London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Feb 23, 2026

Coronavirus: What are the UK travel quarantine rules?

Coronavirus: What are the UK travel quarantine rules?

Travellers entering the UK from France and the Netherlands will face a 14-day quarantine when they arrive from Saturday.

ransport Secretary Grant Shapps said the measure - which also applies to people travelling from Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba - would start at 04:00 BST.

The UK government's decision follows a surge in cases in the countries affected in recent days.

Which other countries are no longer exempt from quarantine?


People arriving in the UK from Belgium, the Bahamas and Andorra, were recently told they also have to self-isolate. Spain and Luxembourg have also come off the exemption list.

The full list of countries exempt from quarantine rules has been updated regularly.

You don't need to self-isolate if you travel through a non-exempt country, as long as you don't stop in the country to get out of the car and no one else gets in.

Or if you are on public transport, you are exempt from quarantine if no new passengers get on while in the non-exempt country and no passenger mixes with people outside or enters a public space at a stop.

What are the quarantine rules?


The government has published a list of ''lower risk'' countries that can be visited without the need to self-isolate on returning to England.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can make their own quarantine rules, but they are usually similar.

Travellers from affected countries - including UK nationals - are asked to provide an address where they will self-isolate for 14 days. They can be fined £100 for failing to provide these details.

One in five eligible passengers will be called or texted to check they are following the rules.

People who do not self-isolate can be fined up to £1,000 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and £480 in Scotland. There are fines up to £5,000 for persistent offenders.


Travellers entering the UK from Spain have to self-isolate


Passengers should drive their own car to their destination if possible. If they don't provide an address, the government will arrange accommodation at the traveller's expense.

Once at their destination, they must not use public transport or taxis during the quarantine period. They must also not go to work, school, or public areas, or have visitors except for essential support.

Nor are they allowed to go out to buy food, or other essentials, if they can rely on others.

People returning from overseas will not be automatically eligible for statutory sick pay during this period, unless they meet the required conditions - for example, displaying coronavirus symptoms.

Which countries don't have to quarantine?


Anyone arriving from the Common Travel Area (CTA) - the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man - does not have to enter quarantine, if they have been in the CTA for at least 14 days.

Travellers from more than 50 countries deemed ''low risk'' do not have to quarantine, with a further five countries - Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and St Vincent and the Grenadines added to the list on 28 July. These are known as ''travel corridors'' although some of these countries will impose restrictions on travellers entering from the UK.

Health measures including quarantine rules are set by each UK nation separately - although Wales has adopted the same exemptions as England. Since 10 July, Scotland's quarantine measures have also been eased, as have Northern Ireland's.



Which workers are exempt from quarantine?


There are a number of people who are exempt, regardless of their country of origin, including:

* Road haulage and freight workers
* Medical and care professionals providing essential healthcare
* Seasonal agricultural workers if they self-isolate where they are working
* UK residents who ordinarily travel overseas at least once a week for work



Do other countries have quarantine rules?


Travellers could find they also have to enter quarantine when they arrive in another country, even if they do not have to quarantine in the UK on their return. Some countries have introduced screening measures like temperature checks, and entry restrictions. For example:

