More details on international travel restrictions
There is still some confusion on international travel resulting as the PM’s speech was rather vague. I have now had time to read through the very length roadmap document. I updated yesterday’s article a few times, so for those that did not see the latest version – here are some key points.
- Until 17 May international travel will be “prohibited”.
- Currently, the legislation to “stay at home” is due to be removed on 29 March. This is the only legislation that makes travel illegal.
- However, the word prohibited sounds like they are planning to introduce new legislation but nothing has been confirmed
- From 8 March you will have to apply online for permission to leave your own country which is likely to last until 17 May.
- By 12 April there should be a roadmap for reintroducing travel. The earliest this could happen would be 17 May.
The official roadmap says,
Following 12 April recommendations , “the Government will determine when international travel should resume, which will be no earlier than Step 3. The decision on when international travel can resume will be dependent on the global and domestic epidemiological picture, the prevalence and location of any Variants of Concern, the progress of vaccine rollouts here and abroad, and what more the Government has learned about the efficacy of vaccines on variants, and the impact on transmission, hospitalisation and deaths.”
The only good news is that it does sound likely that travel will reopen at some point this summer. Let’s just hope it’s deemed safe to open by 17 May.
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10 comments
Michelle -where can I read about this form you have to fill in from 08 /03 to leave the country ? There has been no press about this ?
It’s in the road map document. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963491/COVID-19_Response_-_Spring_2021.pdf. Priti Patel announced a few weeks ago when they announced hotel quarantine but it had gone quiet.
Just read on another blog that people have already booked intl travel flying out of the UK – 17th May. A bit of a risky strategy but who knows…
I have booked an Avios flight for 17 May. No risk there!
If Using AVIOS yes, 100% guaranteed refund.
Forgot to ask, did you book anywhere nice?
I actually have a few plans for that week. US is what I originally booked but also booked Spain as a back up. Nearer the time it could change again. I’ll wait and see. But I’m determined to go somewhere!
This of course is assuming foreign countries will accept us?
Quite a few will accept us now… Maldives, Barbados, St Lucia to name a few. Quite a few more have expressed an interest such as Spain and Greece. I’m pretty hopeful.
Patel says alot of things, e.g. there would be increased policing at airports by both police and airport staff (in the speech where she moaned about influencers having a good time in the sun etc)… in my experience of recent travel there has been NO uplift in policing at airports etc – there was a marked increase of border staff checking documents on the way IN, but not OUT. Basically the government is using fear to control the population, this government is out of control and has lost the plot.
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