Quarantine and testing if you've been in an amber list country
What to do before and after you arrive in England if you’ve been in an amber list country in the 10 days before you arrive.
There are different rules if you’ve also been in or travelled through a red list country.
Find out the green list country rules.
There’s also a step-by-step guide for travelling to England from another country.
Take a coronavirus test before you travel to England
Before you travel to England you must take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test (pre-departure test).
You must do this even if you’ve been fully vaccinated.
You could be fined £500 if you arrive in England without proof of a negative COVID-19 pre-departure test.
Exemptions for job, medical or compassionate reasons
You may not have to take any COVID-19 travel tests, or quarantine because of your job, or for medical or compassionate reasons (exemptions). Check if you’re exempt.
If you’re not exempt you need to follow these rules.
Rules if you’re fully vaccinated
If you’re coming to England from an amber list country and have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the bodies listed in this guide you:
- must take a COVID-19 pre-departure test
- must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 after you arrive in England – arrival day is day 0
- do not have to quarantine
Approved vaccines
You must have been fully vaccinated under one of the following programmes:
- UK vaccination programme, approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
- UK vaccine programme overseas, approved by the MHRA
- an approved vaccination programme in Europe or the USA – not all are recognised in England
Recognised vaccines for Europe
You must have been fully vaccinated in:
- an EU country
- Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City
If you were vaccinated in a different European country it will not be recognised in England.
The vaccine must have been authorised by:
- the European Medicines Agency (EMA)
- Swissmedic for Switzerland
Recognised vaccines for the USA
Residents in the USA must have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine authorised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
UK vaccine programme overseas
The UK vaccine programme overseas applies to:
residents of the British Overseas Territories, Channel Islands and Isle of Man
crown servants, UK government civilian and military staff and UK government contractors posted or based overseas
What counts as fully vaccinated
You may not be considered to be fully vaccinated for the purpose of entering the UK even if you’re considered to be fully vaccinated in your country of origin.
In the UK, ‘fully vaccinated’ means you’ve had either:
- 2 doses of an approved 2 dose vaccine (such as Pfizer or AstraZeneca)
- one dose of an approved single dose vaccine (such as Janssen)
You must have had your final dose at least 14 whole days before you arrive in England. The day you had your final dose does not count as one of the 14 days.
2 dose vaccines
If you were vaccinated with a 2 dose vaccine (such as Moderna or Pfizer) you must have had both doses to be considered fully vaccinated. This applies in all cases, even if you have recently recovered from COVID-19 and have natural immunity. Those who have had COVID-19 and have only had one dose of a 2 dose vaccine must follow the rules for unvaccinated arrivals.
Each dose must be with the same (MHRA, EMA, Swissmedic or FDA) approved vaccine. For example, if your first dose was Moderna your second dose must also be Moderna.
For the UK programmes you can have one dose under the UK vaccination programme and the other under the UK vaccine overseas programme.
Single dose vaccines
If you had an approved one dose vaccine, such as Janssen, you are fully vaccinated.
Proving you’ve been fully vaccinated
You’ll need to show your travel operator and border control proof you’ve been fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine.
You’ll also need to confirm that you’ve been fully vaccinated and can show suitable proof on your passenger locator form.
If you cannot (or prefer not to) show proof that you’ve been fully vaccinated you must follow the rules for those who are not fully vaccinated. These are in this guide.
What you need to show as proof depends on your vaccination programme.
Proof of the UK vaccination programme
You need to show one of the following as proof:
- NHS COVID Pass
- COVD-19 post-vaccination letter from the NHS, NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, or the Department of Health in Northern Ireland
Proof of the UK vaccine programme overseas
You need to apply directly to the government of your Overseas Territory for a letter of proof. The letter should clearly state that you’ve been fully vaccinated under the UK overseas vaccine programme.
Make sure you check with them that the letter is valid for entry to England.
Proof of an approved European vaccination programme
You need to show an EU Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC), showing you’ve had a full course of an EMA or Swissmedic-approved vaccine in one of the listed European countries.
You can show either a digital or paper certificate.
Proof of an approved USA vaccination programme
You need to show a CDC card showing you’ve had a full course of an FDA-approved vaccine in the USA.
You’ll also need to show proof of residency, such as a USA passport, visa or Green Card.
Booking a day 2 test
You must book and pay for a day 2 test before you travel. Make sure you leave enough time for it to be delivered to your address in England.
You could be fined if you do not take the required test.
It does not matter how long you’re visiting England you must still book and pay for the day 2 test.
You will need to enter the booking reference number on your passenger locator form.
Even if you’ve been fully vaccinated you must self-isolate for 10 days if your day 2 test is positive.
