Covid restrictions abroad: updates & observations

[AlterEgo]

I think Germany and Czechia are quite similar with their restrictions, from what I can tell. But yes, dealing with more than one country on a trip right now seems a bit too much for me.

No problem at all really if you travel in the Schengen area, especially by rail.

 

[alex397]

No problem at all really if you travel in the Schengen area, especially by rail.

Good point, but you would have to check all the rules for the separate country, and fill out the Passenger Locator Forms for each country surely?

I’m still looking into Czechia for next week. We are in their ‘very high risk’ list, but still looks like you can enter without testing or quarantine if you are vaccinated. I hope I have read that correctly!

I think the only extra things I would have to think about is making sure I’ve got my vaccination certificate from the NHS App (which I have printed off too), booking my day 2 test, and filling out the Passenger Locator Forms for both Czechia and the UK.
The things putting me off now is worrying that I’ve read all that correctly and that the info I have read is accurate. Also concerned rules may change at short notice and I get stuck - but these are hopefully worst case scenarios.

 

[johncrossley]

Good point, but you would have to check all the rules for the separate country, and fill out the Passenger Locator Forms for each country surely?

I presume the point was that there is usually no one to check whether you have followed the rules or not. Also, whether the fact that you were in the UK in the recent past is taken into account in the rules. I presume you would only likely have a problem if you were questioned by the police.

 

[Watershed]

Good point, but you would have to check all the rules for the separate country, and fill out the Passenger Locator Forms for each country surely?

I’m still looking into Czechia for next week. We are in their ‘very high risk’ list, but still looks like you can enter without testing or quarantine if you are vaccinated. I hope I have read that correctly!

I think the only extra things I would have to think about is making sure I’ve got my vaccination certificate from the NHS App (which I have printed off too), booking my day 2 test, and filling out the Passenger Locator Forms for both Czechia and the UK.
The things putting me off now is worrying that I’ve read all that correctly and that the info I have read is accurate. Also concerned rules may change at short notice and I get stuck - but these are hopefully worst case scenarios.

As long as you make it there, you won't be stuck. There's never been a time where British citizens weren't allowed to return.

The Foreign Office guide to entry requirements is a decent indication. I also find the Sherpa website, although not official, a very useful tool.

 

[LAX54]

Good point, but you would have to check all the rules for the separate country, and fill out the Passenger Locator Forms for each country surely?

I’m still looking into Czechia for next week. We are in their ‘very high risk’ list, but still looks like you can enter without testing or quarantine if you are vaccinated. I hope I have read that correctly!

I think the only extra things I would have to think about is making sure I’ve got my vaccination certificate from the NHS App (which I have printed off too), booking my day 2 test, and filling out the Passenger Locator Forms for both Czechia and the UK.
The things putting me off now is worrying that I’ve read all that correctly and that the info I have read is accurate. Also concerned rules may change at short notice and I get stuck - but these are hopefully worst case scenarios.

Also if you look a different websites for info, you can end up getting confused, as some are out of date, or they just add the alterations at the bottom, leaving the out of date stuff the first you read !
Off to Holland mid November, think I have it all sorted ! (and a trip into Germany so will need a another form for that) just wish the EU would accept the NHS certificate for Cafes / Venues etc, Holland officially you have to be tested each day if you plan to go to a venue/cafe, if you do not have the EU version of the certificate, but then many places WILL accept the NHS certificate unofficially, and some places it seems do not ask at all, even for EU Ciitizens !

 

[43096]

I would also be interested in hearing anyone’s recent experience with Czechia. I’m hoping to travel there next week, but still haven’t booked anything.
There have been rising Covid rates, and some increased restrictions, but seemingly nothing too drastic.
I keep reading conflicting information about what things I need to do to.

I was in Czechia the week before last. Flew into Vienna then transited by rail via Breclav. Completed the Czech passenger locator form before arriving - which was much simpler than the U.K. one - and it was never asked for or looked at. As I said I was heading to Prague on the form but went a convoluted route via Prerov, anyone wanting to find me other than at the hotel would struggle!

In theory I think you’re meant to be masked on public transport but many aren’t (I’d say 40% or so unmasked), so I didn’t wear one and no-one (guards, security or police) were in the least bit bothered, excepted one guard on the narrow gauge JHMD system who said something about company policy (guard on the same line on the way back was not bothered though).

