Travel restrictions for Indians eased in United Kingdom

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London (Image: Pixabay)
London (Image: Pixabay)

London : India has been moved from red to amber list that means fully-vaccinated Indian travellers will no longer have to go under 10-day mandatory hotel quarantine when they arrive to United Kingdom.

Under Britain's traffic light system for international travel, returning from amber list countries means 10-day quarantining at home or any place of one's choice.

Under the new rule, Indian travellers will be allowed to quarantine at a location of their own choice. They will retain the option to "Test to Release" after five days of quarantine.

Travellers will have to carry RT-PCR report which should not be older than three days from their date of travel to UK. After arriving in England, passengers must quarantine, but at home or in any place they have confirmed as their location for 10 days and test on or before day two and on or after day eight.

It may be possible to end quarantine early if an Indian national pays for a private COVID-19 test through the "Test to Release" scheme, in which one can choose to pay for a private Covid test on day five. If the result is negative (and the result of the day 2 test was negative or inconclusive), quarantine can end.

According to the rule, those who are below 18 and have received their two doses of coronavirus vaccine, approved by UK vaccine programme overseas are not required to go under mandatory quarantine.

Those "fully vaccinated in the UK or under the UK vaccine programme overseas; under 18 on the day you arrive in England and resident in the UK or in a country with a vaccination programme approved by the UK and part of a UK-approved vaccine trial," will not need quarantine, the rules say.

The shift from red to amber status will directly impact thousands of Indian families, students looking to travel to the UK.

The announced change comes into effect from 4 am local time on Sunday.

"The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4am (sic)," UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted.



India's COVISHIELD is likely to be considered under exemption.