Is the United Kingdom Open for Tourists? – UK Restrictions

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The UK just reopened for international tourism on May 17, 2021, making it one of the most recent countries that are open for tourism. The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each of these countries has its own government, so each country has its own specific regulations.

Most countries in the UK base their restrictions on vaccination status, but regulations depend on which country you are visiting.

England travel restrictions

Vaccinated travelers from approved non-red list countries must provide proof of full vaccination, where the last vaccine dose was received at least 14 days prior, and complete an online passenger locator form within 48 hours of arriving in England. They will also have to book and pay for a day 2 lateral flow test and take that lateral flow test on or before the second day after their arrival in England.

Unvaccinated travelers and travelers from other non-red list countries must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR, LAMP, or antigen) that was obtained within 3 days of departure and complete an online passenger locator form within 48 hours of arriving in England. They must also book and pay for two COVID-19 tests, one to be taken on day 2 after their arrival in England and another to be taken on day 8.

England and Scotland travel restrictions

They must then quarantine for 10 days from their arrival in England and take their COVID-19 tests on or before days 2 and 8.

Travelers from red list countries must abide by all the same entry requirements as unvaccinated travelers from other countries, except that they must book and pay for a quarantine hotel, where they will complete their 10-day quarantine. Only British and Irish nationals and residents can travel to the UK from red list countries.

Scotland and Northern Ireland Travel Restrictions

Scotland and Northern Ireland have the same countries on their non-red and red lists as England does.

Vaccinated travelers from approved non-red list countries must provide proof of full vaccination, present a negative COVID-19 test result that was obtained within 3 days of departure, submit a digital passenger locator form within 48 hours of arriving in Scotland/Northern Ireland, and book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test. They must then take that COVID-19 test within two days of arriving in Scotland/Northern Ireland.

Unvaccinated travelers and travelers from other non-red list countries must follow the same entry requirements as unvaccinated travelers from non-red list countries that are entering England.

Travelers from red list countries must follow the same entry restrictions as travelers from red list countries who arrive in England.

Wales travel restrictions

Wales has a traffic light system, with a green list, amber list, and red list for countries. Wales’ red list is the same as all other UK countries’ red list.

Travelers from countries on the green list must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (PCR, LAMP, or antigen) that was obtained within 72 hours of departure and complete an online passenger locator form within 48 hours of arriving in Wales. They must also book and pay for a COVID-19 test to be taken on day 2 after their arrival in Wales.

Vaccinated travelers from approved amber list countries must provide proof of full vaccination, present a negative COVID-19 test result that was obtained within 72 hours of departure, submit a digital passenger locator form, and book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test. They must then take that COVID-19 test within two days of arriving in Wales.

Unvaccinated travelers and travelers from other amber list countries must present a negative COVID-19 test result that was obtained within 72 hours of departure, submit a digital passenger locator form, and book and pay for two COVID-19 tests, one to be taken on day 2 after their arrival and another to be taken on day 8. They must also quarantine at their home or accommodation for 10 days after their arrival in Wales.

Travelers from red list countries must present a negative COVID-19 test result that was obtained within 72 hours of departure, submit a digital passenger locator form, and book and pay for a quarantine hotel and two COVID-19 tests, one to be taken on day 2 after their arrival and another to be taken on day 8.  On arrival in Wales, they must quarantine in a quarantine hotel for 10 days and take the two COVID-19 tests.

Keep in mind that travelers from countries on the red list cannot travel directly to Wales. They must enter the UK through a designated port in England or Scotland.

Can I travel to the UK right now?

You can travel to the UK from many countries right now. Below is a map of all the countries that can visit the United Kingdom at the moment.

UK - EN

United Kingdom COVID-19 travel restrictions

The UK’s entry requirements are generally quite strict but depend on the country you are traveling from and your vaccination status.

All travelers to the UK must complete an online passenger locator form within 48 hours of arriving in the UK. They must also have proof of a negative COVID-19 test result that was obtained within 3 days of departure, unless they are a fully vaccinated traveler entering England from an approved non-red country.

Vaccinated travelers entering England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland from certain non-red list countries; travelers from countries on the green list entering Wales; and vaccinated travelers from approved amber list countries entering Wales must book and pay for a COVID-19 test to be taken on day 2 after their arrival in England/Scotland/Northern Ireland/Wales.

