From passport problems to testing – we have you covered
On Friday, covid travel rules are relaxing even further in the UK, meaning the obstacles to a sunny getaway are nearly all gone – well, sort of.
In a sign that the new normal could well be similar to the old normal, even Australia and New Zealand started reopening their borders this week, and, on Thursday, Boris Johnson announced he is ditching our last covid rule – the requirement to self-isolate if you test positive, a full two weeks early, around February 24.
As of January, global airline revenue for 2022 was still only forecast to reach 65 percent of that seen in 2019, according to Bain, but travel operators are reporting a steady trade.
TUI described last weekend as its “busiest yet” in 2022, while lastminute.com said its sales at the end of January reached an all-time high since the pandemic began. Demand for travel is forecast to return to 84 per cent of 2019-levels come Christmas.
But, be warned, there are still a few traps that will catch out the unprepared traveller.
It is thought that as many as 80 holiday destinations still require Brits to take a re-departure PCR test before entering, the BBC reported.
Here’s everything you need to know before booking that vacation.
The fully vaxxed can relax in the UK
As of 4am Friday, anyone who is full-vaccinated will no longer need to take a covid test before or after arriving in the UK. They won’t have to quarantine either.
Those not fully vaccinated will need to show proof of a covid test taken two days prior and book and pay for a covid PCR to be taken after arrival. Any passenger that tests positive will be required to quarantine.
Whether you’re vaccinated or not, you’ll still need to complete a passenger locator form before returning.
You can check if you qualify as fully vaccinated on the gov.uk website.
So, what’s being booked right now?
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The Canaries, Greece, and mainland Spain have been seeing strong demand, according to travel operator, TUI.
But reports on Wednesday suggested many UK families have cancelled half-term trips to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands because children over 12 must be double vaccinated to enter.
Businesses in the destinations say they have lost millions of pounds’ worth of trade as a result of the rule, and are calling on the Spanish government to relax restrictions.
Mexico and Turkey are proving popular alternatives, TUI told the BBC.
When are people going and for how long?
TUI said February half-term is the most booked departure week currently and has seen a greater share of bookings over the past few weeks.
In the next six months, three-night stays are the most popular for city breaks and seven-night stays for sun and beach holidays, according to lastminute.com.
TUI added that many of its customers are choosing to go away for longer than seven nights, “to make up for lost time.”
Europe… it’s as complicated as Brexit. Be warned!
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Covid rules are relaxing across the continent but they’re not the same across all 44 countries.
Currently, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, and Croatia will let you in without having to do a test if you’re fully vaccinated.
France is set to do the same within the next few days, while unvaccinated travellers still need an essential reason to go.
Your kids might catch you out
If you’re thinking of heading to Spain or the Canaries with the whole fam, make sure all the over 12’s are double vaccinated – otherwise, they won’t get in (and nobody likes a screaming child in the airport).
Elsewhere, rules for teens are also proving tight. In France, for example, over-16s need to prove they are vaccinated to gain access to certain activities, including getting a ski pass. Twelve to 15-year-olds who are not vaccinated can take a daily covid test.
But, it isn’t just a case of ‘get jab, good to go’
If you’re travelling to France, Spain, Portugal, or Denmark, for example, and you had the jab over 270 days ago – you’ll need a booster to get in.
This means anyone who had their second dose before mid-May last year will need to have been boosted if they travel to those countries for the half-term holidays this Saturday. According to a report in The Guardian, only 65 per cent of Brits over the age of 12 have had a booster so far.
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Then there’s the passport problem
It’s probably been a while – maybe even two years – since many Brits dusted off their passport.
But, be warned, officials aren’t going to pander to pandemic sob stories when it comes to travel documents.
Firstly, make sure you pack your passport. Second, check the dates to ensure they’re valid under post-Brexit rules.
Passengers have reportedly been turned away at airport gates for having documents that fail to meet new regulations.
Passports must be no more than 10 years old to enter EU countries and travel within the last six months of a passport will no longer be allowed. Arrivals in the EU must also have a passport valid for at least three months after their departure date.
And the rules don’t stop when you land
[caption id="attachment_316739" align="alignnone" width="2048"]![Cafes and bars in Austria have to close at midnight [Photo: Getty]](https://dus09vr7ngt46.cloudfront.net/uploads/2022/02/10162917/GettyImages-1368801811-3.jpg)
Cafes and bars in Austria have to close at midnight [Photo: Getty]Granted, you might have an easy(ish) time getting into some European countries right now, it’s important to think about what the rules will be when you get there.
In countries such as Cyprus and Greece, for example, proof of vaccination is needed to enter most indoor spaces, including bars, restaurants, cafes, museums, theatres, cinemas, and sports venues.
Some countries aren’t even fully open yet. Bulgaria’s leisure and entertainment sports are either in lockdown or operating at reduced capacity, euronews reports. In Austria, hospitality venues such as cafes and bars have to close at midnight (though this has just been relaxed from the tighter 10pm curfew that was in place).
Many countries have a pass system in place, where you show your covid pass to get into public spaces. Best to know the rules before you get there.
Australia is finally open… well, sort of
Australian citizens, overseas students, and skilled migrants have been allowed to return home since before Christmas and double-jabbed travellers from New Zealand and Singapore have also been permitted to enter the country since November.
But this week Australia announced that from February 21 it will reopen to fully-vaccinated international tourists for the first time since the pandemic began. Tourists won’t even have to quarantine or apply for travel exemption, though as always they will still have to get a visa.
And New Zealand?
New Zealand will begin to open its borders on February 27.
This will happen in stages: vaccinated New Zealand citizens and visa holders coming from Australia will be allowed first, then New Zealand citizens from the rest of the world two weeks later.
5,000 international students and other eligible temporary visa holders will be allowed to enter from April 12, followed by Australians and other travellers who do not require a visa to enter. All other international visitors will be allowed back from October.
All arrivals will still have to self-isolate for 10 days, but will no longer have to stay in the country’s managed quarantine facilities.
It’s a long way to go, so is there a rush to visit?
Despite New Zealand not being “a big destination” for lastminute.com, the site has still seen a surge in flight bookings since the reopening announcement on February 3
Half of these departures are for March and April. These are likely to be citizens returning, as foreign nationals won’t be able to enter the country until ‘Stage 4’ of the country’s reopening which will be no later than July when another 25 per cent of bookings have come through. The final 25 per cent are for December, which again is likely to be foreign nationals travelling.
What’s happening elsewhere in the world?
Brits can visit the US fairly easily if fully vaccinated – just get a visa, provide contact info, and show a negative covid test taken no more than one day before arrival (with no need to quarantine).
Fully vaxxed Brits won’t even need to do a test to enter Mexico, Montenegro, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and the Czech Republic, and quarantine-free Thailand holidays are back on the cards. This was suspended before Christmas over Omicron concerns – though Brits could still enter Thailand through various complicated schemes. But as of this month, Thailand opened back up without the need to isolate, just make sure to apply through the country’s ‘Test and Go’ scheme 60 days before your trip.
But, keep reading, not everywhere is wide open just yet. Around 80 holiday destinations globally still require travellers from the UK to take a pre-departure PCR test before entering. Morocco, for example, requires proof of vaccination – at least two weeks before travel – as well as a negative PCR within 48 hours of boarding and a lateral flow on arrival and random PCR testing. Proof of vaccination will also be required to use public transport.
And rules change almost weekly. So, whenever you’re going and wherever you’re heading, make sure to stay up-to-date with all the latest travel advice here and at your destination.
Happy holidays!
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