* New Zealand has barred almost all foreign travellers
* Australia requires an exemption visa if you are not a resident or a citizen and everyone entering the country needs to quarantine for 14 days
* South Korea requires all arrivals to be tested and to isolate for 14 days
* Adult visitors to Iceland can either pay for a test or go into quarantine
* Anyone who has been in the UK in the previous 14 days is not currently allowed to enter Japan.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Police Officers Guarded 2010 Epstein Dinner Attended by Prince Andrew, Reports Say
US Trade Representative Affirms Commitment to Existing Tariff Agreements with UK and Other Partners
Activists at the Louvre hung a framed Reuters photograph of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor slumped in the back of a car leaving a police station on the day of his arrest
The royal biographer said that he expected the police to 'look at the money trail' - including Sarah Ferguson borrowing money from Epstein
A Protestor screams in NYC: “Bill Gates is on the Epstein’s List…”
FBI and Secret Service Hold Press Conference After Shooting Incident at Mar-a-Lago
Mark Zuckerberg Testifies in Trial Over Social Media's Impact on Children's Mental Health
Maggie Oliver exposes Keir Starmer using letters to close child rapists investigations
Kouri Richie's wrote a children’s book to help her sons grieve the death of their father. Now she’ll stand trial for his murder
New York Braces for Major Snowstorm With Up to 18 Inches Forecast and Blizzard Warnings Issued
Mexican Military Kills CJNG Leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes as Violence Erupts Across Jalisco
Metropolitan Police Deploys Palantir-Powered AI to Flag Potential Officer Misconduct
UK Parliament Rebukes Police Over Ban on Israeli Football Fans
Britain Emerges Among a Small Group of Nations Without a Religious Majority
UK’s Manufacturing Base at Risk as Soaring Energy Costs Weigh on Industry
Matt Goodwin’s Unconventional Campaign for Reform UK in the Gorton and Denton By-Election
US Military Movements in the UK Spark Speculation Over Preparations Related to Iran Tensions
UK Faces Significant Economic Risk From Trump’s New Global Tariff Regime
UK Defence Secretary Signals Intent to Deploy British Troops to Ukraine
UK Students Mark Lunar New Year as Universities Adjust to New Equality Compliance Rules
UK Government Weighs Removing Prince Andrew from Line of Succession After Arrest
Prince Andrew’s Arrest in UK Rekindles Scrutiny Over US Handling of Epstein Records
Trump’s Strategic Warning to UK Over Chagos Islands Deal Sparks Diplomatic Whiplash
Starmer Government Postpones Local Elections Affecting 4.5 Million Voters
UK Economy Remains Fragile Despite Recent Upturn in Headline Indicators
UK Businesses Face Fresh Uncertainty Following US Tariff Ruling
Reform UK’s Senior Figures Face Scrutiny Over Remarks on Women and Family Policy
UK Electric Vehicle Drive Threatened by Shortage of 44,000 Qualified Technicians
University of Kentucky Trustees Advance Academic Reforms and Approve Coliseum Plaza Purchase
Boris Johnson Calls for Immediate Deployment of UK Troops to Support Ukraine
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praises the rapid progress of Chinese tech companies.
North Korea's capital experiences a significant construction boom with the development of a new city district dubbed 'Pyonghattan'.
New electric vehicle charging service eliminates waiting times
Vox Populi confronts Justin Trudeau at Davos over vaccination policies
Poland's President Karol Nawrocki ENDS support for Ukrainian citizens:
The mayor of Rotherham in Britain
One day after ex-Prince Andrew's arrest, British police are searching his former home, while U.K. lawmakers will consider introducing legislation to remove him from the line of royal succession
Vandana Shiva reminding the world that Bill Gates did not invent anything.
Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni highlights record employment and economic growth
UK Confirms Preferential U.S. Trading Terms Will Continue After Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
U.S. and U.K. to Hold Talks on Diego Garcia as Iran Objects to Potential Military Use
UK Officials Weigh Possible Changes to Prince Andrew’s Position in Line of Succession Amid Ongoing Scrutiny
British Police Probe Epstein’s UK Airport Links and Expand High-Profile Inquiries
The Impact of U.S. Sanctions on Cuba's Humanitarian Crisis: A Tightening Noose
Trump Directs Government to Release UFO and Alien Information
Trump Signs Global 10% Tariffs on Imports
United Kingdom Denies U.S. Access to Military Base for Potential Iran Strike
British Co-founder of ASOS falls to his death from Pattaya apartment
Early 2026 Data Suggests Tentative Recovery for UK Businesses and Households
UK Introduces Digital-First Passport Rules for Dual Citizens in Border Control Overhaul
×