Coronavirus restrictions in the United Kingdom are constantly changing so it is always best to check the latest Coronavirus updates for the United Kingdom on the government website.

The devolved nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different restrictions please check the government websites. 

For detailed information on local restrictions in different areas across England    

Local restrictions: areas with an outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19)

England:

Latest Coronavirus statistics for England 

Scotland:

https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/ 

Wales

https://gov.wales/coronavirus 

Northern Ireland 

https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/covid-19-guidance 

Face coverings are mandatory in all public settings. 

You are required to wear a face-covering in the following settings:

People are also strongly encouraged to wear face coverings in any other enclosed public spaces where there are people they do not normally meet.

You do not need to wear a face-covering if you have a legitimate reason not to. This includes (but is not limited to):

• children under 11

• because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability

• to communicate with someone who relies on lip reading

• to avoid harm or injury; to identify yourself

• to eat or drink if necessary

   

    

There are new rules on face coverings, mixing with other households, and how businesses operate

For detailed information on local restrictions in different areas across the United Kingdom Local restrictions: areas with an outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19)

No, as of 14 November 2020 Qatar has been removed from the self-isolation country list. You do not need to self-isolate when entering the United Kingdom, but you must still complete this form before you travel. You cannot submit the form until 48 hours before you’re due to arrive in the UK.

You’ll need to show your completed form when you arrive at the UK border, either by printing a copy or showing it on your phone.

The government will use this information to contact you if you or someone you’ve travelled with develops coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms. 

You may be fined £100 if you refuse to provide your contact details in England.

All visitors entering the UK, not on the country exemption list must self-isolate for the first 14 days of entry into the UK.

Before arriving in the UK, visitors will be asked to provide details of their journey and contact information. 

You must complete this form before you travel. You cannot submit the form until 48 hours before you’re due to arrive in the UK.

You’ll need to show your completed form when you arrive at the UK border, either by printing a copy or showing it on your phone.

The government will use this information to contact you if you or someone you’ve travelled with develops coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms and to check that you’re self-isolating for the first 14 days after you arrive in the UK.

You may be fined £100 if you refuse to provide your contact details in England, £1,000 if you refuse to self-isolate in England, or you could face further action.

Self-isolation Exemptions

You do not need to self-isolate if you’re travelling from, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and have been there for more than 14 days.

Other self-isolation exemption

• Individuals arriving to attend pre-arranged treatment.

You will still need to provide your journey and contact details. You will be able to travel to and from your healthcare provider and the place you’re staying in the UK. At all other times outside of treatment, you will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

You may be asked to show a medical letter from your doctor provider explaining your treatment.

If you are bringing a care companion with you to the UK, they will need a letter from your doctor confirming that they’re providing you with care.

 Other self-isolation exemption

• Members of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the UK, officers, servants or representatives of international organisations, representatives at an international or UK conference granted privileges and immunities, and their families or dependents

You should follow separate advice if you need to self-isolate in:

Scotland

Wales

Before you travel to the UK from anywhere outside the Common Travel Area, you should provide your journey, contact details and the address where you will self-isolate. You will be able to complete the public health passenger locator form 48 hours before you arrive. You must present these details on your arrival in England.

You may be refused permission to enter the UK (if you are not a British citizen), or fined if you do not provide your contact details or do not self-isolate unless you arrive in the UK from an exempt country.

More information:

UK Government Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK

Coronavirus (COVID-19): travellers exempt from English border rules

No

You must self-isolate on arrival in the UK if, at any point in the 14 days before your arrival, you have visited or made a transit stop in a non-exempt country or territory.

You will need to self-isolate if you have visited or made a transit stop in a country or territory that is not on the list within the 14 days before you arrive in the UK. The period of time you will need to self-isolate will depend on when you visited or made a transit stop in a non-exempt country.

For example, if you are in a country that is not exempt and you travel to a country that is exempt and you stay there for 4 days from the day after you arrive.

You then travel to the UK.

When you get to the UK, you will need to self-isolate for 10 days. That is because you have spent 4 complete days in a country that is exempt before arriving in the UK.

In England, if you do not self-isolate, you can receive a fixed penalty notice of £1,000. If you do not provide an accurate contact detail declaration – or do not update your contact detail form in the limited circumstances where you need to move from the accommodation where you’re self-isolating to another place to continue self-isolating – you can be fined up to £3,200.

Plans are being put in place to introduce Coronavirus testing at Airports but there is no clear information as of yet on the process and how to will change self-isolation and quarantine requirements.

Face coverings – All passengers aged 6 and older are required to wear face coverings at all times within all terminal buildings.

Social distancing – All passengers are required to adhere to social-distancing rules and procedures at all airport

Temperature screening trials - Heathrow is now trialling temperature screening in Terminal 2 Arrivals and a small number of Terminal 5 departures.

VAT Refunds – For VAT refunds, Travelex will operate a post box service and process forms when they are able to reopen stores. Passengers wishing to use this service can drop their forms in the dedicated VAT post boxes next to Customs.