Flew back from Munich, transiting via Austria on the train. German border police joined after Salzburg but were only asking random people, maybe if no mask on? But absolutely no problem with crossing borders.

Hope that’s of use…

 

[LondonExile]

As long as you make it there, you won't be stuck. There's never been a time where British citizens weren't allowed to return.

Whilst the Government has never directly prevented British Citizens from returning - some restrictions have made it logistically very difficult, even verging on the impossible for some people to return at times.

International travel needs three things:

1. The country you are in permitting you to leave.
2. The country you are wanting to go to permitting you to enter.
3. A means of transport actually running between the two.

For British Citizens returning home - #2 has never been prevented, but #1 is still banned for example if you are in Australia, and #3 has definitely been an issue at times.

One of the biggest issues with #3 is if most people are prevented from travelling for leisure or business purposes, there may be insufficient people wishing to return home to make it economically viable to run the flights, ferry or rail services.

International travel will be the last thing to return to normal, as you need multiple national governments to be in agreement. For some countries the tourism industry is critical enough to them that they will open up, but others may decide they don't want tourists coming over for the meantime and there's nothing much anyone can do about that.

 

[alex397]

The Foreign Office guide to entry requirements is a decent indication. I also find the Sherpa website, although not official, a very useful tool.

These are very useful websites which I have been keeping an eye on. I think I have understood what they say - I just hope that the officials don’t interpret it differently, as can occasionally happen.

Hope that’s of use…

Very much so, thank you for your reply!

With Czechia, I’ve seen that from 1st November, bars pubs and restaurants etc are required to ask for proof of vaccination. Certainly an inconvienience, but should be fine with my print-off/App. Will be interesting to see if all establishments will adhere to that and to what level.
I also believe hotels are required to ask for proof (even before the 1st). Shouldn’t be an issue, but I’ve noticed many online sources have not mentioned this.

I’m still constantly changing my mind about whether to book or not! I’ve lost a lot of my travelling confidence since Covid.

 

[duncanp]

Some good news on the travel front.

It is being reported that the Red List, plus the associated hotel quarantine, is to be scrapped.

Another sign that life is returning to normal, which can only be a good thing.

Travel red list and hotel quarantine set to be scrapped

Relaxation of rules, to be considered by ministers on Thursday, comes amid dramatic weakening in Covid threat from overseas

www.telegraph.co.uk

Travel red list and hotel quarantine set to be scrapped​

Relaxation of rules, to be considered by ministers on Thursday, comes amid dramatic weakening in Covid threat from overseas

The travel red list and hotel quarantine are set to be scrapped under plans, to be considered by ministers on Thursday, to ease restrictions in face of the declining Covid threat from abroad.

Ministers will meet to consider removing the final seven countries from the red list. Any traveller returning from them is currently required to quarantine in a UK hotel for 10 days at a cost of £2,285 per person.

Sources said it was "almost certain" that they would lift the restrictions on Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It is understood next week's Cop26 global summit on climate change in Glasgow, which delegates from the seven countries are attending, is a factor.

Ministers are also expected to consider a separate plan to scrap hotel quarantine, which even its pioneer, Australia, is abandoning in favour of vaccination as a defence against the importation of Covid.

It is expected to be replaced by a requirement for travellers to self-isolate at home for 10 days, irrespective of whether or not they are fully jabbed. This may not be announced on Thursday, and might not be enacted until the New Year.

Nearly 200,000 people returning from red list countries have been forced to quarantine in hotels since the regime was introduced at the height of the pandemic at the start of the year.

Although the red list will disappear with the removal of the seven countries, it is thought likely that ministers will keep it in reserve in the event of the emergence of new Covid variants or or a resurgence in the virus. Anyone returning from a red list country would then have to quarantine at home.

A source said: "There is a strong desire to abolish the red list, but a final decision will be taken on Thursday. It has been very much the expectation with the added pressure of Cop26."

Earlier this month, there was a major cull of the red list when 47 countries were removed in one of the biggest reopenings of foreign travel since the start of the pandemic.

The moves come amid a dramatic weakening in the threat of Covid from overseas, with NHS data showing that Britons travelling to red list countries now have less chance of catching the virus than people who remain in the UK.

The proportion of positive test results from red list travellers in hotel quarantine dropped to 0.77 per cent in the middle of this month – fewer than one in 120 people. In contrast, the proportion testing positive in the UK stood at 1.14 per cent.

