14. South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe will move onto the red list at 12.00 midday Friday 26 November. A temporary flight ban will be in place and all travellers who have been in these countries must quarantine and take tests.

  15. Travel to England rules for children no longer depend on their place of residence.

  16. Clarification about unclear or inconclusive test results.

  17. From 4am 22 November 2021, all children aged 17 and under will not have to quarantine on arrival in England.

  18. People who qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England can book a lateral flow test for use from 24 October instead of a PCR test.

  19. From 22 October, if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, you will be able to book an antigen lateral flow device (LFD) test instead of a PCR for your ‘on arrival’ test.

  20. Rule changes for international travel to England for people who qualify as fully vaccinated.

  21. Changes to amber list rules on quarantine and testing.

  22. First published.