United Kingdom COVID-19 travel restrictions and entry requirements

All other travelers from non-red list countries (in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) and the amber list (in Wales) must book and pay for two COVID-19 tests, one to be taken on day 2 after their arrival in the UK and the other on day 8. They must also quarantine for 10 days from their arrival at their home or accommodation.

Travelers from countries on the red list must book and pay for a quarantine hotel package, which includes testing on days 2 and 8. They will quarantine for 10 days at the quarantine hotel and take their additional COVID-19 tests on days 2 and 8.

COVID-19 vaccine to travel to the United Kingdom

Travelers qualify as fully vaccinated if they have been vaccinated under an approved vaccine program in the UK, EU, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican City, US, or UK overseas vaccine program; or have had a full course of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines from a relevant public health body in Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Dominica, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, or the United Arab Emirates.

Travelers who have been vaccinated in the US must provide proof of residence in the US, such as a passport, visa, or Green Card.

Formulations of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, such as AstraZeneca Covishield and Moderna Takeda, count as approved vaccines.

To be considered fully vaccinated, travelers must have received the full course of an approved vaccine at least 14 days before their arrival in the UK. If their vaccine involved 2 doses, it is acceptable to have mixed two different types of vaccines, such as AstraZeneca and Moderna, or to have had their two vaccinations under two different approved vaccine programs, such as Australia and Japan, or the UK and the US.

The rules for fully vaccinated travelers also apply if the traveler is under 18 and lives in one of the listed countries with approved vaccination programs.

As proof of vaccination, travelers must provide a digital or paper-based document from a national or state-level public health body that includes the traveler’s first and last name, the traveler’s date of birth, the vaccine brand and manufacturer, the date of vaccination for every dose, and the country or territory of vaccination and/or certificate issuer.

If your document does not include all of this information, you must follow the rules for unvaccinated travelers. Similarly, if you do not qualify as fully vaccinated under these guidelines (i.e., you were vaccinated under a different country’s vaccine program, you have not received both doses of a two-dose vaccine, etc.), you must follow the entry requirements for unvaccinated travelers.

Vaccinated travelers entering England from approved non-red list countries must provide proof of full vaccination and complete an online passenger locator form within 48 hours of arriving in England. They will also have to book and pay for a day 2 lateral flow test and take that lateral flow test on or before the second day after their arrival in England. However, they do not have to take a pre-departure test or quarantine on arrival in England.

Vaccinated travelers entering Scotland/Northern Ireland from approved non-red list countries must provide proof of full vaccination, present a negative COVID-19 test result that was obtained within 3 days of departure, submit a digital passenger locator form within 48 hours of arriving in Scotland/Northern Ireland, and book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test.

Vaccinated travelers entering Wales from approved amber list countries must provide proof of full vaccination, present a negative COVID-19 test result that was obtained within 72 hours of departure, submit a digital passenger locator form, and book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test.

Is PCR testing mandatory to travel to the UK?

A pre-departure negative COVID-19 test result is mandatory for vaccinated travelers from approved non-red list countries who are entering Scotland and Northern Ireland; unvaccinated travelers from non-red list countries who are entering England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland; travelers from non-red list countries that don’t have approved vaccination programs who are entering England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland; travelers entering any country in the UK from a red list country; and all travelers entering Wales, whether from a green list, amber list, or red list country.

The test result must have been obtained within 3 days of departure for entry to England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and within 72 hours of departure for entry to Wales.

Acceptable tests include PCR, LAMP, and antigen tests. You can present either a printed document or digital proof in the form of an email or text message.

Your test result must either be in English, French, or Spanish. It must include your name, your date of birth/age, the result of the test, the date the sample was collected or received, the name of the test provider, the test provider’s contact details, and confirmation of the test type/device used.

Vaccinated travelers from approved non-red list countries entering England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland; travelers from countries on Wales’ green list; and vaccinated travelers from approved countries on Wales’ amber list must also take a COVID-19 test on day 2 after their arrival in England/Scotland/Northern Ireland/Wales. All other travelers must take COVID-19 tests on days 2 and 8 of their 10-day quarantine period.

Is there a mandatory quarantine upon arrival in the United Kingdom?

There is a mandatory quarantine on arrival for unvaccinated travelers from non-red list countries who are entering England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland; travelers from non-red list countries that don’t have approved vaccination programs who are entering England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland; unvaccinated travelers from amber list countries who are entering Wales; travelers from amber list countries that don’t have approved vaccination programs who are entering Wales; and travelers entering any country in the UK from a red list country.

