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Thursday, Dec 25, 2025

UK relaxes restrictions for international travel

UK relaxes restrictions for international travel

Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela will continue on the so-called "red list."
The British government announced Thursday that it will further relax its rules for international travel next week, a move that will authorize many long-trip destinations for the holiday season for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began a year and a half ago.

In addition to drastically reducing the number of places whose travelers will have to quarantine in a hotel, the government said it would recognize the vaccination programs of dozens of other countries.

In their most drastic measure, the British authorities reported that they will lift the requirement of quarantine in a hotel for those arriving in England from 47 countries, including Mexico, South Africa and Thailand. While the ad only refers to England, the other nations of Great Britain - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - generally follow suit.

Once the changes take effect on Monday, there will only be seven countries - Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela - within the so-called "red list", which requires that all passengers coming from them They serve a quarantine in a hotel for 11 nights at a cost of 2,285 pounds ($ 3,100) per traveler.

With the changes announced Thursday, anyone who arrives from the 47 countries removed from the red list will be exempt from that requirement.

However, travelers will still be required to undergo a series of coronavirus diagnostic tests before and after arrival, and comply with a 10-day self-confinement unless the British government recognizes a country's vaccination status certificates and vaccines used. Great Britain recognizes the inoculations from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, as well as their versions, such as AstraZeneca's Covishield, made in India.

Another 37 countries and territories will be added to that list starting Monday, lowering entry requirements for people from countries such as Brazil, Ghana, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.

The decision implies that fully vaccinated eligible adults and those under the age of 18 arriving in England from those locations will be treated the same as fully vaccinated Britons.

SOURCE: Associated Press
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