Germany to ease travel restrictions on visitors from the UK
Germany is easing strict restrictions on travel from the UK, Portugal and some other countries that were imposed because of the rise of the more contagious Delta variant of coronavirus.
The country is, nevertheless, still on the UK's amber travel list, meaning returnees to the UK must isolate at home for 10 days. The government does not recommend travel to these countries.
Germany’s national disease control centre, the Robert Koch Institute, said late on Monday that Britain, Portugal, Russia, India and Nepal will be removed from the highest risk category of “virus variant areas”, from Wednesday.
Ryanair and Easyjet passengers must wear face masks even after July 19
PM 'very confident' Brits with Indian-made AZ vaccine will be able to travel to Europe
'Up to 5m Brits may be unable to visit Europe after being given Indian AZ jab'
They will move into the second-highest category of “high-incidence areas”. People arriving from these areas can avoid quarantine if they can prove they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19.
Others can cut short a mandatory 10-day quarantine by testing negative after five days. Transport is no longer restricted.
The UK had been in the top risk category since May 23, and was joined last Tuesday by Russia and Portugal, one of Germany’s partners in the European Union.
Airlines and others are restricted largely to transporting German citizens and residents from “virus variant areas”, and those who arrive must spend 14 days in quarantine at home.
Green and amber list travel: What you need to know
What does it mean when a country is on the green list?
What does it mean when a country is on the green list?
It's important to note that just because a country is on the UK's green list, it doesn't necessarily mean the country is accepting UK citizens - Australia being one example - so check with the relevant country's government website for their latest rules on tourist arrivals.
People who are travelling to countries on the green list will need to take a Covid test up to 72 hours before they return to the UK and a single PCR test on or before day two of their arrival into the UK - but you do not need to quarantine unless the test result is positive.Children aged four and under are exempt from the test.
What countries are on the green list?
What countries are on the green list?
From 4am on Monday 30 August, the Azores, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Switzerland will be added to the green list. These are the other countries already on the list:
Australia
Austria
Brunei
Bulgaria,
Caribbean Islands (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, Barbados, Dominica, Granada, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands)
Croatia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Germany
Gibraltar
Hong Kong
Iceland
Israel and Jerusalem
Latvia
Malta
Madeira
New Zealand
Norway
Romania
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Taiwan
What countries are on the amber list?
What countries are on the amber list?
No countries are being added to the amber list as part of the traffic light list changes coming into effect on Monday 30 August.There are currently more than 130 other countries on the amber list, including popular holiday destinations such as Spain, Portugal and Italy. The full list of amber list countries can be found on the UK government website.
What does it mean when a country is on the amber list?
What does it mean when a country is on the amber list?
If you're over 18 and not had two Covid vaccinations, on arrival in the UK from amber list countries you need to:
take a Covid test up to 72 hours before you return to the UK
quarantine for 10 days
take a test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 after arriving in the UK.
However, if you've been fully vaccinated in the UK or under 18, you don't need to quarantine or take a day 8 test after you get back, but you still need to take a test on or before day 2 after arriving. You must have had your final dose of the vaccine at least 14 whole days before the date you arrive in England to be considered as fully vaccinated under the amber list rules.
Separate to these rules for UK citizens, since 2 August people fully vaccinated in the USA or most European countries will not need to quarantine if they have been in an amber list country in the 10 days before arriving. They will still need to take a test on or before day 2 after arriving.
Officials have said the listings would be reviewed as the proportion of infections caused by the Delta variant in Germany rises. Although overall case numbers are very low, more than half of new cases are now believed to be caused by Delta.
Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated during a visit to Britain on Friday that the restrictions on travel from the UK would soon be relaxed.
Eleven countries will remain on Germany’s “virus variant area” list for now: Botswana, Brazil, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Uruguay.
Listen to the latest episode of our podcast Coronavirus: What you need to know