Is there a mandatory quarantine upon arrival in the United Kingdom?

All travelers who are arriving from a country that is not on the red list must quarantine for 10 days from their arrival at their home or accommodation. Travelers from countries on the red list must quarantine for 10 days at a quarantine hotel at their own expense.

All travelers who are required to quarantine must take two COVID-19 tests during their quarantine period, one on day 2 and another on day 8.

Travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage to visit the UK

It is not an entry requirement to have travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage to enter the United Kingdom. However, you should always travel with some kind of insurance so that if anything unexpected comes up, you’ll be covered.

If you’re looking for travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage, Heymondo is the perfect choice. When we compared many different types of travel insurance, Heymondo came out on top because of their policies’ extensive coverage, particularly for COVID-19 testing and treatment abroad. You can even save 5% on their policies with the discount link below.

Other travel restrictions for the UK during COVID-19

The United Kingdom has a few other travel restrictions in place:

• All travelers must complete an online passenger locator form within 48 hours of arriving in the UK.

• All travelers will undergo health screenings upon arrival in the UK.

• Face masks are required in all indoor areas and in any place that you cannot social distance.

• Social distancing rules must be observed.

• You may need a tourist visa to visit the UK. Check if you need one below.

What’s open in the UK

As with entry restrictions, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own regulations for what can open.

In England, the same regulations apply across the whole of England.

Similarly, in Scotland, the same regulations apply across all of Scotland.

Wales uses a levels systemfor restrictions, with 5 different levels (0,1,2,3, and 4) and different restrictions applying at each level. At moment, all of Wales is at Level 0. More details on the alert level system can be found here.

Northern Ireland’s restrictions apply across the whole of Northern Ireland.

Hotels that are open in the United Kingdom

Hotels and other accommodations in England are open, so visitors can travel and plan overnight stays. We highly recommend these accommodations in England:

• Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park (London)
• Corinthia (London)
• The Ritz London (London)
• The George Street Hotel (Oxford)
• The Edwardian (Manchester)
• Hilton Liverpool City Centre (Liverpool)

Guests should wear masks in all indoor, public areas and abide by social distancing rules. They should check into their accommodation on the NHS COVID-19 app with the displayed QR code. Guests should use contactless payment whenever possible. Accommodations will be subject to frequent cleaning and disinfection. More information on England’s hotel regulations is available here.

Accommodations are open across all of Scotland at the moment. These hotels in Scotland are some of our favorites:

• The Balmoral Hotel (Edinburgh)
• Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa (Edinburgh)
• Kimpton – Blythswood Square Hotel (Glasgow)
• voco Grand Central (Glasgow)

Guests should keep at least 2 meters away from others and must provide their contact details as part of the Test and Protect scheme. They must also wear face masks in all indoor, public areas. More details on Scotland’s accommodation regulations can be found here.

Hotels and accommodations are currently open in Wales. These are some of the best places to stay in Wales right now:

• voco St. David’s (Cardiff)
• Park Inn (Cardiff)

Guests must maintain a distance of 2 meters between themselves and others and wear masks in all indoor, public areas. More information on Wales’ hotel regulations is available here.

In Northern Ireland, hotels and tourism accommodations are open. These are some of the best places to stay in Northern Ireland right now:

• Titanic Hotel (Belfast)
• Grand Central Hotel (Belfast)

Guests must provide their contact details as part of the Test, Trace, Protect contact tracing program. Contact details that must be provided include name, telephone number, date of stay, and duration of stay. More details on Northern Ireland’s accommodation regulations can be found here.

Attractions that are open and tours that are operating in the UK

Attractions, such as museums and theme parks, are open and tours are operating in England right now. These tours are some of our favorites:

• Magical London: Harry Potter Guided Walking Tour
• From London: Ticket to Harry Potter Warner Brothers Studio with Transfer
• The London Eye
• London: Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise
• London: Big Bus Open-Top Hop-on, Hop-off Sightseeing Tour
• Oxford: University and City Walking Tour with Alumni Guide
• Manchester United Museum and Stadium Tour
• Liverpool Football Club: Museum and Stadium Tour
• Liverpool: The Beatles Story Ticket

Visitors must wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines. Hand sanitizer will be available for visitors to use.

More information on England’s regulations is available here.

