COVID Border Regulations: Understanding the UK’s “Traffic Light System”

The EU
vaccine passport is in its rollout phases and vaccinations across the UK are
moving along swiftly. With these two events coinciding, it was expected that
travel restrictions would be eased in time for the summer but the UK’s “Traffic
Light System” is still giving the red light to many countries.

The system
has used a three-tier model of red, amber, and green listed countries
suggesting various levels of isolation and freedom of movement. The system is
fluid and countries could move up or down on the lists, depending on their
current COVID transmission rate.

Travel from
the UK has not been restricted to the EU but recent comments from German
Chancellor, Angela Merkel, suggest that the EU is looking to impose quarantine
measures on the UK. This after the Delta variant has swept across the nation.

Here is
everything you need to know about the current state of affairs of the Traffic
Light System and who can travel into the UK for leisure purposes.

Green List Countries

The Green
list started with only a handful of countries but many more were added on 30
June. The following countries can enjoy travel without quarantine to the UK:

• Anguilla          
• Antarctica/British Antarctic Territory
• Antigua and Barbuda 
• Australia         
• Balearic islands (Formentera, Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca)     
• Barbados        
• Bermuda        
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• British Virgin Islands  
• Brunei
• Cayman Islands          
• Dominica        
• Falkland Islands          
• Faroe Islands  
• Gibraltar        
• Grenada         
• Iceland
• Israel and Jerusalem  
• Malta 
• Montserrat     
• New Zealand  
• Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands          
• Singapore       
• South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands  
• St Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha 
• Turks and Caicos Islands

Citizens travelling
from these destinations need not quarantine as the risk posed by these
countries is minimal. A passenger locator form is to be filled in upon arrival
and a negative PCR test result must be submitted. For extra precaution,
passengers must also take another PCR test 2 days after arrival.

This list
is expected to expand in the near future.

Amber List Countries

All
countries not listed as green or red will fall in the amber category. This
includes most of the territories in the EU as well as America.

 These countries are seen as medium risk and
passengers must therefore undergo self-quarantine for 10-days upon arrival. On
days 2 and 8 after arrival, passengers must take PCR tests to monitor their
health condition. They must also provide a negative PCR test taken just before
departure and can opt to test on day 5 for early release.

Red List Countries

These
countries pose the biggest threat as their daily infection rate is much higher
than the world average. This list also includes countries where COVID variants
have been detected.

• Afghanistan    
• Angola
• Argentina       
• Bahrain          
• Bangladesh    
• Bolivia
• Botswana       
• Brazil  
• Burundi          
• Cape Verde    
• Chile   
• Colombia        
• Congo (Democratic Republic)
• Costa Rica      
• Dominican Republic   
• Ecuador          
• Egypt  
• Eritrea
• Eswatini          
• Ethiopia          
• French Guiana
• Guyana           
• Haiti   
• Kenya 
• Lesotho           
• Malawi
• Maldives        
• Mongolia        
• Mozambique  
• Namibia         
• Nepal  
• Oman 
• Pakistan          
• Panama          
• Paraguay        
• Peru    
• Philippines      
• Qatar  
• Rwanda          
• Seychelles      
• Somalia          
• South Africa   
• Sri Lanka         
• Sudan 
• Suriname        
• Tanzania         
• Trinidad and Tobago  
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Uganda           
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)  
• Uruguay         
• Venezuela      
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Travel from
the above nations is strictly prohibited except for British and Irish citizens
or if the individual has residency rights in the UK. In these cases, passengers
will have to quarantine in a government-approved facility for 10-days and
complete 2 COVID tests during that time.

What Does This Mean for
Immigration?

The sudden
border closures of 2020 caused widespread chaos for many who had to put their
immigration plans on hold. Horror stories were abundant of people whose whole
lives have been packed into shipping containers, only for them to be stranded
with no home to lock down in. Others were unable to finalize their visa
applications as embassies shut down when the world came to a standstill.

This limbo
continued for months and even as restrictions are being lifted, there is still
mass confusion as red tape becomes increasingly difficult to manoeuvre. The
question remains, should I stay or should I go?

The good
news is, visa applications have re-started, and once granted, you can enter the
UK with only a few restrictions.

Even though
South Africa is on the Red List, you may enter the country with the correct paperwork
if you have arranged for isolation through the quarantine hotel scheme.

This is
currently only applicable to those who will travel for essential purposes such
as family reunification and work.

The program
runs at a cost of £1,750 which covers the cost of 10-days in the pre-approved hotel
as well as PCR tests on day 2 and 8 of your stay. It is also important to note
that these hotels are only located near the following airports:

• Aberdeen
• Birmingham
• Edinburgh
• Farnborough
• Glasgow
• London
  City Airport
• London
  Gatwick
• London
  Heathrow

Move Up’s Ryan Rennison explains that travel for leisure is not on the cards at the moment but applications are open.

“If you are looking to travel for non-essential purposes, you can apply for the visa but the processing authority will keep your passport until such time when South Africa is removed from the red list. The British government has previously said they will review these lists every three weeks and assess which country can be moved to a more favourable list.”

Rennison is hopeful that the application process will come out of this more efficient and those hopeful immigrants can continue their journeys in the near future.

“It is reassuring to see progress is being made and as vaccine rollouts continue this process will become even more streamlined.”

Keep an eye
out for the latest news on vaccine passports though as this is set to become
the next pre-requisite for entering the UK in the near future.