London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 12, 2026

UK: Travel to Greece, Turkey and 71 other countries officially approved

People living in England have officially been given the green light to travel abroad to 73 countries from July 10.
But the US is not on the list of countries and overseas territories that English holidaymakers can visit without needing to self-isolate on their return.

This means quarantine restrictions for people returning to or visiting England from destinations such as Spain, France, Italy and Germany will be lifted from that date onwards.

Being dubbed ‘travel corridors’ by the Government, Greece and Turkey have also been added to the list of countries, but Portugal has not.

Currently the rules apply to England only as an agreement with the whole of the UK has not yet been reached.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said it was ‘disappointing’ the UK Government announced its plan ‘before a four nations agreement has been reached’.

The announcement means Foreign and Commonwealth Office has officially exempted a number of countries from its previous advisory against all non-essential travel.

Other countries on the list include New Zealand, and British Oversea Territories including the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Transport Secretary Grant Schapps said the US is not included as ‘they have got very high numbers of infections’.

The Scottish Government said the UK Government’s list consists of countries ‘which present differing levels of risk’.

The Department for Transport said risk assessments were conducted by the Joint Biosecurity Centre in consultation with Public Health England and the chief medical officer, considering each country’s prevalence of coronavirus, the number of new cases and the potential trajectory of the disease.

Approved destinations pose ‘a reduced risk to the public health of UK citizens’ but the list will be kept ‘under constant review’, the Department for Transport said.

Ministers failed to guarantee reciprocal arrangements with all the included destinations, meaning some – such as New Zealand – will continue to order English holidaymakers to go into quarantine at the beginning of their trip.

It is thought many countries are reportedly wary of allowing tourists from Britain to enter after spikes in coronavirus cases in certain areas – particularly Leicester after it went into local lockdown this week.

The requirement for everyone arriving into the UK – bar a handful of exemptions – to self-isolate for 14 days was introduced on June 8.

It was met with fierce criticism over the impact on the UK’s travel, tourism and hospitality industries.

Passengers will still be required to provide contact information on arrival in England.

Anyone self-isolating because they have arrived, or are due to return before July 10, will be able to stop from that date.

Mr Shapps said: ‘Today marks the next step in carefully reopening our great nation.

‘Whether you are a holidaymaker ready to travel abroad or a business eager to open your doors again, this is good news for British people and great news for British businesses.

‘The entire nation has worked tirelessly to get to this stage, therefore safety must remain our watch word and we will not hesitate to move quickly to protect ourselves if infection rates rise in countries we are reconnecting with.’

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency and member of the Quash Quarantine campaign group, said: ‘There are still several obstacles to be overcome, namely ensuring Scotland support the planned changes.

‘But this is a welcome boost for the travel industry at such a critical time.’

A spokesperson for trade association Airlines UK said: ‘There’s no doubt quarantine has had a devastating impact on our industry and whilst it’s welcome the Government has removed its blanket ban, we would encourage rigour and science is applied in all future decisions surrounding our businesses.’

All travellers – apart from a small list of exemptions – will still need to provide contact information on arrival to the UK, including details of destinations they have visited or passed through during the last 14 days.

Any travellers that have been in or passed through a country which is not on the exemptions list in the previous 14 days may be asked to self-isolate on return to England.

