Travel expert Simon Calder’s 34 answers to your urgent questions on international journeys

‘As with questions on Mastermind, once you have started Covid self-isolation you have to continue’

Tourists enjoy a beach in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, a popular destination for German tourists, in Turkey, July 25, 2016 (Reuters)

The travel correspondent of The Independent is never happier than when sipping koumiss (fermented mare’s milk) with his nomadic friends from the most exotic, and the most frequently misspelt, nation on the UK’s “amber list”: Kyrgyzstan in central Asia.

They are presently preparing his usual yurt and camel for his next visit, following the announcement that restrictions from more than 150 medium-risk nations on the amber list will be eased for those who have been fully vaccinated by the NHS. The need to self-isolate on return to the UK has been removed.

Between exchanging urgent Telex messages via an intermediary in Bishkek, he paused for an hour to answer readers’ pressing questions on the summer’s travel prospects.

Vaccination vacations

Q: The announcement mentions vaccinated Britons. Does this include British citizens vaccinated outside of the UK? What about tourists from amber list countries? Will their vaccines be recognised if they seek to visit the UK on tourism or business?

Ibrahim1994

A: Anyone who lives in the UK and has been vaccinated by the NHS – or who is on a “formally approved UK vaccine clinical trial” – will not need to quarantine if they arrive from an amber list country from 4am on Monday 19 July.

The qualification is not to nationality, but where the vaccines were administered. The government says that initially it wants to ensure that a system for travellers resident in the UK can work. It can verify vaccination status with the NHS database but cannot access those of other countries.

There are hopes that the NHS certification system could be linked with the EU Digital Covid Certificate to allow freer movement for European visitors.

On Friday morning the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said he was working on accepting this European Union pass. (Interestingly, he made sound as though was still in development; the EU Digital Covid Certificate has been in operation since 1 July everywhere except Ireland.) Mr Shapps said he will make an announcement in a couple of weeks, so I imagine it might take effect in the first half of August.

Q: If a family with double-jabbed parents return from an amber country with an over-18 who is only single-jabbed, will the whole family still have to self-isolate for 10 days if they all live at the same address?

Simon 67

A: No, the only situation in which families have been affected was when there was a scare last autumn about Denmark – in particular a variant of Covid that appeared to be borne and transmitted by mink.

The government says in general: “The people you’re staying with do not need to quarantine, unless they travelled with you; you or someone in the place where you’re staying develop symptoms of Covid-19; you get a positive test result for your day 2 or day 8 test.

”If any of these things apply, your household must quarantine with you, following the same rules and for the same length of time as you.“

Q: My son is currently in Greece and due to fly back on Saturday 17 July. Will he still need to quarantine and have day 2 and 8 tests? He is double vaccinated but only had second vaccine on 29 June which doesn’t yet show on his NHS App. I understand it won’t show until 14 days after it was administered.

Lindy Lou

A: Yes, he would need to complete the whole quarantine if he does come back on 17 July. As with questions on Mastermind, once you have started Covid self-isolation you have to continue. The only ways to cut it short: in England, by paying for an extra “test to release” on day five of quarantine; and anywhere in the UK, by leaving the country again.

But why doesn’t he stay a little longer and return on 19 July? I am seeing Ryanair from Athens to Stansted for £51 on that day – around the price he would pay for a day eight test alone.

Meanwhile his NHS jabbed status should appear on 13 or 14 July.

Q: We fly back from an amber country on Saturday 17 July (fully vaccinated). We will still have to do the the full 10 day quarantine and take the day 8 test?

DJH 50

A: Yes, you would need to complete the whole quarantine. As above, why not extend your stay by a couple of days?

Q: What is the situation for people who have received one of the AstraZeneca vaccines reported to have been made in India to travel to France? The NHS app shows these as Vaxzevria which is listed on the French government site as approved, But there appears to be no official guidance on whether people can travel to the EU as “vaccinated” if they have received this vaccine.

Ali H

A: I have heard absolutely no reports of any British people being turned away from France because of the batch number on their AstraZeneca vaccines. The transport operators I have contacted report the same.

Malta, however, has just imposed restrictions. A statement from the government said: “The AstraZeneca vaccine from the batch numbers: 4120Z001, 4120Z002 and 412Z003, also known as Covishield, will not be an accepted proof of vaccination for entry to Malta.”

I am urgently trying to find out why the Mediterranean nation has imposed this restriction.

Q: I am getting my second jab a week before travelling to Cyprus for my wedding in August. I am concerned that if the NHS app is only way to prove it, then it won’t be updated until two weeks after the jab.