In Scotland, indoor and outdoor attractions, such as museums, galleries, and zoos, are all open and tours are operating. We highly recommend these Scottish tours and attractions:

• Loch Ness, Glencoe & the Highlands Tour from Edinburgh
• Edinburgh: Underground Vaults Tour
• Edinburgh: Harry Potter Magical Guided Walking Tour

Wearing face masks indoors is mandatory for visitors. Visitors must also social distance and provide their contact details for contact tracing purposes. Hand sanitizer will be provided for visitors to sanitize their hands.

More details on Scotland’s regulations can be found here.

Attractions are open and tours are operating in Wales. If you’re not sure where to go or what to do, check some ideas.

Visitors must wear masks indoors and keep a distance of at least 2 meters away from others. More information on regulations for attractions in Wales is available here and here.

Attractions are open and tours are operating in Northern Ireland. We highly recommend these tours and attractions:

• Belfast: The Titanic Experience with SS Nomadic Visit
• Giant’s Causeway and More: Luxury Coach Tour from Belfast

Attractions will have capacity limits, so you may want to book your tickets ahead of time. Visitors must wear masks in any indoor public spaces and keep a distance of 2 meters away from others. Visitors’ contact details will be collected for contact tracing purposes.

More details on Northern Ireland’s attraction regulations can be found here and here.

Restaurants and pubs that are open in the United Kingdom

Restaurants and pubs are open for indoor and outdoor dining in England.

Restaurants and pubs that are open in the United Kingdom

Customers should wear masks at all times except when they are seated at their table and eating or drinking. Customers should check into their restaurant on the NHS COVID-19 app with the displayed QR code.

More details on restaurant and pub regulations in England can be found here and here.

In Scotland, restaurants and pubs are open for outdoor and indoor dining.

Customers must wear face masks when they are not seated at their table and must provide their contact details for contact tracing purposes.

More information on Scottish dining regulations is available here.

Restaurants and pubs in Wales are open for indoor and outdoor dining.

Guests must provide their contact details for contact tracing purposes. They must also wear masks at all times other than when they are seated at their table to eat and drink.

There will be table service only. Tables will be spaced at least one meter apart.

More details on Welsh dining restrictions can be found here and here.

Restaurants and pubs that are open in the United Kingdom

Restaurants and pubs in Northern Ireland are open for outdoor and indoor dining with restrictions.

Customers must provide their contact details for contact tracing purposes and must wear face masks any time they are not seated at their table.

Food and drink must be consumed while seated at tables indoors. Hand sanitizer will be available at entrances to restaurants and pubs so customers can disinfect their hands.

More information on Northern Ireland’s dining regulations is available here and here.

Airports that are open in the UK

The UK’s main international airports are all open: London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Belfast International.

Airports that are open in the UK

Travelers must wear masks at all times and keep a distance of at least 2 meters away from others. They will also be subject to health screenings on arrival in the UK.

Where to get a PCR test in the UK – COVID-19 testing in the United Kingdom

Your country may require you to take a PCR test in order to fly back home. If you need to get a PCR test in the UK, you can find information on testing here.

UK reopening its borders to tourists – F.A.Q.

Check out these FAQs related to the United Kingdom reopening for tourists and let us know if you have any other questions in the comments below.

Sources

We will update this guide on the UK reopening to tourism with any new developments. If you need more information on travel to the United Kingdom, you can check these official sources:

• US Embassy Updates on COVID-19 in the United Kingdom
• CDC Travel Recommendations for the UK
• General UK Travel Advisory
• Information on Entering the UK

England

• Red, Amber, and Green List Rules for Entering England
• Information on Coronavirus Testing Before Entering England
• Quarantine and Testing Information
• Current Coronavirus Restrictions in England
• Guidance for Hotels and Accommodations
• Guidance for Events and Attractions
• Guidance for Restaurants

Scotland

• Information on International Travel: Red, Amber, and Green Lists
• Information on International Travel: Testing to Travel to Scotland
• Current Coronavirus Regulations in Scotland
• Guidance on Traveling around Scotland and the UK
• Guidance for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry

Wales

• Rules for Foreign Travel to and from Wales
• Testing for Traveling to Wales
• Current Regulations in Wales
• FAQs for Wales’ Current Restrictions
• Regulations for Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants

Northern Ireland

• International Travel Advice
• Northern Ireland’s Red List
• Travel Advice and Guidance for Entering Northern Ireland
• Travel within the Common Travel Area
• Current Restrictions in Northern Ireland
• Coronavirus Website
• Regulations for Accommodations
• Regulations for Attractions
• Regulations for Restaurants and Pubs