Guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): travellers exempt from border rules in the UK

Updated 31 July 2020

You still need to follow the same rules as people who live in the UK, even if you’re exempt from self-isolating after you arrive. Check the rules for the nation you’re staying in:

• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

Travellers from within the Common Travel Area (Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands)

If you are arriving from within the Common Travel Area (CTA) and have been in the CTA for the last 14 days before entering the UK, you will not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form or self-isolate.

If you are arriving from another part of the CTA and entered the CTA within the last 14 days, you’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form.

You’ll need to self-isolate if you have visited or transited through a country that’s not on the travel corridors list during the 14 days before your arrival. You’ll need to self-isolate until 14 days have passed since you left that country.

You can show details of recent travel into the CTA, such as a boarding pass or itinerary, to help confirm whether you entered the CTA in the last 14 days and how long it has been since you visited or transited through a country that’s not on the travel corridors list.

Members of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the UK, officers, servants or representatives of international organisations, representatives at an international or UK conference granted privileges and immunities, and their families or dependents

This includes representatives of international organisations who are travelling to the UK on official visits, for example to attend negotiations.

You will not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form.

You will not need to self-isolate if it is confirmed that your work is essential to the functioning of the mission, international organisation or conference and that it cannot be undertaken whilst self-isolating.

If your family members or other dependents travel with you, they’ll need to self-isolate after they arrive in the UK.

Before you travel, your mission, international organisation or conference will need to notify the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) or Protocol Directorate who will issue an exemption letter to show at the border.

Representatives of a foreign country or territory and representatives of the British overseas territories, along with their families or dependents travelling to the UK to undertake official business with the UK

This includes representatives of foreign countries or territories who are travelling to the UK on official visits, for example to attend negotiations.

You will not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form.

You will not need to self-isolate if it is confirmed that you are travelling to the UK for official business which cannot be undertaken whilst self-isolating.

If your family members or other dependents travel with you, they’ll need to self-isolate after they arrive in the UK.

Before you travel, your mission or a representative of your country or territory will need to notify the FCO who will issue an exemption letter to show at the border.

Defence personnel, visiting forces and government contractors who the Ministry of Defence has confirmed are required to deliver essential defence activities

You will not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form or self-isolate.

You’ll need to request a letter from the Ministry of Defence confirming you are exempt. You’ll need to show this letter to officials at border control on entry to the UK.

UK officials and contractors required to work on essential border security duties

You will not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form or self-isolate if you’re either:

• required to undertake essential government work related to the UK border in the UK during the period which, but for this exemption, you would need to self-isolate
• undertaking essential government work related to the UK border outside of the UK but required to come back to the UK temporarily before departing the UK to again undertake essential government work related to the border

You should use your official photo identification to demonstrate your status.

Non-UK officials and contractors required to work on essential border security duties

You will not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form or self-isolate if you’re either:

• an official or contractor of a foreign government, required to travel to the UK to undertake essential border security duties
• in possession of a written notice signed by a senior member of your government confirming that you’re required to undertake essential border security duties in the UK during the period which, but for this exemption, you would need to self-isolate, and that that work cannot be undertaken whilst the person is complying with regulation 4
• your deployment is pursuant to a standing bilateral or multilateral agreement with the UK government on the operation of the border controls within the UK

You should use your official photo identification to demonstrate your status.

Crown servants or government contractors travelling to the UK for essential government work

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK.

You will not need to self-isolate if you’re either:

• required to undertake essential policing or essential government work in the UK during the period which, but for this exemption, you would need to self-isolate
• undertaking essential policing or essential government work outside of the UK and you are required to return to the UK temporarily and will thereafter depart to undertake essential policing or essential government work outside of the UK
• conducting bi-lateral or multilateral discussions with another state or international organisation

The department you work for will issue you with a letter confirming you are exempt. You should contact them directly for this and bring it with you to the UK.

If you are working as part of a UK Embassy, High Commission, Consulate or Mission, the Ambassador, High Commissioner or their equivalent in the country you are travelling from (i.e. where you are working at post), will issue you a letter confirming you are exempt. You should contact them directly for this and bring it with you to the UK.

If you’re engaged in defence activity, follow the advice for defence personnel

People who live in the UK but work in another country and travel between the UK and country of work at least once a week

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK.

You will not need to self-isolate if you are staying in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. You’ll need to self-isolate if you are staying in Scotland.

You’ll need to show evidence that you reside in one country but work in the other and you should also be able to demonstrate that you travel between the two on a minimum of a weekly basis, for example, a season ticket.

People who live outside the UK but work in the UK and travel between their country of residence and the UK at least once a week

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK.

You will not need to self-isolate if you are staying in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. You’ll need to self-isolate if you are staying in Scotland.

You’ll need to show evidence that you reside in one country but work in the other and you should also be able to demonstrate that you travel between the two on a minimum of a weekly basis, for example, a season ticket.

