You must wear a face covering at the airport, port or station you’re arriving into and follow social distancing rules . You’ll need to show: your passport or identity card your proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test your passenger locator form You must: have your passport or identity card ready - remove it from a holder or wallet if you use one remove your face covering or sunglasses, if you’re wearing them move through passport control together if you’re in a family You will have to wait longer than usual at border control because of COVID-19. Showing your passenger locator form You need to show proof that you’ve completed a passenger locator form when you arrive at the UK border. The government will use the form to contact you if someone you’ve travelled with develops COVID-19 symptoms. When you submit the form you’ll receive a confirmation email with a document attached. At border control you must show either a: printed copy of the document downloaded copy of document on your phone Border Force officers will scan the QR code at the top of this document to check you have completed the form successfully. It is a criminal offence to provide false or deliberately misleading information when filling out your passenger locator form. You could be fined up to £10,000, imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both, if you do not provide accurate details about the countries you have visited in the 10 days before you arrived in the UK. You may also need to show proof of a negative coronavirus test at the border . You could be fined up to £500 if you cannot show proof when asked. Arriving by bus or coach You have to leave the bus when you arrive at border control. Make sure you: are ready to get off the bus when you arrive have your travel documents ready Read the guidance for school parties and groups coming to the UK by coach . If you’re from an EEA country or Switzerland You can use the UK/ EEA channel to get your passport or identity card checked - this is usually faster than the other channels. The EEA includes the EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. You can use automatic ePassport gates at some airports if your passport has a ‘chip’ on it and you’re 12 or over. If you’re between 12 and 17, you must be accompanied by an adult. These gates use facial recognition technology to check your identity against the photo in your passport. If you’re from a non- EEA country Your passport (and visa if you have one) will be checked at border control. You’ll usually be asked why you’re coming to the UK. You can use the UK/ EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates if you’re from: Australia Canada Japan New Zealand Singapore South Korea United States When you cannot use an ePassport gate You must see a border control officer and get a stamp in your passport if you are entering the UK: with a Tier 5 Creative or Sporting certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months (and you want to enter without a visa) on a permitted paid engagement You cannot get a stamp if you use the ePassport gates. Without a stamp you will not be allowed to carry out the activities you came to the UK to do. Registered Travellers You can use the UK/ EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates. Travelling with a UK biometric residence permit You’ll have a biometric residence permit if your fingerprints were taken when you applied. Your fingerprints will be checked at border control - they’ll be checked against the ones stored on your visa document. If you’re refused entry You’ll be told in writing: why you’ve been refused entry to the UK if you can appeal against the decision when you will be removed from the UK You’ll usually have to leave the UK immediately. You may be allowed into the UK temporarily (usually for up to a week) but your passport will be taken from you and you must report to immigration officers at set times.

You must co-operate if you’re stopped and asked about your baggage. If you break the rules your goods and any vehicle you use to transport them may be seized . If your baggage is checked Your baggage is usually checked in front of you. Customs officers keep a record of: all baggage they open and check any damage to your baggage or belongings during a check If your things are damaged You may be offered compensation if your baggage or belongings are damaged during a customs check. Making a complaint You can: ask for the duty manager if you want to complain about a customs check while you’re at the border send your complaint to Border Force if you want to complain later

Layovers and transiting through a UK airport

Passing through a UK airport while on the way to another country is called ‘transiting’. Some travellers call it a ‘layover’. There are 2 types of transiting: ‘airside’ - you do not pass through UK border control before you leave on your connecting journey ‘landside’ - you do pass through UK border control, but come back through it and leave the UK within a short amount of time (usually 24 hours) Find out if you need a UK visa for your layover. Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine Before you travel you need to: provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test Check the rules for transiting .

Ending self-isolation early through Test to Release

You may be able to end quarantine early through the ‘Test to ‘Release’ scheme if you pay for a private coronavirus (COVID-19) test. You must still take the 2 COVID-19 tests you booked before you travelled. Find out more about the tests you must book and take . You cannot use the Test to Release scheme if you’ve been in or through a country on the banned travel list (sometimes called the ‘red list’) in the 10 days before you arrive in England. This guidance is for England. Find out what to do if you’re: travelling to Scotland travelling to Wales travelling to Northern Ireland When you can take the private COVID-19 test The earliest you can take a test is 5 days after you arrive in England. For example, if you arrive on a Monday, you can take a test from the following Saturday. When you can stop quarantining If the test is negative you can stop quarantining as soon as you get the result. If the test is positive you need to quarantine for another 10 days. Count the 10 days starting from the day you took the test, or from when you first had symptoms if that is earlier. If you’re living or staying with someone in the UK they should also self-isolate for 10 days, starting from the day you took the test. If the test is inconclusive you also need to quarantine for another 10 days. You can stop quarantining if you take another test with an eligible private provider and the result is negative. You may be fined up to £10,000 if you do not quarantine when you need to. You can be prosecuted if you do not pay the fine on time. What you’ll need Before arriving in England, you’ll need to: book a test with an eligible private provider say that you’ll be using the Test to Release scheme on the passenger locator form You cannot take a test through NHS Test & Trace to shorten your quarantine period. You must continue to quarantine if the result from an NHS Test & Trace test is negative. If you did not book the test before you arrived in England, you can book one after you arrive. You will need to complete another passenger locator form to opt into the scheme.