Contact with someone who tested positive
If NHS Test and Trace notify you that you’ve been in contact with someone who tested positive you must self-isolate for 10 days unless any of the following apply:
- you’re fully vaccinated under the UK or UK overseas vaccination programme
- you’re under the age of 18 years and 6 months
- you’re taking part in an approved UK COVID-19 vaccine trial
- you’re not able to get vaccinated for medical reasons
Read detailed guidance on what to do if you’re contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
Taking part in a UK or USA vaccine trial
You can follow the same rules as the fully vaccinated if you’re taking part in a:
- UK-approved COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial
- FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial in the USA
For UK trials find out what you can show as proof to a travel operator and border control.
For USA trials you can prove your status with a CDC card. You’ll also need to show proof of residency, such as a USA passport, visa or Green Card.
You will need to declare your vaccine trial status on your passenger locator form.
Rules if you are not fully vaccinated
If you’re coming to England from an amber list country and are not fully vaccinated with an authorised vaccine you must:
- quarantine on arrival at home or in the place you’re staying
- take a day 2 test after you arrive in England – on or before day 2
- take a day 8 test after you arrive in England – on or after day 8
The day you arrive is day 0.
If your day 2 test is positive you do not have to take the day 8 test.
How long to quarantine for
It does not matter how long you’re visiting England you must quarantine at home or in the place you’re staying for:
- 10 full days
- for the duration of your trip if it’s less than 10 days
See the section in this guide on how to quarantine.
Booking your day 2 and day 8 tests
You must book and pay for your tests before you travel. Make sure you leave enough time for them to be delivered to your address in England.
You could be fined up to £2,000 if you do not take the required tests.
It does not matter how long you’re visiting England you still have to book and pay for the tests.
For example, even if you’re only going to be in England for one day you’ll still need to book a day 2 and day 8 test.
If you decide to stay longer you must take the tests.
You will need to enter the booking reference number on your passenger locator form.
If you get a positive day 2 or day 8 test
If you test positive for COVID-19 you and your household must quarantine for 10 days from the day after you took the test.
The day of the test is day 0.
You will be given further advice with your test results.
If your day 2 test is positive you do not have to take a day 8 test.
If you have a variant of concern
If your day 2 test shows you have a COVID-19 variant known as a ‘variant of concern’ you will get another call. Your contacts will be asked to take a test.
Rules for children and young people
The rules for children depend on age and country of residency.
Children resident in the UK, British Overseas Territories, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, USA or a recognised European country
The recognised European countries are the EU countries, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or the Vatican City.
Children of all ages who are resident in these countries or territories do not have to quarantine.
If they are aged 4 and under they do not have to take any COVID-19 travel tests.
11 to 17 year olds must take a:
- COVID-19 pre-departure test before travelling to England
- day 2 test on or before day 2 in England – arrival day is day 0
5 to 10 year olds:
- do not have to take a pre-departure test
- must take a day 2 test on or before day 2 – arrival day is day 0
Children resident in other countries
Children aged 5 to 17 who are resident in any other country must:
- take a COVID-19 pre-departure test before travelling to England
- take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 in England – arrival day is day 0
- take a COVID-19 test on or after day 8 in England – arrival day is day 0
- quarantine at home or in the place they’re staying for 10 days, or for the duration of their stay if it’s less than 10 days
Children aged 4 or under from these other countries do not have to take travel tests.
They must follow quarantining rules.
How to quarantine
If you must quarantine when you arrive in England, you must travel directly to the place you’re staying.
You must not leave until 10 days have passed.
The quarantine period is continuous from the day you arrive in England, and lasts for the next 10 full days after the day you arrived until 11:59pm on day 10. This period is necessary because it can take up to 10 days for COVID-19 symptoms to appear.
To count the days:
- the day you arrive in England is day 0
- the day after you arrive is day 1, and so on
If you’re travelling to England for less than 10 days
If you’re travelling to England for less than 10 days, you will need to quarantine for the whole of your stay.
You must still book your day 2 and day 8 travel tests, even if you will no longer be in England on the dates of the tests.
You only need to take the tests if you’re still in the country on those dates.
Test to Release
You can end your quarantine early through the Test to Release scheme – you’ll find details below in the ‘Ending quarantine’ section.
How to travel to the place where you’re quarantining
When you arrive in England, go straight to the place you’re staying to quarantine. Only use public transport if you have no other option, and make sure you follow safer travel guidance for passengers.
If you have or develop COVID-19 symptoms
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important that you do not travel by public transport.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms when you’re travelling to England, you should tell one of the crew on your plane, boat, train or bus. They’ll let staff in the airport, port or station know, so they can tell you what you should do next when you arrive.
Long journeys to your quarantine accommodation
If you have a long journey within the UK to arrive at the place where you’ll be quarantining, you may be able to stop overnight in accommodation where you can quarantine yourself from others before continuing your journey.
You must follow the guidance on how to stay safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19. You must quarantine and provide the address of your overnight stop on your passenger locator form in addition to your declared accommodation address.
What you can and cannot do in quarantine
You must quarantine at the address you provided on the passenger locator form. This can include staying:
- in your own home
- with friends or family
- in a standard hotel or other temporary accommodation
Amber list arrivals cannot quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel – these are for red list arrivals only.
