Before you leave for the UK

Check what documents you’ll need to enter the UK. Provide your contact details You need to provide your journey and contact details in the 48 hours before you arrive in the UK. You must do this by completing the online passenger locator form . You’ll need to show proof that you’ve completed the form when you arrive at the UK border . Provide a negative coronavirus test to travel to the UK You must have proof of a negative coronavirus test to travel to the UK - even if you’re a UK citizen. If your test result is positive you must not travel. You must follow the local coronavirus rules and guidance . The test must be taken in the 3 days before you depart. The results must be in English, French or Spanish. You’ll need to show the test results when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry. You may also be asked to show them when you arrive. You could be fined £500 when you arrive at the border if you cannot provide proof that you have had a negative coronavirus test. When you do not need to provide a negative coronavirus test You do not need a test if you’re travelling: within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey from Ireland from Ascension, Falkland Islands or St Helena Children under 11 do not need a test. There are other reasons you might not need a test, for example: you have a job on the ‘exempt jobs’ list you’re travelling to the UK for medical reasons you’re travelling from a country where you cannot access testing facilities Read the guidance about: taking a coronavirus test before you travel to England taking a coronavirus test before you travel to Scotland You must still follow the rules for self-isolating when you arrive in the UK . You’re from an EEA country or Switzerland You can enter the UK with either a passport or national identity card issued by an EEA country or Switzerland that should be valid for the whole of your stay. From 1 October 2021, you will not be able to use an EEA or Swiss national identity card to enter the UK unless you: have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit have a Frontier Worker permit are an S2 Healthcare Visitor are a Swiss Service Provider Check if you need a visa to come to the UK after 1 January 2021. You’re not from an EEA country You must have a valid passport to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay. You may also need a visa, depending on which country you’re from. Check if you need a visa to enter the UK . You may also need a visa if you’re ‘transiting’ or travelling through the UK , for example you’re changing flights at a UK airport. Applying for a visa You must apply for your visa before you arrive in the UK. Travelling with children You may be asked at the border to prove the relationship between yourself and any children travelling with you, if you do not seem to be the parent, for example if you have a different surname. You can prove this with: a birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship with the child divorce or marriage certificates if you’re the parent but have a different surname from the child a letter from the child’s parent giving permission for the child to travel with you and providing contact details, if you’re not the parent Before you board Your ‘carrier’ (for example airline or transport provider) will check your passport and other travel documents. They’ll send this information electronically to Border Force . You can ask to see the information about you that’s been sent by carriers. You’ll have to pay a £10 fee.

Your passport or identity card will be checked. 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 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 coronavirus (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. 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.

Self-isolating when you arrive in the UK

You must self-isolate in the place you’re staying for the first 10 days after you arrive - even if you tested negative before you arrived in England. This is because of coronavirus (COVID-19). If you’re travelling to England for fewer than 10 days, you must self-isolate for the length of your stay. You may be fined up to £10,000 if you do not self-isolate when you need to. You can be prosecuted if you do not pay the fine on time. The government will use the details you provide in the passenger locator form to check you’re self-isolating. You may be able to end self-isolation early if you pay for a private coronavirus test . This guidance is for England. There are different self-isolation rules and penalties if you’re travelling to Scotland , Wales or Northern Ireland . How to self-isolate Read about what you can and cannot do while you’re self isolating - including if you’re staying with other people and how to travel to the place you’re staying in. When you do not need to self-isolate (exempt countries, territories and regions) You do not need to self-isolate in England if you’re travelling from Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. You must have spent the last 10 days in one of these places, or the UK. ‘Travel corridors’ are currently suspended. Read the coronavirus: travel corridors guidance for more information. If you’re travelling as part of your job You might not need to self-isolate if you travel as part of your job. Read the guidance about who does not need to self-isolate .

Ending self-isolation early through Test to Release

You may be able to end self-isolation early if you pay for a private coronavirus test through the ‘Test to Release’ scheme. You cannot use the Test to Release scheme if you’ve been in or through certain countries in the 10 days before you arrive in England. Check the list of countries subject to a UK travel ban . This guidance is for England. There are different self-isolation rules and penalties if you’re travelling to Scotland , Wales or Northern Ireland . When you can take the private coronavirus 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 self-isolating If the test is negative you can stop self-isolating as soon as you get the result. If the test is positive you need to self-isolate 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 self-isolate for another 10 days. You can stop self-isolating 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 self-isolate 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 self-isolation period. You must continue to self-isolate 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

When you arrive in the UK, you must self-isolate for 10 days because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

You’ll also need to bring:

a completed passenger locator form
proof of a negative coronavirus test

Find out more about the documents you’ll need because of coronavirus.

‘Travel corridors’ are currently suspended. Read the coronavirus: travel corridors guidance for more information.

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.

National lockdown rules currently apply in England because of coronavirus. Find out what the rules are in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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.

Print entire guide

Brexit

Check how the new Brexit rules affect you

Entering the UK

Overview

What you can bring with you

Brexit

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Tell us whether you accept cookies

Entering the UK

Overview

What you can bring with you

Brexit

Related content

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK