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From architecture that spans back thousands of years such as the famous Roman baths to the cultures, landscapes and traditions, the UK is without a doubt is one of the most beautiful places to be on earth. 

Traveling to the UK is now possible for tourists from many countries to help cure that wanderlust that is still burning bright is so many of us. 

Here are all the most recent UK COVID-19 entry requirements and everything you need to know before you go.  

Bridge in london with tourist at sunrise

Important Update 2021

Starting January 5, 2021, the UK is in a nationwide lockdown for 6 weeks. During this time, leisure travel is not permitted. While technically the entry requirements for travelers are the same, hotel stays are banned, all retail is shut and there are restrictions about visiting private households, which effectively stop all tourism. 
Any traveler looking to enter the UK should rebook their trip for a later date.

Entry requirements continue below….

Public Health Passenger Locator Form

All visitors are required to fill out the Public Health Passenger Locator Form before they arrive in the United Kingdom. 

Failure to do so could result in being denied entry into the UK or fined £100 if you refuse to provide your contact details.

Fill out the Public Health Passenger Locator Form

Note* You do not need to complete the form or self-isolate if you’re travelling from Ireland, The Channel Islands and The Isle of Man and you were there for 14 days or more:

Belfast Northen Ireland city hall with tourists shopping

COVID-19 Testing Entry Requirements

Starting Monday, January 18, 2021, proof of a negative PCR test will be required by all arriving passengers into England, including citizens. 

The PCR test needs to be performed with results available no more than 72 hours prior to arrival.

Tourist wearing face mask in front of Big ben in london (1)

Quarantine Entry Requirements 

The UK's “Travel Corridors” have been suspended for at least 4 weeks, starting Monday January 18, 2021. 60+ nations were on the travel corridor list at the time of suspension.

All arrivals will have to quarantine for 10 days.

Important Note: Quarantine requirements may vary in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Test To Release Program

Starting on December 15, 2020, the UK implemented a new ‘test to release' program for all arrivals coming from high-risk nations (nations not on the travel corridor list.)

All arrivals coming from high-risk nations will have to quarantine for 10-days, but they can perform a PCR test on day 5, and upon receiving the negative results, can leave quarantine early. 

uk

COVID-19 Travel Insurance Entry Requirements 

Travel insurance is not mandatory but all incoming travelers should have travel insurance the covers COVID-19 for the duration of their trip to the UK.

COVID-19 Health Requirements While in the UK

All visitors must abide by the following COVID-19 health requirements while in United Kingdom

Face coverings must be worn in enclosed public spaces in England including subways, railways, bus stations and airports. Follow all social distancing signs.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have varying rules for face coverings.

Northern Ireland Lockdown

Please be aware that Northern Ireland is going into a 6-week lockdown starting December 26 that will greatly affect any travelers looking to visit during that time. 

Traveler wearing face mask in london subway

COVID-19 Vaccine Entry Requirements 

The United Kingdom has not made any announcements regarding if a proof of vaccination record will be required for entry in the future. 

Visa Entry Requirements For the United Kingdom During COVID-19

All travelers will still need to follow U.K. visa requirements. United Kingdom embassies around the world have reopened for visa applications.

Many countries are able to visit the UK for up to 90 days without a visa.

Check if you need a visa to enter the United Kingdom with this easy government tool.

Castle in Wales

UK Covid-19 Entry Requirements:

  1.  Fill out the Public Health Passenger Locator Form
  2. Check if your country requires a visa to visit the United Kingdom
  3. Check the latest countries exempt from quarantine.
  4. Follow all UK health protocols

Read More: 

COVID-19 Entry Requirements By Country: Travelers Guide

All Countries Reopening For Tourism

Countries in Europe That Have Reopened For Tourism

Travel Insurance That Covers Covid-19

For Breaking Travel Reopening News & Questions, Join Our: Facebook Community

Travel-off-Path-group

Sources: UK Government/UK Visa and Immigration/

Disclaimer: Current UK travel rules are changing without notice and being updated constantly. We do our best to keep this article up to date with all the latest information, but the decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling.  Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

