Which countries are on the amber list?
Foreign holidays became legal again in Britain on 17 May, with countries assigned a colour of red, amber or green and given restrictions to match under a traffic light system.
The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, announced the destinations that would be initially designated green and red in early May, with the rest of the world falling into the “amber” category.
Since then, there have been two “reviews” to the lists: one on 3 June, and the latest one on 24 June.
Madeira, Malta and the Balearic Islands were among the 16 destinations added to the quarantine-free green list in the most recent reshuffle.
The 56 “red list” countries, meanwhile, are deemed the most high risk when it comes to coronavirus, and come with the tightest rules to match: travellers arriving to the UK from these countries must pay to spend 11 nights in a quarantine hotel and take two PCR tests.
According to Mr Shapps, red list countries are “those which should not be visited except in the most extreme of circumstances”.
The 27 “green list” countries have the lightest restrictions on entry back into the UK, with no quarantine imposed and travellers merely required to take one PCR test within two days of arrival.
Follow live: Green list for travel could be reviewed today
“Amber list” countries – which include the US and most of Europe – require arrivals to self-isolate at home for 10 days and pay for two PCR tests, one on day two and one on day eight.
All travellers must show proof of a negative Covid test – PCR, rapid antigen or lateral flow – before departure to the UK.
There has been much confusion over whether leisure travel to amber countries is allowed. Boris Johnson has advised against it, saying during PMQs: “It is very, very clear – you should not be going to an 'amber list' country except for some extreme circumstance, such as the serious illness of a family member. You should not be going to an 'amber list' country on holiday.”
However, there is no longer a legal ban; travellers do not have to prove an essential reason for flying to an amber list country, nor can they be fined for doing so.
Government ministers have confirmed that they are “working on” plans to scrap quarantine for amber list arrivals who have been fully vaccinated. It is hoped the measure might be introduced in August.
Popular holiday destinations in the amber category include Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Greece.
Here are the countries that are currently amber (this list is not exhaustive; if your destination is not on the green or red list, it should be classified as amber):
Amber list
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
The Bahamas
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Comoros
Cook Islands
Côte d’Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Estonia
Fiji
Finland
France
French Polynesia
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece (including islands)
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Madagascar
Malaysia
Mali
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Morocco
Myanmar (Burma)
Nauru
Netherlands
New Caledonia
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
The Occupied Palestinian Territories
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Poland
Portugal
Réunion
Romania
Russia
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain (including the Balearics and Canary Islands)
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Martin and St Barthélemy
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Ukraine
United States (USA)
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen
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