The red list and hotel quarantine was primarily set up to counter the risk from variants, but the only one now being detected is the delta strain – which is already dominant in the UK.

Paul Charles, the chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: "There's no justification any more for keeping any country on the red list. They should follow Ireland, who made the same decision a month ago to take every country off its red list with immediate effect.

"It would be a popular move by the Government, especially with so many ministers coming for Cop26, including ministers from countries like Panama which are on the red list. It doesn't look good for them to be inviting countries that are still on the red list to Cop 26."

Earlier this week, the Government also eased the testing regime for fully jabbed holidaymakers returning to the UK by replacing expensive PCR tests with cheaper lateral flow swabs. It follows the scrapping of the pre-departure tests for double vaccinated travellers coming back to the UK.

Unvaccinated travellers are still required to take pre-departure tests, two PCRs on arrival and have to quarantine on their return to the UK.

 

[43096]

These are very useful websites which I have been keeping an eye on. I think I have understood what they say - I just hope that the officials don’t interpret it differently, as can occasionally happen.

Very much so, thank you for your reply!

With Czechia, I’ve seen that from 1st November, bars pubs and restaurants etc are required to ask for proof of vaccination. Certainly an inconvienience, but should be fine with my print-off/App. Will be interesting to see if all establishments will adhere to that and to what level.
I also believe hotels are required to ask for proof (even before the 1st). Shouldn’t be an issue, but I’ve noticed many online sources have not mentioned this.

I’m still constantly changing my mind about whether to book or not! I’ve lost a lot of my travelling confidence since Covid.

I've seen it mentioned that you're best getting the printed letter from the NHS of you vaccination status rather than relying on the app/print of the PDF, as not everywhere will accept the app and there can be problems scanning the QR code on a printed copy of the app PDF. Personally had no issue with the app version, which I uploaded on to the airline's website on the outward, but used the NHS letter version when going through border controls in Vienna and Munich.

You can request the letter here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-pass/get-your-covid-pass-letter/

 

[nlogax]

Finally an acknowledgement that the destination country really has the final say re. enters for the majority of visitors. About bloody time.

 

[alex397]

I've seen it mentioned that you're best getting the printed letter from the NHS of you vaccination status rather than relying on the app/print of the PDF, as not everywhere will accept the app and there can be problems scanning the QR code on a printed copy of the app PDF. Personally had no issue with the app version, which I uploaded on to the airline's website on the outward, but used the NHS letter version when going through border controls in Vienna and Munich.

You can request the letter here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-pass/get-your-covid-pass-letter/

Thank you for this information. I haven’t heard this anywhere else, so it is useful to know. I have now booked Czechia for Monday 1st, so I doubt a letter would come in time now. Hopefully the App, and a print off which I also have, will be sufficient.

 

[island]

The UK has been admitted to the EU digital COVID certificate system with effect from tomorrow.

 

[TheAlbanach_]

The UK has been admitted to the EU digital COVID certificate system with effect from tomorrow.

Amazing news! Although I just applied for an EU one through the French government last night, I guess that’s just my luck haha. Going to the Netherlands in December. Glad my NHS one will be accepted!

 

[nlogax]

Sounds like that Telegraph article re. the government scrapping the red list was a little premature to say the least. The PM has just said there are no plans to do so.

 

[johncrossley]

The UK has been admitted to the EU digital COVID certificate system with effect from tomorrow.

I looked at this site yesterday

EU Digital COVID Certificate

The Commission has instigated a programme of digital vaccine certificates to facilitate the re-opening of economic and social activity as well as travel

ec.europa.eu

Yesterday the UK wasn't on the list but now it is.

So far, 18 non-EU countries (and territories) joined the EU Digital COVID Certificate system. This includes:
• Albania
• Andorra
• Armenia
• Switzerland
• Faroe Islands
• Israel
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Morocco
• Monaco
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Panama
• San Marino
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• The Vatican

 

[LAX54]

I looked at this site yesterday

EU Digital COVID Certificate

The Commission has instigated a programme of digital vaccine certificates to facilitate the re-opening of economic and social activity as well as travel

ec.europa.eu

Yesterday the UK wasn't on the list but now it is.

So that is the pdf certificate you download from the NHS Covid app ?