Article originally published August 16, 2020 with updates
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55 Responses

  1. hiking nomad Reply

    How about if you are trying to get to another country soon after arriving but your ticket out of London is just a few days after landing? So we have to pick up our luggage but will not be staying in the UK long. Trying to find a connecting flight on the same day was not possible. Thanks

  3. Andreas katsanevakis Reply

    Do you need any of this papers if you are in transit for a few hours?

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      Hi Ashley – Most UK transits are happening for Canadians very smoothly and without issue. If you have any doubts, you can always contact your airline or the airport to confirm

  5. sharon young Reply

    Hi! I am looking for US citizens experiences through London and onto Scotland – I am planning to go to Scotland in October to see my fiancé. I am able to quarantine the full 14 days as well as the fill out the passenger locator forms – and am hoping to not have any issues.

    Thanks so much!

    Sharon

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      Hi Sharon, throughout many threads (not on this page, but other articles/pages on this site) there have been lots of comments about this, and also in our FB group? Are you in it?? You can search in there and find lots of people who have done this trip already

  6. Ina Reply

    Would it be possible to travel to UK for 3 days to visit my children who are boarding in the UK and have Leave out next weekend? Even if I self-isolate for 3 days, I will have to travel to the airport to return to my country which is in the 14-days self isolation list?! Is it possible to travel this way?

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      This would be a good question for UK border police or the UK consulate, as I don’t want to advise wrong information.
      In practice, I have seen/heard of our readers doing similar things in the UK, but that doesn’t mean it is the official regulations. It would be best to double-check with local authorities

  7. leon Reply

    Hello everyone, i will be travelling back to Spain in 3 weeks, transit in the UK (I’m a Canadian citizen) , it seems its ok to transit in the UK for a few hours and all i need to do is fill a locator form, can someone please confirm ? i appreciate all the information on this site

  8. Alexis Abfayer Reply

    This has kind of been asked and answered but my specifics are that I arrive from the US at Heathrow, where I will take a taxi from there to St Pancras international and immediately board the Eurostar for a ride to France, where I will quarantine. I know about the passenger locator forms, both before 48 hours prior to departure and within 48 hours of departure and am fine with doing those. What I’m concerned about is having to quarantine in London (do I have to since I’m immediately going to Paris?) and having a recent PCR test (within 72 hours of departing the US) upon entry, which is kind of tricky to get the test back where I am that quickly. Will an antigen test work?

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      Unless you a French national and you have not mentioned it, you are not permitted to travel to France after immediately arriving in the UK.
      France MAY permit you entry if you first quarantine for 14-days in the UK, but even that is not for sure.

      France requires all citizens returning home, and all essential/approved travelers from the USA to carry a 72 hour PCR test, antigen tests will not be accepted.

  9. Alexis Abfayer Reply

    Thanks for your answer. I’m actually going to France to be with my fiancée, get married within 2 months and live there. We were supposed to get married in April so this is long overdue.

    I’d read on another blog that people in my similar situation have flown to London then taken the Eurostar over with no issues as early as mid September. Have you heard of this? My fiancée says that what she has read in France, they care where you are coming from, in this case London/the UK, and not necessarily the passport. Given that I have a private place to quarantine in Paris, should I need to, so is that a plus?

    Thanks again for your reply.

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      I have heard of people doing this, but its technically against border rules.
      Some people have made it through, while others have not. It’s risky and technically not permitted.

      Yes, they care where you are coming from… for the last 14 days. Otherwise everyone would just catch a flight to the UK to get around the ban, see what I’m saying?

