Countries Londoners could fly to this summer including The Seychelles, Cyprus and Poland
Countries Londoners could fly to this summer including The Seychelles, Cyprus and Poland
A holiday abroad might be on the cards after all
With the vaccine roll out offering hope to millions of Londoners for a return to normal, some are inevitably dreaming of a holiday away.
But it’s not going to be as easy as it was pre-pandemic.
Covid infection rates and the government measures put in place to counter them vary from country to country.
Which means you won’t be able to pick and chose were you go abroad when the UK travel restrictions ease.
A number of countries have said they will accept vaccinated travellers including Iceland, Cyprus and the Seychelles, reports the Mirror.
Currently of course it is illegal for Brits to travel abroad for holidays, and the government is cracking down on rule-breakers including requiring people to provide a valid reason for travel or risk being turned away at the airport, or even being fined.
At the time of writing, a number of destinations haven’t included Brits in the list of travellers they will be welcoming back, for a mixture of reasons spanning fears of a mutant coronavirus strain in the UK, to only welcoming back EU members in an initial wave.
Still, the news that vaccinated travellers will be welcome back do offer a glimmer of hope, especially for future travels when restrictions are eventually relaxed.
We take a look at the countries who’ve said they will welcome back vaccinated travellers – and whether Brits are included in the list.
Travel restrictions are subject to change during the pandemic. You should always check the latest FCDO travel advice before planning, booking or going on a trip.
Iceland
Iceland has announced that it won’t require travellers to quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 .
Current rules mean all arrivals must undergo a PCR test upon arrival followed by a 5-6 day quarantine, and then a second screening. However, the new policy means travellers with a Covid vaccination certificate won’t need to undergo screenings or self-isolation .
Are Brits on the list? Not for the initial stage. Iceland is only accepting vaccine certificates that meet certain criteria including being issued in an EEA/EFTA state. As the UK has left the EU, it doesn’t qualify. However, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iceland told the Mirror that “as soon as the UK vaccine certificates are validated by the WHO, we will be looking at whether we can accept them at our borders”.
The Seychelles
The Seychelles’ tourism authorities announced earlier this year that “with immediate effect, Seychelles will be welcoming vaccinated visitors from any part of the world”.
Anyone who receives the vaccination will need to wait for two weeks after receiving their second dose before they will be allowed to head to the island.
There will still be entry requirements for vaccinated visitors; you’ll need to prove you’ve had two doses of the official vaccines, and you’ll still need to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test result, taken up to 72 hours before departure.
Borders will remain closed to visitors who haven’t been vaccinated, or who aren’t travelling from the list of approved countries.
Are Brits on the list? At the time of writing, the Seychelles has closed its borders to anyone travelling from the UK.
Estonia
Estonia has revealed that from February 1, Brits who have received the Covid-19 vaccination will no longer be required to isolate for 10 days or undergo Covid-19 tests.
The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the news in January. There will be some criteria that needs to be met though – for example, no more than six months have passed since receiving the complete vaccine.
Are Brits on the list? Yes – Brits who have received the vaccine won’t need to isolate or undergo testing.
Cyprus
Cyprus is looking to introduce a new policy where vaccinated travellers will not need to undergo current testing and quarantine rules.
Cyprus Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos revealed the plan to the Cyprus Mail. He said: “The amended action plan is expected to further boost the interest of airline companies to carry out additional flights to Cyprus, improve connectivity and increase passenger traffic.”
Travellers who are not vaccinated will still need to meet Cyprus’ entry requirements.
Are Brits on the list? Cyprus will continue to determine entry for travellers based on the country they’re travelling from – and at the time of writing, the UK is not on this list.
Poland
Poland has lifted a mandatory 10-day self-isolation for travellers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and can provide proof of vaccine certification.
Quarantine is also lifted for visitors who have proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours before crossing the Polish border.
Are Brits on the list? Yes. Brits are able to enter Poland (once the UK’s bans on international travel lift).
Romania
Romania has announced that travellers who have been vaccinated against coronavirus will be exempt from measures such as quarantine.
You’ll need to have received both doses of the vaccine, and arrived in Romania more than 10 days after the second dose, to qualify for the exemption.
Are Brits on the list? According to the Foreign Office, UK nationals and non-EU/EEA nationals resident in the UK are not permitted to enter Romania for non-essential purposes, due to EU-wide COVID-19 restrictions in place for third country nationals.