You must quarantine in one place for the full quarantine period, where you can have food and other necessities delivered.
Quarantining safely
As soon as you arrive at your place of quarantine you should, as far as possible, avoid contact with other people in the place where you’re quarantining to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
You should stay in a well ventilated room with an outside window that can be opened, separate from other people in your home.
If you’re staying in a hotel or guest house, you must stay away from others who did not travel with you. You must not use shared areas such as bars, restaurants, health clubs and sports facilities.
Stay 2 metres apart from other people staying there at all times.
Visitors
You cannot have visitors, including friends and family, unless they’re providing:
- emergency assistance
- care or assistance, including personal care
- medical assistance
- veterinary services
- certain critical public services
Going out
Unless you’re at risk of harm, you cannot leave the premises where you’re in quarantine. You must only exercise inside the place where you’re quarantining or in the garden. You cannot leave the place where you’re quarantining to walk your dog. You will need to ask friends or relatives to help you with this.
If you’re at risk of harm
If you’re at risk of harm (for example in cases of domestic abuse), you can leave the place where you’re quarantining.
Shopping
You must not go shopping. If you need help buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, you should ask friends or relatives or order a delivery or ask for help from NHS Volunteer Responders.
Getting or posting your tests
Where your testing provider conducts the day 2 and day 8 tests at a test site you can leave the house for your test. Where your tests are delivered and self-administered, if there is no one in your household or bubble who can post the test for processing, you can leave the premises to post your test.
If you have to leave the premises, you should follow safer travel guidance and avoid public transport if possible.
Exceptional circumstances
You can leave your accommodation in certain exceptional circumstances. This includes needing to:
- get basic urgent necessities like food and medicines where you cannot arrange for these to be delivered
- travel to a COVID-19 testing site
- access critical public services including social services and services provided to victims (such as victims of crime)
- move to a different place for quarantine where you can no longer remain where you are
There may be other exceptional circumstances that allow you to leave your place of quarantine.
You could get advice from a medical or other professional to help decide whether your circumstances are exceptional and require you to leave your place of quarantine.
Even if you have an exception, you must continue to follow the general restrictions that apply.
What to do if you get COVID-19 symptoms
You should order a test if you develop at least one of these 3 COVID-19 symptoms at any point:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- you’ve lost your sense of smell or taste or it’s changed
Rules for the people you’re staying with
The people you’re staying with do not need to quarantine, unless:
- they travelled with you
- you or someone in the place where you’re staying develop symptoms of COVID-19
- you get a positive test result for your day 2 or day 8 test
If any of these things apply, your household must quarantine with you, following the same rules and for the same length of time as you.
Ending quarantine
If you’ve quarantined for 10 full days (where day 0 is the day you took the test or had symptoms) and received a negative result to both your day 2 and day 8 tests, and you are well, you may leave the place where you’re quarantining.
Ending quarantine early using Test to Release
Under the Test to Release scheme you can choose to pay for a private COVID-19 test on day 5. If the result is negative (and the result of your day 2 test was negative or inconclusive), you can end your quarantine.
You do not have to do this – it’s a voluntary test.
You must still book and take your mandatory day 2 and day 8 travel tests, even if your Test to Release result is negative.
Find out more about Test to Release, including a link to providers offering this test.
Checks to make sure you’re following quarantine rules
While you quarantine, NHS Test and Trace will contact you daily to confirm you’re following quarantine rules. You may also be visited by staff carrying out in-person checks on behalf of Test and Trace to make sure you’re complying with your legal duty to quarantine. Read more about the checks carried out to make sure you’re following quarantine rules.
If you break the quarantine rules, you may face a penalty of up to £10,000.
Support to help you quarantine
Quarantining may be difficult, frustrating or lonely. NHS Volunteer Responders are available if:
- you need help collecting shopping or medication
- you’d like a friendly chat
Call 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm) to arrange support. You can arrange one-off support, or schedule more regular help while you’re quarantining.
You can also get help looking after your mental health.
Changing the place where you’re quarantining
You are not allowed to change the place where you’re quarantining except in very limited circumstances, including where:
- a legal obligation requires you to change address, such as when you’re a child whose parents live separately, and you need to move between homes as part of a shared custody agreement
- it’s necessary and permissible for you to stay overnight at accommodation before travelling to the place where you will be quarantining for the remaining period
If this happens, you must provide full details of each address where you will quarantine on the passenger locator form. If, in exceptional circumstances, you cannot remain where you’re staying, you can move to a new place to quarantine and you must complete a new passenger locator form as soon as possible.
Circumstances not covered by this guidance
If you’re intending to travel to the UK in the next 7 days and facing a set of circumstances that are not covered by this guidance, email your enquiry to dhsctesttrace.customerfeedbackteam@nhs.net.
Make sure you include your date of travel.
Last updated 24 August 2021