Drivers of public service vehicles and other employees of community licence holders for the international carriage of passengers by coach and bus

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK if you travel in part of the vehicle that is accessible to any passenger for any part of the journey. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show that your travel is part of your job, for example a letter from your employer, a consignment note or your operator’s licence.

Drivers of goods vehicles and other employees of community licence holders for the international carriage of goods

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show that your travel is part of your job, for example a letter from your employer, a consignment note or your operator’s licence.

People transiting airside (individuals who arrive in the UK but do not pass border control)

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate as you are only transiting via the UK.

You will not need to show anything as you will not pass through the UK border.

Civil aviation inspectors engaged on inspection duties

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You should show your accreditation from appropriate authority in your home country. For example, the Transport Department or Civil Aviation Authority.

Eurotunnel train drivers and crew, Eurotunnel Shuttle drivers, freight train drivers, crew and essential cross-border rail freight workers operating through the Channel Tunnel

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK if you travel in part of the train that is accessible to any passenger for any part of the journey, unless passengers remain in their vehicles in that area. For example, on the Channel Tunnel passenger shuttle.

You do not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form if you travel in a part of the train that is not accessible to passengers or (in the case of freight trains) the train does not carry passengers.

You will not need to self-isolate.

If you’re Eurotunnel staff, you should show a terminal access pass, or train driving licence.

If you’re a freight train driver, you should show your staff pass.

Drivers and crew of trains operated by Eurostar International Limited, essential cross-border workers working for Eurostar International Limited

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK if you travel in part of the train that is accessible to any passenger for any part of the journey.

You do not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form if you travel in a part of the train that is not accessible to passengers.

You will not need to self-isolate.

If you’re Eurostar staff, you should show a Eurostar staff pass, or letter from Eurostar, or train driving licence.

Operational, rail maintenance, security and safety workers working on the Channel Tunnel system

You will not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form or self-isolate.

You should show your terminal access pass.

Workers engaged in essential or emergency works to the rail network as part of a specialist team with or for Network Rail

You’re only exempt if you’re either:

• working on automated ballast cleaning and track re-laying systems
• a specialist rail maintenance technicians maintaining or commissioning industrial machinery for use on national rail infrastructure

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You should show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details from your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification (sentinel card), you should bring this with you to the UK.

Seamen and masters as defined in section 313(1) Merchant Shipping Act 1995, maritime pilots as defined in para 22(1) of schedule 3A of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, and inspectors and surveyors of ships appointed under section 256 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK if you travel in a part of the vessel that is accessible to any passenger for any part of the journey, unless passengers remain in their vehicles in that area (for example on a roll-on, roll-off ferry).

You do not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form if you travel in a part of the vessel that is not accessible to passengers or you travel on a vessel which does not carry passengers (e.g. fishing boats).

You will not need to self-isolate.

If you work on a ship, including fishermen, you should show a Seafarers Identification Document (SID) if you have one.

If you don’t have a SID, you can show your joining papers, seafarers employment agreement or a seafarers discharge book (Continuous Certificate of Discharge) instead. Alternatively, you could show a basic training certificate or declaration from the registered owners of the vessel that you are a crew member.

Pilots and crew, as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 2016(h), where such crew have travelled to the UK in the course of their work

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK if you travel in any part of the aircraft that is accessible to any passenger for any part of the journey (for example the aircraft cabin).

You do not need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form if you travel in a part of the aircraft that is not accessible to passengers, for example a fully enclosed cockpit

You will not need to self-isolate.

You should show a crew badge or ID.

Seasonal agricultural workers who have an offer of employment for seasonal work to carry out specific activities in edible horticulture on a named farm

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK and then immediately go to the farm where you are working.

You can start work immediately but you must self-isolate on the farm for 14 days. You’ll then need to follow advice for seasonal agricultural workers coming to England to work on farms.

If you’re from the EU

You should show a letter or email from your employer when you arrive at the UK border confirming that you’re an EU worker and will be employed as a seasonal agricultural worker.

The letter should include:

• your name
• your date of birth
• your employer in the UK
• your start date
• the address of the farm where you’ll be living
• contact details of your employer and/or farm

If you’re from outside the EU

You should present your visa at the border as usual if you’re travelling as a seasonal agricultural worker under the seasonal agricultural pilot.

Workers engaged in essential or emergency works, related to water supplies and sewerage services

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You will need to show a letter from your company or the company you are coming to work for. Those bodies authorised to issue a letter are either:

• Water UK
• the relevant water undertaker, sewerage undertaker, water supply license, sewerage licensee or local authority that you’re carrying out the work for

The letter must include:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Workers with specialist technical skills for essential or emergency works or services (including construction, commissioning, installation, maintenance, and repairs and safety checks) to ensure the continued production, supply, movement, manufacture, storage or preservation of goods

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You should show a letter from your company which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• contact details for the business or organisation you’ll be completing work for in the UK
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK

You’ll need to show that your travel to the UK is essential for your work here, for example a letter from your employer, a consignment note or your operator’s licence.

Workers with specialist technical skills required for essential or emergency works (including construction, commissioning, installation, maintenance, repairs and safety checks) or to fulfil contractual obligations or warranty specifications in, or in connection with, waste management facilities used for the management, sorting, treatment, recovery, or disposal of waste (including energy from waste)

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• contact details for the waste management business or organisation you’ll be completing work for in the UK
• detail of what work you’ll be doing

If your employer has issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Workers with specialist technical skills required for essential or emergency works to ensure the continued safe and secure operations of generating stations, gas or electricity transmission or distribution networks, electricity interconnectors, gas terminals or district or communal heat networks

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Workers required for the continued safe and secure operation, maintenance and essential support services for offshore oil and gas infrastructure in the UK

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Workers with specialist technical skills required for essential or emergency works to ensure the continued safe and secure operations of space infrastructure

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Nuclear personnel who are essential to the safe and secure operations of a licensed nuclear site

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Nuclear emergency responder

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

International nuclear safeguards and chemical industry inspectors, representing the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Euratom

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter at the border issued by the relevant department to your sponsoring organisation – either the IAEA, Euratom or the OPCW.

If your organisation issues you with identification or travel documentation, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Specialist aerospace engineers, or specialist workers responsible for ensuring the safe operation of aircraft.

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Workers with specialist technical skills required for essential or emergency works to ensure the continued safe and secure operations of a downstream oil facility that has a capacity in excess of 20,000 tonnes

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Postal workers involved in the transport of mail into and out of the UK

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Individuals arriving to attend pre-arranged treatment, when receiving that treatment in the UK

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You’ll be able to travel to and from your healthcare provider and the place you’re staying in the UK. You’ll otherwise be required to self-isolate.

You should show a letter or S2 certificate from your healthcare provider explaining your treatment.

Healthcare means all forms of healthcare including mental and physical health. There are also exemptions for live donors and those accompanying the individual, for example a carer or a child

If you’re bringing a carer or care companion with you to the UK, they should show a letter from your care provider or their employer confirming that they’re providing care so they will also not need to self-isolate.

Registered health or care professionals

The exemption from the requirement to self-isolate for registered health or care professionals was removed on Friday 31 July 2020.

If you fall into this group and you arrived in England on or after 31 July you will need to self-isolate if you visited or made a transit stop in a country or territory that is not on the travel corridors list in the 14 days before your arrival.

If you fall into this group and you arrived in England before 31 July you will not need to self-isolate if you are required to work within 14 days of your arrival. Read the rules about when you need to self-isolate and for how long.

If you’ve travelled to the UK for the purpose of transporting, to a healthcare provider in the UK, material which consists of, or includes, human cells or blood which are to be used for the purpose of providing healthcare

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show:

• your staff pass or photo identification
• confirmation from a healthcare provider explaining:
• the date, location and recipient of the products
• what material you’re carrying
• why you’re carrying it

If you’re transporting a controlled drug, you’ll need to show a Home Office import licence.

Qualified persons and responsible persons for human and veterinary medicines, clinical trials, clinical investigations and pharmacovigilance

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show:

• your staff pass or photo identification
• confirmation from the trial sponsor including
• the date and location of the trial
• what your involvement in the trial is, for example if you manage, coordinate or administrate trials or medical research

Quality assurance inspectors for human and veterinary medicines

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

If you’re conducting quality assurance assessments/inspections for any category of medicine, medical product or substance of human origin, you’ll need to show:

• your staff pass or photo identification
• confirmation of the date and location of your quality assurance assessment or inspection

Sponsors and essential persons needed for clinical trials or studies

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show:

• your staff pass or photo identification
• confirmation from the trial sponsor including
• the date and location of the trial
• what your involvement in the trial is, for example if you manage, coordinate or administrate trials or medical research

People involved in essential maintenance and repair of data infrastructure required to reduce and resolve outages, or in the provision of goods and services to support these activities

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

Information technology or telecommunications professionals whose expertise is required to provide an essential or emergency response to threats and incidents relating to the security of any network and information system and ensure the continued operation of any network and information system

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

People engaged in urgent or essential work on electronic communications networks

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

People engaged in urgent or essential work for the BBC’s broadcasting transmission network and services

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

You’ll need to show a letter from your company at the border which includes:

• your personal details, such as name and address
• contact details for your employer
• what work you’ll be doing

If your employer issued you with photo identification, you should bring this with you to the UK.

International prison escorts, designated by the relevant Minister under section 5(3) of the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984(a)

You’ll need to complete the Public Health passenger locator form before you travel to the UK. You will not need to self-isolate.

If you’re travelling internationally to escort prisoners, you’ll receive a letter from HMPPS. This letter will include your unique ID number linked to your prison service warrant card. You should present this letter and your warrant card on arrival in the UK which also includes your photograph.

There are also additional exemptions for those travelling to and staying in England.