The current Home Office Coronavirus guidance regarding travel into the UK is split into two separate categories and is based on either the country from which you are arriving or the nature of your job.
- List of exempt countries:
- Whether you will need to self-isolate on arrival in the UK depends on whether you travel from an exempt country via a ‘travel corridor’. The list of exempt countries is constantly being updated and should be consulted before any travel to ensure that the most up-to-date information is taken into account.
- A list of exempt countries and travel corridors can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors.
- Additionally, if you are entering the UK from the Common Travel Area (“CTA”) (i.e. UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands), or have spent 14 days in the CTA prior to entering the UK, you will not be required to self-isolate.
- It is important to be aware that depending on where in the UK you will be travelling (England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland) the list of countries party to travel corridors will differ. It is therefore imperative that you check the list for the country to which you plan to travel.
- List of exempt jobs:
- Those entering the UK as part of their work, and who work within in a specified job, may qualify for an exemption to self-isolation upon their entry to the UK.
- These exemptions apply mostly to those entering the UK as part of a diplomatic mission, or as a government worker or representative. The list also includes emergency workers, delivery and travel employees entering the UK in the process of carrying out their employment, and specific specialist workers, such as power infrastructure or essential nuclear personnel.
- A complete list of exempt professions, and a breakdown of what each profession is exempt from (either the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days or complete a passenger locator form, or both) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules. If you believe that you may be exempt due to the nature of your employment, you should consult this list prior to any travel.
Due to the constantly changing nature of the current pandemic, the above information is being updated regularly. It is your responsibility to check the UK Government’s Coronavirus guidance prior to travel to ensure you adhere to the current requirements.
Gherson has extensive experience is dealing with UK travel requirements and restrictions. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have further questions regarding the UK’s current Coronavirus travel restrictions and their impact on your specific circumstances.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
©Gherson 2020
Paralegal in our General Immigration Team
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