People have been warned not to travel if they have symptoms of coronavirus and to tell a member of staff or crew if they develop symptoms while travelling.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Government Creates Emergency Support Scheme for Financially Struggling Universities
United Kingdom Replaces Traditional Farm Subsidies With Payments Linked to Environmental Performance
National Grid Reports First Week of Electricity Generation Without Fossil Fuels
United Kingdom Financial Regulator Introduces Tougher Capital Rules for Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Belfast Harbour Expands Operations to Attract Investment Through United Kingdom and European Union Market Access
Scottish Government Threatens Legal Challenge Over Westminster Cuts to North Sea Transition Funding
United Kingdom Accelerates Trans-Pennine High-Speed Rail Project Linking Northern Cities
United Kingdom Secures Ten Billion Pound Investment for Cambridge Quantum Computing Campus
Port Talbot Steelworks Wins Support for Green Hydrogen Transition and Protection of Industrial Jobs
United Kingdom Sends Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group to Indo-Pacific as Regional Security Focus Expands
National Health Service Expands Artificial Intelligence Diagnostics Across England to Reduce Screening Backlogs
United Kingdom Launches Fifty Billion Pound Infrastructure Fund to Accelerate Housing and Construction
UK Medical Chiefs Update Health Guidance to Promote Everyday Physical Activity
Office of Communications Keeps Wikipedia Under Review Under UK Online Safety Rules
UK Defence Ministry Expands Deep-Strike Capability Through Precision Missile Programme
Russell Group Universities Warn Funding Cuts Could Damage NHS Workforce Training
UK Parliament Calls for National Emergency Broadcast as Heatwave Conditions Intensify
UK and Netherlands Strengthen Naval Cooperation With New Amphibious Defence Partnership
UK Defence Ministry Joins International Missile Programme With One Hundred and Ninety Million Pound Investment
Bank of England Warns Middle East Conflict and AI Risks Could Pressure UK Economy
UK Government Introduces New Rules to Limit Foreign Influence in Political Donations
UK and France Prepare Naval Mission to Protect Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz
United States Pressures UK to Increase Defence Spending at NATO Summit
Bank of England Warns Artificial Intelligence Investment Boom Could Create Financial Stability Risks
Bank of England Begins Direct Oversight of Critical Technology Providers Supporting UK Finance
Andy Burnham Set to Become UK Prime Minister After Labour Leadership Race Clears Path to Downing Street
Scottish Fishing Industry Calls for Emergency Support Amid Rising Costs
UK Supports Stronger European Response to Russian Actions in Ukraine
Devon and Cornwall Police Release Suspect in Ann Widdecombe Murder Investigation
Scottish MPs Demand More Government Support for Fishing Industry
UK Aviation Sector Faces New Rules as Parliament Reviews Passenger Protection Reforms
King’s College London Disciplines Students Over Pro-Palestine Campus Protests
Ministry of Defence Expands Military Capabilities Through New Precision Strike Investment
United Kingdom Condemns Russian Treatment of Ukrainian Children at International Security Forum
House of Lords Reviews Civil Aviation Bill to Strengthen Passenger Rights and UK Aviation Competitiveness
UK Aerospace and Defence Industries Contribute Nearly Forty-Seven Billion Pounds to Economy
UK Government Advances Consultation on Possible Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen
United Kingdom Ratifies Global High Seas Treaty to Protect Marine Biodiversity
United Kingdom Joins United States Precision Strike Missile Programme With One Hundred Ninety Million Pound Investment
UK Senior NHS Doctors Vote for Further Strike Action Over Pay and Contract Disputes
BBC Leadership Resigns After Donald Trump Launches Ten Billion Dollar Defamation Lawsuit
UK Fiscal Watchdog Warns Andy Burnham Government Faces One Hundred Billion Pound Budget Challenge
The AI Invoice Shock: Layoffs Didn't Save Managers Money — They Cost Them More
Concern: Sexually Transmitted Bacterium Among Men Develops Antibiotic Resistance
Following Massive Investor Demand: SK Hynix Raises 26.5 Billion Dollars on Nasdaq
Passenger Partially Pulled Out of Ryanair Jet After Cabin Window Fails Mid-Flight
After Four Years, and Under a Heavy Veil of Secrecy: King Charles Meets His Grandchildren, Harry and Meghan's Children
Cross-Party MPs Call for National Climate Emergency Broadcast
Bayeux Tapestry Arrives in the United Kingdom for Landmark Exhibition
United Kingdom Launches Modern Slavery Prevention Programme in Vietnam
×