Many of us now dream of a vacation in the sun, but what are the current guidelines for traveling? Where can we visit and above all do we have to quarantine for another 14 days after our return? In this article, we cover everything you need to know about traveling abroad.
The latest news about traveling abroad
From Friday July 10th, restrictions on entering and leaving the UK will be eased. The government has published a list of 59 countries that have received a green or orange ranking. This means you can now travel to see them without having to quarantine yourself when you return. So, yes, you can start planning a summer vacation!
Where can we travel abroad without having to quarantine ourselves?
The countries included are:
Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Ascension Island, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Bonaire, Brunei, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Croatia, Cuba, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland , France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macau, Malta, Mauritius, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand , Norway, Poland, Réunion, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, South Korea, St. Barthélemy, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Pierre and Miquelon, St. Martin, St. Maarten, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cuna, Turkey, Vatican City, Vietnam.
* Spain (including the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands), Andorra, Luxembourg, the Bahamas and Belgium have now been removed from the list. After your return, you must quarantine for 14 days.
The government will repeal all but essential travel guidelines for residents of England to these destinations. If you want to travel to them it is important that you read up on the current tourism policies of these countries as some countries have their own restrictions. In New Zealand, you must self-isolate upon arrival. Cyprus will not allow entry to anyone who has been in the UK for 14 days and Austria which will require you to self-isolate unless you have a medical certificate with a negative Covid-19 test result.
There are some notable destinations that have been removed from the list, namely the United States, where the virus and its northern neighbor Canada have seen a huge surge. Countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia are also excluded. Most of South and Latin America didn’t make the cut either. Virus rates in these countries are expected to decline and add on.
What’s new for other regions in the UK?
The current relaxation of travel restrictions has been a distributed issue.
in the ScotlandYou have added 57 destinations to your list that you can travel to without isolating yourself.
in the Northern Irelandthe government has announced the same guidelines that England will now apply.
in the Walesthey announced the same guidelines that England will now apply.
Ireland announced its rules on July 20 with a list of go-ahead destinations where you don’t need to be quarantined.
Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Slovakia.
Can these guidelines change?
Since the UK guidelines were announced, some countries have been removed from the list, causing a lot of stress and upheaval for those currently vacationing there.
It is important to note that all travel recommendations are subject to change and that if there is a localized outbreak or a country’s R number increase, the government may remove it from the safety list without notice and you will need to be quarantined upon return.
Are there any restrictions on hand baggage?
When airlines resumed flights from the UK in June, the Department of Transport urged passengers not to bring cabin bags on the plane. Airlines advised people to limit the amount of carry-on baggage they bring on their aircraft, but they haven’t banned it entirely. You have not reduced the cost of placing items in the cargo hold and the standard charges still apply. The UK government has not made this mandatory and has not yet forced airlines to ban hand luggage. The current advice is only advisory.
Current UK guidelines recommend that you do the following while flying:
- Always wear face covering
- Stay seated as much as possible
- Follow all instructions and directions given by cabin crew
- Use contactless payments and avoid handling cash
- Note that food and beverage services may not be operational
- If you feel uncomfortable, notify the cabin crew as soon as possible
- Wash your hands frequently or use a hand sanitizer gel after travel
Italy previously banned hand luggage on planes in June, but they lifted that ban on July 15, and passengers can once again take hand luggage into the cabin, provided it meets the measurement restrictions. When boarding a plane for Italy or when leaving Italy, jackets and small items must be kept in sterile, single-use bags provided by the cabin crew. Passengers must wear face masks at all times.
COVID-19 Travel Restrictions by Country
Countries closed to visitors:
American Samoa, Canada, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Guiana, Suriname, French Guiana, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Morocco, Alergia, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Somalia, Madagascar, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Syria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Fiji, Vanuatu, British Virgin Islands, Panama, Israel, Bhutan, Brunei, Singapore.
Partially open countries (with restrictions for certain nationalities and existing quarantine measures):
USA, Greenland, Iceland, Cuba, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Bosnia and Hertzagonia, Slovakia, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Papa New Guinea, New Caledonia , Australia, New Zealand.
Countries will open again soon:
Jordan, Puerto Rico, Belize, El Salvador.
Countries without restrictions:
The United Kingdom, Ireland, Slovenia, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Gabon, Burkino Faso, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Haiti, Jamaica, Ecuador, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominican Republic, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos Islands, Maldives,
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