Sean Emson

A: In your position I would do all I could to move the second jab forward – including standing by at the vaccination centre in case there are any spare doses.

Q: We have booked to go to Venice for my son’s 18th birthday. We’re only there for two nights. He’ll be 17 when we fly out and 18 when we return. He won’t have been vaccinated. Will he have to isolate on our return as he’ll be 18?

Caroline K

A: Yes. He will need to quarantine. Can you not possibly move the dates a couple of days earlier? Anyway happy birthday to him.

Q: Will Sinopharm vaccines received abroad, for example by British expatriates, prove beneficial in swerving quarantine?

Ibrahim1994

A: Not at this stage. The Chinese vaccines Sinopharm and Sinovac have not been approved by the MHRA in the UK, and both appear a long way from being accepted.

In any event, as mentioned above the government says only UK residents vaccinated in the UK are able to swerve quarantine when returning from amber list countries.

“Traffic light” changes

Q: What are the chances of France and Canada getting on the next green list?

Em1

A: Both countries are far safer to be in than the UK at the moment. Each is managing a successful vaccination programmes and good genomic sequencing capability. However that is not a guarantee of inclusion on the green list. All I can say is that the new health secretary appears to be less against international travel than his predecessor.

Q: With a very low number of coronavirus cases and over 40 per cent of the population having been jabbed, how likely is it that Germany makes the cut for the green list?

“D94”

A: I agree Germany is a good candidate to go green on the next review of “traffic light” classifications on 15 July, along with locations such as Italy and Poland.

The government in the UK assures everyone that all decisions are based on the science.

The travel industry, and many prospective visitors to current amber and red list countries, is desperate to see the governments working. The subject of a court case involving Manchester Airports Group. I will be following the case with interest.

Q: Spain’s Covid rates seem quite high (though lower than ours). Do you think there is a risk they may be put on the red list in August?

Josie1970

A: I think the prospect of any major tourism destination going on the red list at very short notice is low. Apart from anything else there would have to be potentially hundreds of thousands of hotel rooms ready and waiting, with all the attendant security and medical care, etc.

Q: Is it reasonable to expect a few days’ notice if green watchlist locations turn amber on 15 July or will they change with immediate effect as they can change “without warning”?

We are double-jabbed, in green watchlist Majorca which could change to amber due to rising cases. We are returning to England on 17 July (two days before the new amber isolation rules) and hoping that the Balearics will still be green when we return.

Helen P

A: My sense is that you will probably get five or six days warning. The UK government has brought in immediate crackdowns only very occasionally, and I sense it slightly wished it had not been so hasty.

Q: What date will new green list additions made on 15 July be implemented?

ABCH

A: Assuming the same pattern as previous reviews is followed, it will take effect on Wednesday 21 July at 4 am.

Q: Do you think any EU countries will be placed on the red list in next week’s review? It would seem harsh given the amount of cases here and the rising vaccinations in Europe if any were added to red.

Roger 573

A: The leading candidate appears to be Cyprus.

People vaccinated abroad

Q: Grant Shapps stated yesterday that the new rules were for UK residents only because other countries could not prove their vaccination status. This is incorrect. In both Switzerland and the EU we have a public Covid certification app that does the same thing as the NHS one, as well as a second app that lets us verify the QR code of the certification app.

Why is the UK making it so hard, putting leisure travel above family reunification? European school holidays end mid-August for many, so waiting for further deliberation from the UK government is not helpful.

ABCH

A: Families and partners who are desperate to come to the UK will have to wait until the government is good and ready, I’m afraid. In addition, the UK used to have a very flourishing inbound tourism industry, worth £28 billion every year, but the government appears to regard it as disposable.

There is no urgency about inviting either British expatriates or overseas tourists being welcomed in without quarantine.

Q: I’m a Brit living in Turkey, which is on the red list. I’ve just received my third vaccine shot as I’m over 60. Assuming Turkey gets a long overdue upgrade to the amber list on the next traffic light system review, will I still need to self isolate for 10 days?

PaulCR

A: Yes. Even if Turkey goes amber, your non-UK jabs will be disregarded.

Q: I’m living in India, double vaccinated (Moderna) and hoping to finally get back to see my mum in Europe and son in UK. Can I avoid hotel quarantine. Would my unvaccinated Aussie partner also with me here in India also be able to come?

