UK Moves India From 'Red' To 'Amber' List, Know What It Means For Travellers

It comes as breather for the Indian communities in the UK, who had been demanding the easing of travel norms between India and Britain.

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In what is good news for fully vaccinated passengers travelling to the UK from India, there will be no need for compulsory 10-day hotel quarantine as India has been moved from its “red” to “amber” list. The Department for Transport has announced the change which will become effective from Sunday.

“The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4 a.m.,” U.K. Transport S

ecretary tweeted. “While it’s right we continue our cautious approach, it’s great news to open more destinations for people wanting to connect with families, friends and businesses across the globe, all thanks to our successful domestic vaccination programme,” he said.

What does it mean for passengers travelling from India?

Under Britain’s traffic light system for international travel, India’s move to the amber list means that those returning from these countries will follow a 10-day quarantining at home. It comes as a breather for the Indian communities in the UK, who had been demanding the easing of travel norms between India and Britain.

Going by the legal rules for countries on the amber list, passengers have to mandatorily take the Covid-19 test three days before departure and book in advance for two Covid tests to be done upon arrival in England besides filling up a passenger locator form on arrival, as per the news agency PTI.

After reaching England, passengers need to quarantine at home or in the place they have confirmed as their location for 10 days and take a Covid-19 test on or before day two and on or after day eight.

Meanwhile, seven countries are moving to the green list – Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway – and France has been moved off the “amber watchlist”. People coming from countries on the green list will not have to quarantine when returning from these nations, regardless of their vaccination status, although they will have to take a pre-departure test and another one-two days after arrival.

Four countries are on the red list: Mexico, Georgia, La Reunion and Mayotte.

Who are exempted?

Those under-18 and fully vaccinated in the UK are exempt from the home quarantine including those who have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine in the European Union and the US, adds the PTI report.

Also exempt are those “fully vaccinated in the U.K. or under the U.K. vaccine programme overseas; under 18 on the day you arrive in England and resident in the U.K. or in a country with a vaccination programme approved by the U.K. and part of a U.K.-approved vaccine trial”. Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, is likely to be covered under this exemption.