      Again, it might work, but it also might not, so you have to be prepared for the worst, or first spend 14 days in a safe nation before entering

      You should also ask the French consulate about couples reuniting, as they have made exceptions for that, but will advise you on how that works

  10. Alexis Abfayer Reply

    Thank you again! I appreciate your insight.
    So if I quarantined in London for 14 days, would that work?

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      Again, it’s not a for sure thing, (because France states on their entry requirements that US residents are not permitted for non-essential reasons) but it will increase your chances exponentially.
      I would still call French border police and ask them straight up “If I am coming from the UK, been in the UK for at least 14 days, and I am a resident of the USA, can I enter” – that way you will have something to go on.
      If they ONLY care about your location for the past 14 days, then you should be fine to enter

  11. Vassilia Konstas Reply

    I am a British citizen and will be travelling to London from Greece on the 16th November, do I need to do a covid test before I come?

  12. Turguna Reply

    Hello, my mother is resident of Dubai,she is coming from Dubai to UK on 12th of November on short stay visa (tourist plus family visit), will she be allowed to enter UK? The purpose is to visit family for 1 month….the visa was issued just now so I guess she will be probably allowed to enter ?

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      I have not heard of any border entry changes for the lockdown, but since it is a leisure visit, of course I cannot be 100% sure it is still permitted. You will have to contact the Ministry of Transportation, border police, or the UK consulate to be sure

  13. Ade Reply

    Please advise. I am due to fly into London on the 4th December but due to fly out to Cancun on the 11th to be back to London on the 15th. Will I be able to fly if I notify the authorities in advance?

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      Hello – If the lockdown is extended, this type of travel (unless its business) will not be permitted. However, we don’t currently know what December will bring, so it’s impossible to say right now

  14. Rich Reply

    Hi. I am an expat, if I needed to return from Spain to England in an emergency and don’t have the means to self isolate is it possible to have covid tests in order to avoid the isolation period?

  15. Chris Reply

    Hi, I have business colleagues who want to travel to the UK for 4 days from 7th December. The work is in an official capacity and important to how we run our operation over here but they are nota diplomats, government officials etc. – we work exporting products to this market. Question is will they have to isolate on arrival or will they be exempt? Is there a phone number or contact email address to have this confirmed? Thanks

  16. Andrea Brown Reply

    Hi, I’m intending to travel to the UK from South Africa next year. I have a British passport and family living in the UK. Understanding the self isolating requirements and wanting to do this prior to visiting family what and where would this be possible? Thanks

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      The rules will be different in 2021, so we advise to research them a little closer to your trip.
      They are already changing again this week 😉

  17. Steve Reply

    I’m traveling from US to UK – do I need to have a PCT test. (I’ve seen conflicting information – can you provide a reputable formal source if info please along with your knowledge)

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      All entry requirements are included in this article, and all sources are already linked. 🙂
      You can find your answer under the ‘testing requirements’ section

  18. Koalli Reply

    I plan on traveling to Northern Ireland from Hong Kong in December, and my transit location will be London. Is there any extra steps that I have to do for this transit? Do I have to submit 2 passenger locator form? Thank you so so much!!

  19. Shehzad Reply

    I’m traveling from Riyadh (Saudi) to Uk on December 18 on a student visa. Do I need a PCR test to board the plane departing for UK?

  20. karim Reply

    im planning to visit the UK from istanbul, do i need a negative PCR test to enter? if so, how much is the PCR valid for?

  21. Adnelg Reply

    hello…quick question do I need a PCR test traveling from UK to Phil? Is it a requirement at the airport to have a PCR test before the flight? Thank you

  22. Dave Reply

    Hi, just to double check, at the moment, if I wish to travel to the UK, can my nationality, residence or location affect my chances of getting into the UK as a tourist?

    (I have 90 days visa-free allowance into the UK so I already know I don’t need to apply for a visa)

    I know there’s self-isolation parameters for countries not on the list, but if I’m traveling from my current location ”Bosnia and Herzegovina” to the UK and I agree to self-isolate for 10 days, plus having a proper health insurance already, would there be anything I should consider before planning my trip?

