When is the next review of green and amber list countries?
On 17 May, foreign leisure travel got the go-ahead in England.
Holidays resumed under a traffic light system, with destinations graded as red, amber or green according to the level of risk of travellers reimporting Covid-19 infections.
The “green list” was first revealed on 7 May, and the latest update was announced on 14 July.
But when will more countries be added to the list, and how often will it be updated?
Here’s what we know so far.
Which countries are on the green list now?
There are now 29 territories on the green list, many of which do not currently let in British travellers or are impossible to reach directly, thereby necessitating travel through an amber country.
On 14 July, four destinations were added: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Meanwhile, two destinations were pushed down to amber. These changes came into effect from 4am on 19 July.
Green list in full
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Australia
Barbados
Bermuda
British Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cayman Islands
Croatia
Dominica
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Gibraltar
Grenada
Hong Kong
Iceland
Israel
Madeira
Malta
Montserrat
New Zealand
Pitcairn Islands
Singapore
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Taiwan
Turks and Caicos Islands
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However, 16 of these destinations are on the green watchlist, meaning they are at risk of moving from green to amber:
Green watchlist destinations
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Barbados
Bermuda
British Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
Cayman Islands
Croatia
Dominica
Grenada
Israel
Madeira
Montserrat
Pitcairn Islands
Taiwan
Turks and Caicos Islands
When will the green list be reviewed and updated?
Previous updates took place on 3 and 24 June and 14 July.
The lists are expected to be updated “every three weeks”. The next review is likely to happen on 5 August, with changes coming into effect at some point next week.
Amendments to the lists will be informed by public health advice, including the Joint Biosecurity Centre’s assessment of the latest data.
“These regular review points will allow the government to balance helping the public to understand Covid requirements when travelling to England while allowing us to constantly evaluate the risk for different countries,” according to the Department for Transport (DfT).
What are the rules for green list countries?
Green list countries have the lightest restrictions for inbound travellers to the UK, with no quarantine imposed and just one PCR test required within two days of arrival.
All travellers must also show proof of a negative Covid test – PCR, rapid antigen or lateral flow – before departure to the UK.
What are the rules for amber list countries?
All arrivals from amber territories must quarantine for 10 days on entry to the UK and take three Covid tests in total: one pre-departure and two post-arrival PCRs, unless they are fully vaccinated by the NHS.
On 19 July, all double-jabbed Britons and accompanying under-18s became able to swerve quarantine from amber territories and follow “green” rules instead: a pre-departure test, and a day two PCR.
All arrivals must be 14 days clear of their second jab to qualify for the quarantine exemption.
This exemption does not apply to France, which was placed in a new category of its own - “amber plus” - on 16 July. Travellers from France must therefore complete mandatory quarantine for the full 10 days.
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