Entering the UK

Overview

You cannot currently enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the banned travel list (sometimes known as the ‘red list’) in the last 10 days, unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine

From 17 May, the rules for people arriving in England from abroad are changing.

What you need to do depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive. If you have been in a country or territory on the:

green list - you must take a COVID-19 test on day 2
amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests
red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out what list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

Until 17 May, you must follow the current testing and quarantine rules.

If you’re travelling to England before 17 May, you must either quarantine in the place you’re staying or in a managed quarantine hotel for 10 days because of COVID-19. What you need to do depends on where you travel in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

You must also get 2 COVID-19 tests after you arrive in England. You’ll need to book these before you travel.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out how to book the tests you must get after you arrive in England and if you need to book a quarantine hotel.

Find out what to do if you’re:

Before you leave for the UK

You’ll need to:

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test
complete a passenger locator form

Find out more about what you’ll need to do before you leave for the UK because of COVID-19.

Your passport or identity card will be checked when you arrive at a UK port or airport to make sure you’re allowed to come into the country. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You may also need a visa to come into or travel through the UK, depending on your nationality.

What you can bring with you

What you can bring with you depends on where you’re travelling from. You must declare to customs:

anything over your duty-free allowance
banned or restricted goods in the UK
goods that you plan to sell
more than €10,000 (or its equivalent) in cash, if you’re coming from outside the EU

You and your baggage may be checked for anything you must declare.

COVID-19 restrictions in the UK

COVID-19 restrictions currently apply in England. Find out about the:

Print entire guide

Step 1 Plan your trip
Find out what you need to do if you're travelling during coronavirus (COVID-19).
Find out what you need to do:
Step 2 Get your passport, visas and permits ready
How much time you need on your passport depends on the country you're visiting. Check the entry requirements for the country you want to travel to.
You may also need a visa to enter some countries.
1. Check if you need a visa or permit
Step 3 Get travel insurance and check if you need vaccinations or inoculations
1. Get travel insurance
2. Check what vaccinations or inoculations you may need
Step 4 Travel safely and check for travel disruption
Step 5 Going through border control
You may need to show paperwork such as your passport or visa, or a negative coronavirus test result at the point of entry.
1. Check the entry requirements for the country you are travelling to or transiting through
Step 6 When you are abroad
1. Follow the local coronavirus restrictions
Find out what to do if:
Step 7 Return to the UK
There are different coronavirus (COVID-19) rules if you're:
There will be different rules to follow from 17 May when travelling to England from abroad
1. Find out what you need to do if you’re travelling to England from 17 May
1. Check if the country or territory you are travelling from is on the red (banned) list due to coronavirus
Follow the correct quarantine process for England:
- book and stay in a managed quarantine hotel if you’re travelling from a country on the banned list
- quarantine in the place you are staying when you arrive if you’re travelling from a country not on the banned list
and When you arrive in the UK
1. Follow the latest coronavirus restrictions
2. Declare goods and pay tax and duty to UK customs

Entering the UK

Overview

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine

Before you leave for the UK

What you can bring with you

COVID-19 restrictions in the UK

Step 1 Plan your trip

Step 2 Get your passport, visas and permits ready

Step 3 Get travel insurance and check if you need vaccinations or inoculations

Step 4 Travel safely and check for travel disruption

Step 5 Going through border control

Step 6 When you are abroad

Step 7 Return to the UK

and When you arrive in the UK

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Part of Travel abroad: step by step

Entering the UK

Overview

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine

Before you leave for the UK

What you can bring with you

COVID-19 restrictions in the UK

Part of Travel abroad: step by step

Step 1: Plan your trip

Step 2: Get your passport, visas and permits ready

Step 3: Get travel insurance and check if you need vaccinations or inoculations

Step 4: Travel safely and check for travel disruption

Step 5: Going through border control

Step 6: When you are abroad

Step 7: Return to the UK

and When you arrive in the UK

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Step 1 Plan your trip

Step 2 Get your passport, visas and permits ready

Step 3 Get travel insurance and check if you need vaccinations or inoculations

Step 4 Travel safely and check for travel disruption

Step 5 Going through border control

Step 6 When you are abroad

Step 7 Return to the UK