These exemptions are valid as at 14th January 2021. All our advice will remain under constant review to take into account the latest situation in each country.
These countries have been assessed as no longer presenting an unacceptably high risk to British people travelling abroad. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice is based on risks to British nationals, including in-country public health assessments.
You do not need to self-isolate if you’re travelling to England from one of the countries, territories or regions listed on this page. You must have spent the last 14 days in one of these places, or in the UK.
If you visited somewhere that is not on the list in the 14 days before your arrival in England, you will need to self-isolate. Visiting includes making a transit stop.
You will still need to complete the passenger locator form before you enter the UK.
Updates to the travel corridor list
We will keep the conditions in these countries, territories and regions under review. If they worsen we will reintroduce self-isolation requirements.
Countries, territories or regions removed from the travel corridor list
The following countries and territories will be removed from the exempt list at 4am, Saturday 16 January:
If you arrive in England from Aruba, Bonaire/St Eustatius/Saba, or Qatar after 4am Saturday 16 January, you will need to self-isolate.
If you arrive in England from Aruba, Bonaire/St Eustatius/Saba or Qatar before 4am Saturday 16 January, you may not need to self-isolate. Read the rules about when you need to self-isolate and for how long.
The following countries and territories were removed from the exempt list at 4am, Friday 15 January:
If you arrive in England from the Azores, Madeira or Chile after 4am Friday 15 January, you will need to self-isolate.
If you arrived in England from the Azores, Madeira or Chile before 4am Friday 15 January, you may not need to self-isolate. Read the rules about when you need to self-isolate and for how long.
United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm Al-Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah) was removed from the exempt list at 4am Tuesday 12 January.
If you arrive in England from the United Arab Emirates after 4am Tuesday 12 January, you will need to self-isolate.
If you arrived in England from the United Arab Emirates before 4am Tuesday 12 January, you may not need to self-isolate. Read the rules about when you need to self-isolate and for how long.
Botswana, Israel (and Jerusalem), Mauritius and Seychelles were removed from the exempt list at 4am Saturday 9 January.
If you arrive in England from Botswana, Israel (and Jerusalem), Mauritius or Seychelles after 4am Saturday 9 January, you will need to self-isolate.
If you arrived in England from Botswana, Israel (and Jerusalem), Mauritius or Seychelles before 4am Saturday 9 January, you may not need to self-isolate. Read the rules about when you need to self-isolate and for how long.
Countries, territories or regions added to the travel corridor list
No countries, territories or regions have been added to the travel corridor list.
Test to release scheme
Under the Test to Release for International Travel scheme people returning to England who need to self-isolate will be able to take a COVID test with a private test provider to see if they can end their self-isolation early.
Travel corridor exemption rules
Coronavirus (COVID-19) regulations mean that you must self-isolate for 10 days when you arrive in the UK. This applies to UK residents and visitors to the UK.
You do not have to self-isolate on arrival in England if, during the last 10 days, you have only been somewhere on the travel corridor exempt list, or in the UK.
If you visit somewhere that is not exempt
You will need to self-isolate when you arrive in England if you visit somewhere that is not exempt in the 10 days before you arrive. Visiting includes making a transit stop.
You will need to self-isolate for up to 10 days - the exact number of days depends on when you left the non-exempt country, territory or region.
Example
You are in a country that is not on the travel corridor list - a ‘non-exempt’ country. You leave the non-exempt country and you spend 2 days in a country that is on the travel corridor list.
After 2 days you travel to England. You will only need to self-isolate for 8 days when you arrive in England.
Transit stops
A transit stop is a stop where passengers can get on or off. It can apply to coaches, ferries, trains or flights. Your ticket should show if a stop is a transit stop.
If your journey involves a transit stop in a country, territory or region not on the travel corridor list, you will need to self-isolate when you arrive in England if:
You don’t need to self-isolate beyond normal timescales if, during your transit stop in a non-exempt country, territory or region:
Private vehicles
You don’t need to self-isolate if you travel through a non-exempt country, territory or region and you don’t stop there.
If you do make a stop, you don’t need to self-isolate if:
You do need to self-isolate if you make a stop and:
Arrival in the UK – passenger locator form
You must show proof of a completed passenger locator form at the UK border.
This applies to people entering the UK from all countries, territories and regions.
It applies to UK residents and visitors.
You should complete the form before you enter the UK.
You can complete it any time in the 48 hour period before you are due to arrive in the UK.
Make sure you leave yourself enough time to complete it. If you do not complete the form before you arrive in the UK, it might take you longer to enter the UK.
The form is an online form. You will need an internet connection and details of your journey to complete it.
Failure to complete the form is a criminal offence.
People on domestic flights and people arriving from Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands don’t have to complete the form. There are also a small number of people who don’t have to complete the form because of the jobs they do.
National lockdown restrictions apply in England. Find out about the restrictions and what you can and cannot do.
Travelling abroad from the UK – foreign travel advice
National restrictions
Under national restrictions you cannot travel abroad unless it is for work, education or other legally permitted reasons.
If you do travel abroad, you will have to follow the coronavirus rules in the place you travel to. This may include self-isolating, providing your details to local authorities, testing for coronavirus, or even restrictions on entry.
You should check the COVID-19 foreign travel guidance before you travel.
Make sure you have appropriate travel insurance in case you have unexpected costs.
If you have coronavirus symptoms
Do not travel if you have coronavirus symptoms.
Tell a member of the staff or crew if you develop symptoms while travelling.
Notes
The global coronavirus pandemic is ongoing. No travel is risk-free, and disruption is still possible. If you plan to travel:
1. Please read the coronavirus travel guidance to make sure you are prepared for your travel.
2. Please read the Travel Advice for your destination, for information on local coronavirus measures that you will need to follow.
3. Different nations of the UK may have different rules, please check with the country you are travelling from for their latest guidance.
4. The list of exempt countries can change at any timne. The latest list can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors
