India has been moved off the UK’s red list travel ban and on to amber, which means vaccinated passengers will no longer be subjected to compulsory 10-day hotel quarantine.
Under Britain’s traffic light system for international travel, returning from amber list countries means a 10-day period of quarantining at home or a pre-confirmed location for visitors. The change, announced by the Department for Transport, comes into effect from 4am on August 8.
“UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the Red List to the Amber List. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4am,” UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted.
“While it’s right we continue our cautious approach, it’s great news to open more destinations for people wanting to connect with families, friends and businesses across the globe, all thanks to our successful domestic vaccination programme,” he said.
The news will come as a welcome move for the Indian diaspora in the UK, who had been raising the issue about easing of travel norms between India and Britain.
Under the rules for countries on the amber list, passengers must take a Covid test three days before departure and book in advance for two Covid tests to be taken upon arrival in England as well as complete a passenger locator form on arrival. On arrival in England, the passengers must quarantine at home or in the place they have confirmed as their location for 10 days and take a Covid-19 test on or before day two and on or after day eight.
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Under-18s and those fully vaccinated in the UK are exempt from the home quarantine, as well as those who have received both jabs in the EU and US. Also exempt are those “fully vaccinated in the UK or under the UK vaccine programme overseas; under 18 on the day you arrive in England and resident in the UK or in a country with a vaccination programme approved by the UK; and part of a UK-approved vaccine trial”.
