France is the only country in the European Union not to benefit from this relaxation. Travelers fully vaccinated against Covid-19, in the European Union (EU) or the United States, will now be exempt from quarantine in England, the British government announced on Wednesday July 28.
This measure, ardently demanded by expatriates and the tourism sector, will come into force from Monday at 5 a.m., French time, said the British Ministry of Transport. But it will not apply to arrivals from France.
France excluded because of the Beta variant
For travelers from countries classified as “orange”, the vast majority of tourist destinations, including the EU and the United States, the United Kingdom imposes a quarantine of at least five days, as well as expensive tests. The country had already exempted from quarantine arrivals vaccinated by the British health service, but not those vaccinated abroad, to the dismay of British expatriates in these countries, for whom it is very difficult to return home.
From now on, England will apply the same measure to people vaccinated in the European Union or in the United States, for arrivals from all countries on the Orange List except France, due to the presence of the Beta variant, listed for the first time in South Africa. “Separate rules will continue to apply for arrivals from France”, the ministry said in a statement.
Travelers vaccinated in the United States will also have to prove that they are residents of the United States. A PCR test will remain mandatory two days after their arrival. In addition, these measures do not apply to countries classified as “red” by London, such as India, the United Arab Emirates, or countries in South America. Only UK residents can return, observing an expensive quarantine at their own expense, in hotels reserved for this purpose.