 

[johncrossley]

So that is the pdf certificate you download from the NHS Covid app ?

You can download it or use it direct from the app.

 

[kevin_roche]

So that is the pdf certificate you download from the NHS Covid app ?

You can download it or use it direct from the app.

As has been said above it is good idea to download it and carry a paper copy if possible as you are not reliant then of good wi-fi and a battery that works. There was not good wifi or 4G at Immigration at Gatwick or the Hotel in Spain that wanted to see my certificate when I checked in.

 

[johncrossley]

The UK's admission to the EU Digital COVID Certificate system means you can enter venues where a vaccine passport is needed without getting additional tests. But does it make it any easier to enter any countries compared to previously? Does it exempt you from quarantine or testing requirements?

 

[Watershed]

The UK's admission to the EU Digital COVID Certificate system means you can enter venues where a vaccine passport is needed without getting additional tests. But does it make it any easier to enter any countries compared to previously? Does it exempt you from quarantine or testing requirements?

In terms of entry requirements, most countries already accepted NHS Covid certificates in their own right. But this places it on a formalised basis and means that they should be able to scan/verify it in the same way as any other EU Covid certificate.

 

[danm14]

The UK's admission to the EU Digital COVID Certificate system means you can enter venues where a vaccine passport is needed without getting additional tests. But does it make it any easier to enter any countries compared to previously? Does it exempt you from quarantine or testing requirements?

If the restriction is based on the type of proof of vaccination (i.e. laxer requirements for EUDCC holders than non-EUDCC holders) then NHS Covid Pass holders should be treated as EUDCC holders. Sweden was one of the countries with this type of restriction until they unilaterally recognised the NHS Covid Pass a few weeks ago. I'm unsure if there are others.

If the restriction is based on the country you're coming from, nothing changes. This doesn't oblige countries who impose harsher restrictions on entry from non-EU countries to treat the UK as an EU country.

If there are any countries with restrictions of the former type remaining, it'll be interesting to see if they mysteriously introduce restrictions of the latter type on the UK in the near future.

 

[Cdd89]

I suspect it will have implications beyond Europe, too. Countries further afield will be more likely to recognise a valid EU DCC — representing a very large volume of tourism — than they would have been to recognise a purely U.K. one.

 

[AlterEgo]

I suspect it will have implications beyond Europe, too. Countries further afield will be more likely to recognise a valid EU DCC — representing a very large volume of tourism — than they would have been to recognise a purely U.K. one.

Are there many countries where this is the case?

 

[kristiang85]

Sorry if its already been mentioned (I've been travelling intenrsively for the last few weeks so haven't had much time to check on here) - but what's the cheapest Day 2 test I can get?

 

[Watershed]

Sorry if its already been mentioned (I've been travelling intenrsively for the last few weeks so haven't had much time to check on here) - but what's the cheapest Day 2 test I can get?

There's a £1 test available from CovidTestingDirect - the catch is you need to pick it up (before you leave) and drop it off (as it's a PCR) in person, in Cardiff or London.

Otherwise the next cheapest I've been able to find is £12 from SimplyTestMe.

 

[kristiang85]

There's a £1 test available from CovidTestingDirect - the catch is you need to pick it up (before you leave) and drop it off (as it's a PCR) in person, in Cardiff or London.

Otherwise the next cheapest I've been able to find is £12 from SimplyTestMe.

£1! Sadly that's too late for me.

Thanks for the second suggestion, I'll go for that.

 

[Butts]

There's a £1 test available from CovidTestingDirect - the catch is you need to pick it up (before you leave) and drop it off (as it's a PCR) in person, in Cardiff or London.

Otherwise the next cheapest I've been able to find is £12 from SimplyTestMe.

Thanks for the information - domestic today EDI-LHR-INV , but Greece next Saturday so will be looking for a 2 Day LF. Last one from Chronomics was £18.

 

[duncanp]

Sounds like that Telegraph article re. the government scrapping the red list was a little premature to say the least. The PM has just said there are no plans to do so.

The red list hasn't been scrapped, but there are no countries on the red list as of 4am this coming Monday (November 1st)

Now all we need to do is get the wretched Passenger Locator Form scrapped.

 

[TheAlbanach_]

Just tied using the Dutch Covid vaccine QR code scanning app. It works on my NHS Scotland QR code! Getting the green tick now. Yesterday it didn't work.