People have been given more foreign holiday options with Spain’s Balearic islands, Malta and Madeira among the destinations added to the green list in the latest update to the UK’s travel traffic light system.
The second of the three-weekly reviews took place amid calls from holidaymakers and the travel industry for more countries to be added to the quarantine-free list.
Changes to the policy are made based on the COVID-19 situation in different countries.
Here is the updated green listAnguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Balearic Islands (Formentera, Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca)
Barbados
Bermuda
British Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Gibraltar
Grenada
Iceland
Israel and Jerusalem
Madeira
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
The lists can be amended at any time, but the next formal review is expected in three weeks.
Green list rulesSpain’s Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira, and some islands in the Caribbean – including Barbados – have been added to England’s travel green list.
The Caribbean islands included are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Also on the go list are Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, and the Pitcairn Islands.
But, the announcement came with a warning from the Department for Transport (DfT), as all of the new additions to the quarantine-free travel list, with the exception of Malta, will also be added to the government’s ‘green watchlist’.
It means these countries “are at risk of moving from green to amber” and that passengers should “take extra care when thinking about travelling”.
The changes will come into effect at 4am on Wednesday 30 June.
People returning from a country on this list will not need to quarantine, and will only be required to take one test two days after arriving in the UK.
At present, UK tourists can travel to Malta without quarantine on arrival as long as they present a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure and complete a passenger locator and public health declaration form.
Tourists heading from the UK to the Balearic Islands do not have to provide a negative COVID test on arrival, although some accommodation may require proof of a negative test.
The green list also consists of Gibraltar, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, plus several small remote islands that are British Overseas Territories.
However, entry to Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei and the Faroe Islands is severely restricted.
Portugal was the only major European destination in this category originally, but was moved to amber after only a few weeks.
Amber list and rulesThis covers the most popular UK holiday destinations such as Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said people “should not be travelling to these places right now”, but that this is likely to be updated “later this summer”.
Those who go against that guidance must take two post-arrival tests from private companies on day two and day eight after arriving.
They are also required to self-isolate at home for 10 days, although they can reduce that time if they take an additional negative test on day five.
UK travellers are allowed into Spain without a negative PCR test, despite the country remaining on Britain’s amber list.
Germany is also on the amber list but, due to the Delta variant, travellers from the UK will only be admitted if they are citizens or residents – or have urgent humanitarian reasons such as an immediate family bereavement.
However, they must quarantine for two weeks, even if they test negative.
Red list and rulesNew additions to the red list include Eritrea, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda.
Other countries among the countries on the red list are Brazil, India, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Those returning from a red list country must stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel for 10 full days at a cost of £1,750.
The day of arrival in England counts as day 0.
