Foreign Office changes advice for several destinations
Non-essential travel warning removed for some Greek islands and much of Portugal.
The Foreign Office (FCDO) has removed its advice against non-essential travel for a number of destinations including some Greek islands and much of Portugal.
Recent updates to the government department’s country-specific travel advice say the exemptions are “based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks.”
Israel, Malta and the US Virgin Islands have also been given an exemption. The Greek islands are Corfu, Crete, Kos, Rhodes and Zakynthos.
The FCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic Islands but excluding the Canary Islands. It still advises against travel to the rest Greece, and the Azores. It is unclear whether these destinations will form part of the Department for Transport’s green list.
It has now been confirmed that the EU will reopen to holidaymakers from countries with low Covid infection rates such as the UK, and to anyone who has been fully vaccinated, by the start of June under a European Commission plan.
However, senior UK government sources said the number of destinations to which Brits can travel to without having to quarantine from May 17 could be lower than 10.
People arriving in the UK from green list countries will need to take a pre-departure test in that country. On or before the second day after arriving in the UK, they will need to take a PCR test, which costs around £120, but will not need to quarantine on their return (unless they receive a positive test).
People arriving from amber list countries will have to quarantine for 10 days at home. They will have to take a pre-departure test, then a PCR test on days two and eight, but there will be an option for “test to release” in which they can end self-isolation early if they test negative on day five by purchasing an extra PCR test.
In both cases, test packages must be booked and paid for before travelling from a list of government-approved providers.
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