    I’m looking to fly soon and I’d like to confirm I’d be able to get in without too much of a hassle.

    Thanks!

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      The UK is allowing passengers to enter based on their normal visa requirements. So you if you normally require a visa or visit, you will need one now. If you normally do not need one, then you may enter, providing you follow all the requirements outlined in this article, such as the Passenger locator form, etc.

  23. Kharom Reply

    I have visitor visa and I am from Thailand. I will fly to UK on December 22 . Can I entry to UK for this time ?
    And Can I stay in my boyfriend house

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      UK is operating under normal visa rules, so whatever you normally require to enter, you will need now.
      As outlined in this article, you must quarantine for 10 days. If it’s at a house, all people in that house are asked to quarantine as well

  24. stephen Reply

    i am going to LOndon from Canada on Dec 20 and arriving at Heathrow airport on Dec 21 11 am in the morning, Do you think they will prohibit my entry to London under Tier 4 lockdown

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      I haven’t personally seen any direct changes to the entry requirements at the border due to Tier 4, I have only seen that residents of Tier 4 are being asked not to travel abroad.

  25. drsckngs Reply

    Thanks for your reply, I will inform you once I arrive in london as updates , thanks again, if you hear anything ,don’t hestitate to post it so we know whether London restrict incoming internationa tourist

  26. Martin Sjödin Reply

    Hej,

    I wonder what the rules for transit passengers are? Me, my wife and our daughter would like to travel from Sweden to Brazil in the end of March and back again about a month later. Would it be possible for us to transit in Heathrow without a PCR test?

    Brazil requires a test so we would have to take one here in Sweden in order to get there. I would however prefer to avoid depending on a PCR test when going back.. seems it is quite unreliable with many false positives.
    Most countries in Europe requires PCR test even for transit now so if UK is an exception it would be terrific and we could transit there.

    Best regards
    Martin

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      So far, since the beginning of the pandemic, Heathrow has been allowing transits with no PCR test… however, they are looking to add a 72 hour pCR test within the next few days, and we are unsure if this will include transits or not. Stay tuned

  27. Lea Reply

    You Guys, MANY thanks for doing this and trying to help everybody out. My question: is Transit through the UK for touristic reasons possible? (Germany-Gatwick, Heathrow- México .. 4hrs transit time and airport change in London). The only option to see my BF from the US. #loveisnotourism

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      I can honestly say I am not sure at this time, because there is the added element of needing to switch airports.
      I would contact Gatwick airport and ask them

  28. Jacky Reply

    I am planning to see my girlfriend in the UK and visiting from Canada. Are there any other requirements needed for me to enter? will it be harder for them to let me in?

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      The UK requires a 72-hour negative covid test to enter, PLUS a 10-day quarantine, but currently travel for tourism is not permitted. Hotels are not accepting anyone not traveling for an essential medical or business reason. Staying with your girlfriend is also not permitted, as mixing of households is currently not allowed.
      So while entry is still technically possible.. it’s almost impossible to actually stay anywhere.

  29. Nicole Reply

    I am traveling from Canada and planning to visit my boyfriend in the UK and I am not able to find anywhere on the UK government website that states if visitors are allowed to enter. I just wanted to know if I would be denied entry into the UK to come in as a visitor? Thank you!

    • Kashlee Kucheran

      It’s very tricky right now. With a 72-hour pCR test and a 10-day quarantine, technically Canadians are allowed entry, however…. you are not to stay in anyone’s household for your quarantine (so no BF’s house for those 10 days) and right now with travel restrictions, hotels are designated only for essential/business travelers, plus with restrictions on travel between certain areas… it’s essentially closed, but still technically partially open. Confused yet?
      Tomorrow they could also put into place that the 10-day quarantine must be done at a specific hotel, at your cost, which will make entry even harder and more costly.

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