Government Response

The Government responded to this petition on Tuesday 6th July 2021

Public health has always been our number one priority and we will not risk throwing away our hard-won achievements which have only been possible through the work of the British people

We recognise the impact that restrictions and this pandemic have had on many people. We have made enormous progress this past year in tackling the pandemic across Britain. That progress has been hard won and it is important that we do not risk undermining it now.


In 2019, UK residents took over 93 million trips abroad, for business, leisure and to visit friends and family. International travel is vital. It connects families who have been kept apart, boosts businesses and underpins the UK economy. It is absolutely essential that any steps we take now, lay the groundwork for a sustainable return to travel.

To protect the nation from the spread of Covid-19 particularly any new variants of concern, the government has put in place proportionate measures, informed by the latest scientific data and public health advice from a world-leading range of experts.

The purpose of our travel measures is to protect public health and the vaccine rollout as our top priority, while ensuring that our route out of the international travel restrictions is sustainable.

The traffic light system categorises countries based on risk to protect public health and the vaccine rollout from variants of COVID-19. The Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) produces risk assessments of countries and territories. Decisions on Red, Amber or Green List assignment and associated border measures are taken by Ministers, who take into account the JBC risk assessments, alongside wider public health factors. Vaccination status is considered in the risk assessment, but the JBC is looking for the outcome of vaccination programmes, i.e. reduced levels of infection including variants of concern.

In the interests of continuing to protect public health, the public are being advised against leisure travel to countries categorised as ‘Amber’ and ‘Red’.

International arrivals from red-list countries or those who have departed from or transited through a red list country in the previous 10 days are required to quarantine for 10 days in a managed quarantine hotel and take a PCR test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8.

There are some instances where travellers might be able to get an exemption from needing to quarantine. These exemptions are exceptional and limited, and you will need evidence to support your request.

For those facing significant financial hardship as a result of this charge, there will be an opportunity to apply for a deferred repayment plan when booking. They will be required to pay back the debt to the government in 12 monthly instalments.

The measures were formally reviewed on 28th June taking into account of the domestic and international health picture with 6 more countries added to the red list on 30th June.

In recognition of our successful domestic vaccination programme, and as part of the Global Travel Taskforce’s 28th June checkpoint review, our intention is that later in the summer, arrivals who are fully vaccinated will not have to quarantine when travelling from amber list countries.

To sustain the success of our vaccination programme, this exemption for fully vaccinated will be only for amber arrivals. We expect this to occur in phases, starting with people who have been vaccinated in the UK. All amber list arrivals will still be required to take a test on Day 2, and any positive results will be sequenced to continue to manage the risk of importing variants.

Until implementation passengers must continue to abide by quarantine rules when returning to the UK from an amber list country.

All arrivals from red list countries weather fully vaccinated or not are expected to continue with the 10 days quarantine in a managed quarantine facility.

Recognising the strong strategic rationale and success of the vaccine programme, we will continue to look into the role of vaccinations in shaping a different set of health and testing measures for inbound travel at the next review stages of the traffic light system.

Department of Health and Social Care

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