P T Lloyd

A: If you are in India, I suggest you find a green list country that will allow you to enter, then spend 10 days there before proceeding to the UK – whereupon you will not need to quarantine. As has been previously mentioned any non-UK vaccinations are irrelevant.

Recovery mode

Q: The travel status for those who have had Covid recently and then will have had one vaccine is unclear. We are travelling to France in mid-August with young people (aged 21) who have recently had Covid but won’t have had their second jab until after our trip.

Will their recovery status allow them to travel without quarantining on return?

“Mom in Wales”

A: Other countries, and the European Union as a whole, have long said that evidence of recovery from Covid is equivalent to vaccination. The UK government, as part of its continued exceptionalism, has never regarded recovery as of significance. The language used by ministers indicates that there will be no haste at all in opening up options for easier travel.

Testing times

Q: I read your travel newsletter this week and it had a photo of a Ryanair flipchart at Liverpool Airport showing necessary travel documents for each destination. On Ireland, Portugal and Spain it had “No NHS” – you also mentioned it.

What does “No NHS” mean please in this case? Is it just the fact that you cant use an NHS testing facility to have a test or something more technical - It wasn’t listed against France for example where you could just “check in” or Bulgaria where it referenced a vaccine certificate.

David G

A: The reference to “No NHS” is entirely to reinforce the point that tests provided by the organisation cannot be used for international travel.

Q: I see some airlines, such as Tui, are doing their own PCR tests at lower cost. Would you be able to provide a list of UK airlines doing the same?

Gary Murphy

A: Many airlines – and holiday companies – offer tie-ins with test providers that offer reduced rates. Tui goes one better and actually appears to subsidise testing packages for its holiday customers. Whichever company you are travelling with, they are almost bound to have a deal with someone.

Q: I have a query about the test prior to returning to England from a holiday break in France. How do I ensure the pre-departure Covid test is acceptable to UK Border Force? On the gov.uk website there is a detailed technical specification, but it seems unlikely a pharmacy in rural France would be familiar with UK government regulations.

HPCP

A: I agree that the British government’s specification for a “test-to-fly” looks very daunting. However pharmacies abroad appear to be au fait with the UK rules and competent at meeting them. Also the good news is that French is one of the three official languages (along with Spanish and English) in which the pre-departure test can be written.

Q: A similar question to HPCP above. I am planning to take a UK purchased lateral flow test to France to complete before returning to the UK, I will upload results and receive a certificate. Several companies appear to meet the eligibility criteria for this but I have seen comments recently about french border force rejecting UK purchased tests, this goes against gov.uk advice. Can you shed any light? Thank you.

Hana 2015

A: Many travellers have successfully used kits that they have brought from the UK to “test-to-fly” on their return home. “Order your test before your trip and take it in your suitcase,” says Qured, which sells them for £39. “Results in just 20 minutes, overseen on video call by a health advisor.”

I am not sure why French border force would reject UK purchased tests for use as pre-departure tests before travelling home.

But there have been some cases of people being denied boarding with such tests. Personally I would always get a locally sourced test to avoid any potential problems.

Q: Do the free lateral flow tests from the NHS count as a “fit-to-fly” test to return to the UK before booking a PCR test on day two? If these are reliable enough to be used in schools and work places, are they accepted for fit to fly purposes?

Lisa S

A: No. The only travel context in which I believe NHS lateral flow tests may be used is for travel from the Scottish mainland to the islands – three days ahead of departure and on the day itself. All other travel related tests must be acquired and paid for privately.

This is not because NHS tests are regarded as ineffective in any way – it’s just that the UK wants to verify how

Q: I am flying from UK to Germany on 6 August at 11am, and will be back in the UK by 7am the following morning. Can I take a test in UK and use the same results on my return? Does it have to be a PCR test ?

Ianie

A: Vaccinated travellers to Germany need not take a test before arrival. On such a short trip, it is sensible to take the “test-to-fly” for the UK before you have even left – on 4, 5 or 6 August. A cheap and quick lateral flow test will be fine.

Q: I will be in Sikinos and then Sifnos in the Cyclades in the 72 hours before travelling home from Athens (no stopover on the mainland). I can’t find anything about how to get a PCR test in either of those islands. Can you help? There must be lots of people travelling to more remote islands but there doesn’t seem to be any info available.

Teresa R

A: Sounds a great trip. Happily, as you are travelling back via Athens, there is no problem. You can barely move for testing options at Athens airport, including a rapid antigen facility on the arrivals level between exits two and three that is open 24 hours.

Q: Exemption from quarantine for fully vaccinated people returning to the UK is a good start, but what chance an exemption from testing (pre-travel and following arrival) too? The expense and inconvenience make them prohibitive.

Very Old Bill

A: I challenge the fruitfulness of multiple tests for vaccinated arriving travellers, but the government is absolutely set on maintaining the obligation. There is still significant opposition among ministers to opening up international travel at scale, and insisting on increasing costs by imposing tests is a very good way of dampening demand.

Q: Do you think the big testing firms like Randox and Collinson will be able to cope with all the people needing PCR tests before/after travel?

Josie1970

A: The PCR test industry is having a fantastically good summer, financially, and I’m pretty sure that the big firms will have plans in place to cope with a large increase in people travelling – and a consequent sharp rise in their revenue.

I am not sure that the government’s argument that they want to sequence PCR tests from returning travellers is particularly valid; the number of positive tests from green list countries that have been sequenced is very low. So expect to see cheap and quick lateral flow replacing PCRs soon.

I further predict that from the moment the UK government says you don’t need a PCR test on return from a green list the country (or amber list if you’re jabbed) the price of PCR tests will plummet.

Q: Like many others I m desperate to see my relatives (in France) after a year. Do you think the French authorities will drop the negative test requirements on entry for vaccinated travellers from the UK any time soon?

Also, I presume EU citizens residing in the UK (with settled status) have the same right as vaccinated Britons when returning to the UK after a trip to an amber country?

Celine P

A: 1 I imagine the French rules for vaccinated travellers will be eased soon.

2 Yes, the test is: where did you get your jabs? If UK via NHS, you are able to swerve quarantine from amber list countries such as France.

Passing through

Q: Do you have any info on the Iata Travel Pass? Like when it will go live for all, which airlines and countries will use it? Seems to me that this could be the worldwide standard, maybe?

HK rules

A: Soon after the coronavirus crisis began, organisations with an interest in travel continuing were swift to work on ways to reduce barriers.

The International Air Transport Association (Iata) was way ahead of the curve in developing systems for certification, but its system is still struggling for worldwide acceptance.

Instead, it’s (almost) every country for itself. The closest we have got to multinational acceptance is the EU Digital Covid Certificate.

Q: What’s the current best guess on EU recognition of the NHS vaccine certificates and vice versa? Talks are ongoing but is there an agreement coming in July or August?

Ciaran O’C

A: Because every European Union country is sovereign, those who are keen to attract British visitors are already well up to speed on accepting NHS certification of vaccination.

In the opposite direction the UK may get something working by, say, early August, to allow EU visitors to use their digital Covid certificates to swerve amber-list quarantine on arrival in Britain.

Q: Disruption at airports has been forecast with queues of up to six hours, based on the fact that Brits vaccinated in the UK can now travel freely. Should Brits who were not vaccinated in the UK expect less disruption going through Heathrow to return home to their families, or do they get to suffer through all of the chaos and none of the benefits?

ABCH

A: The Immigration Services Union has warned of very long queues, and on Friday the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said, “people should expect more disruption than usual” at the UK border. But personal experience over the past eight weeks suggests queues are moving swiftly even at busy airports at peak times.

Q: We are double-vaccinated and would like to travel on the P and O ferry from Hull to Rotterdam so that we can visit Holland and Germany. It doesn’t seem as if Holland will let us in yet. Is this likely to change soon?

Anne C

A: According to the Dutch, the UK is a very high-risk country. Vaccinated or not, you will not get in unless you have residence in the Netherlands.

Q: I’m a UK citizen, fully vaccinated in France. I need to return to the UK for one day only. Do I need Day 2 test booked to get into the UK after 19 July?

Jamie 9

A: Being fully vaccinated in France is of no interest to the UK. If you can get in and out of the UK in a day, then it is straightforward to do so without much of a fuss. If you are staying overnight, then you have to register for a test.

American adventure

Q: To enter the US we need to spend 14 or more days outside the British Isles or the Schengen Zone immediately prior to arrival.

Would time spent on a transatlantic cruise meet this test? We are sailing on P&O’s Britannia, departing Madeira on 26 October and arriving in St Lucia on 13 November.

MTl3108

A: The relevant metric for avoiding US restrictions on visitors from across the Atlantic is: have you been in the UK or the European Union within the past 14 days? Therefore the clock starts ticking when you leave Madeira (or if the ship is calling in the Azores, those Portuguese islands). Either way, it appears clear you will have 14 full days away from the UK/EU and, subject to other US regulations on admission.