You’ll need to show: your identity document - such as your passport or national identity card your passenger locator form You might also need to provide proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test. Find out what testing and quarantine rules you need to follow . You must: have your identity document 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. If you’re travelling from Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you’ll only need to show your documents if you’re stopped by a Border Force officer. Check which documents you’ll need to come to the UK . 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 full days (11 nights) 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 a British citizen You can use the UK/ EEA channel to get your passport or Gibraltar identity card checked - this is usually faster than the other channels. 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 the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein You can use the UK/ EEA channel to get your passport, Irish passport card or national identity card checked - this is usually faster than the other channels. Your passport or national identity card should be registered on your UK Visas and Immigration account if either of the following are true: you have settled or pre-settled status you used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document when applying for a visa You may be delayed at the border if your passport or national identity card is not registered on your UK Visas and Immigration account . 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. You must tell a Border Force officer if you have not applied to the EU Settlement Scheme but are planning to apply. If you’re from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein 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 for bringing goods into the UK your goods and any vehicle you use to transport them may be seized by customs . 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 . You might also need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Check the rules for transiting .

Entering the UK

Overview

What coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine rules you need to follow depends on:

whether you qualify as fully vaccinated
where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive

Find out what to do if you’re:

Before you leave for the UK

Your identity document (for example 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.

Check which documents you’ll need to come to the UK.

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.

View a printable version of the whole guide

COVID-19 vaccinations

Book your coronavirus vaccination and booster dose on the NHS website

Entering the UK

Overview

Before you leave for the UK

What you can bring with you

COVID-19 vaccinations

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Entering the UK

Overview

Before you leave for the UK

What you can bring with you

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COVID-19 vaccinations

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