For more information on specific airports please visit the airport websites

England and Wales

The new NHS COVID-19 app is available to download for free in England and Wales, is the fastest way to see if you're at risk from coronavirus.

Download the NHS COVID-19 app

Scotland

Download the Protect Scotland contact tracing app.

Northern Ireland

Download the Stop COVID NI Proximity App

There are different lockdown restrictions across the United Kingdom. 

It is better to check directly with the company or branch of hospitality via their websites, for any specific COVID regulations. 

Always check with the establishment before you attend.

For now, you do not need to provide a PCR or coronavirus test before entering the UK, although this is liable to change. You do need to provide your journey and contact details 48 Hours before you are due to arrive in the UK.

Ireland is moving from a short-term emergency response approach to a medium-term approach to managing risk and repairing the damage that COVID-19 has inflicted on society.

The Framework for Restrictive Measures will help us to go about our daily lives as much as possible while managing the behaviour of the virus. The Framework consists of 5 Levels.

All counties in Ireland are at Level 5. The public health risk means that you will be asked to stay at home, with certain exemptions.

There will be no social gatherings other than small number at funerals and weddings. School and childcare services will remain open.  

Coronavirus restrictions in Ireland are constantly changing so it is always best to check the latest Coronavirus updates for the United Kingdom on the government website.

Face coverings must be worn in all indoor public settings

All counties in Ireland are at a Level 5. 

As such some restaurants will only provide take away services. 

Museums and exhibitions remain closed.

Hotels may remain open but only to provide provision of essential services.

Always check with any establishment before attending on their Coronavirus regulations.

For more information visit the Irish Government Website

COVID Tracker is a free app for your mobile phone. It will help us to protect each other and slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ireland.

Using the COVID Tracker app along with the existing public health measures will help us all stay safe when we meet up, socialise, work or travel.

The app can:

• alert you if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19

• advise you on what to do to protect yourself and others

• alert other app users that you were in close contact with if you test positive for COVID-19

Download the App

If you are travelling to Ireland from a location that is listed on the COVID-19 Green List, you are asked to follow normal public health advice while in the State.

Passengers arriving into Ireland from locations not included on the COVID-19 Green List are asked to restrict their movements for 14 days on entry into the State.

Restricting your movements means staying indoors and avoiding contact with other people and social situations as much as possible and is more stringent than the public health measures applying to the wider public.

You must fill in a form before you arrive in Ireland called the COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form. Failure to do so is an offence.

If you are travelling onwards to Northern Ireland, you will have to fill out a portion of the form.

Click here to complete the online COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form.

For more information visit the Irish travel advice website

Travelling to Ireland from a location that is not on the COVID-19 Green List

Travelling to Ireland from a location that is on the COVID-19 Green List

Latest updates on Coronavirus in Ireland

You can protect yourself and others from infection by following these recommendations

• Wash your hands regularly with water and soap, for at least 20 seconds each time.

• If water and soap are not readily available, use hand disinfectant.

• Avoid touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Clean often-used surfaces more often.

• If you need to cough or sneeze, do so into your elbow or use a disposable handkerchief. This will prevent droplets on your hands. Take care that you do not cough or sneeze onto others.

• Limit close contact with other people, such as handshakes and hugs. Find other means that do not involve touch to greet people.

• Use masks where it is difficult to maintain social distancing. Masks are an important addition to personal infection prevention but do not replace hand washing and other infection prevention measures.

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Masks covering the mouth and nose must be worn where it is not possible to keep a distance of 1 metre from people you do not know by using limits to the number of people. It is important to read the instructions on the use of facemasks. This applies e.g. to public transport, including domestic flights and passenger ferries, and operations such as hair salons and massage parlours.

For more information on Coronavirus restrictions in Iceland please visit the Icelandic Government Website.

The Icelandic authorities require all arrivals from risk areas to undergo quarantine.

All passengers travelling to Iceland are required to fill out a pre-registration form before arrival, which includes their contact information, address during their quarantine in Iceland and a declaration of health. Children born 2005 or later are exempt from pre-registration, testing and quarantine related to travel.

Quarantine duration after travel from a risk area is 14 days but by undergoing a test for COVID-19 on arrival to Iceland and again after 5 days, this period may be shortened.

A fee is charged for the test, payable on registration or at the border when the first sample is collected. The 2nd test is included in this charge.

Travel restrictions

From Europe: Restrictions were lifted on June 15 to visitors holding passports (or valid residency) from EU/EFTA countries and the UK.

From Canada: Travel restrictions were lifted from July 15 for holders of Canadian passports.

From the USA: Iceland continues to implement the travel restrictions imposed for the Schengen Area. Travel restrictions remain in place until further notice for holders of US passports.

The contract tracing app Rakning C-19 is an important link in the chain of response to COVID-19. The app helps to analyse individuals’ travel and trace their movements against those of other people when cases of infection or suspected infection arise.

Download the Rakning C-19 COVID App