The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Operator Liability) (England) Regulations 2021 (SI 2021/582) is a statutory instrument (SI) made on 14 May 2021 by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulations aimed to reduce the possibility of infection spreading from travellers from overseas. They revoked and replaced the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/568), and introduced a new set of requirements for international travellers who arrived in England having begun their journey outside the Common Travel Area (CTA) (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man), as well as travellers arriving from within the CTA who had been outside the CTA in the 10 days preceding their arrival. Travellers arriving in England who had remained entirely within the CTA during the preceding 10 days were mostly not affected.
The regulations were amended many times over the subsequent months, before being revoked on 18 March 2022.
Summary As initially enacted on 17 May 2021, the regulations introduced a new traffic light system of country categorisation (similar but not identical to the revoked Exempt / Not exempt / Red list categories of SI 2020/568), with most international travellers arriving in England being placed into one of three categories depending on the highest risk-level country (Green / Amber / Red) that they had been in over the preceding 10 days. Restrictions including mandatory COVID-19 testing, home self-isolation, and hotel isolation were applied depending on the traveller's category. The regulations were modified many times in response to changing levels of perceived threat, with direct air or boat journeys being forbidden at various times from certain high risk countries.
On 4 October 2021, the regulations were significantly amended to abolish the traffic light system, with only the Red list category being retained. Travellers (unless exempt) from Red list countries remained subject to stringent measures, including mandatory hotel quarantine, while 'eligible travellers' from other countries were subject to lesser levels of restriction based on vaccine status and country of vaccination. Over the subsequent weeks, the number of countries on the Red list was gradually though not consistently reduced, and by 15 December no Red list countries remained. From 15 December, non-exempt travellers from all countries were in practice treated in the same way. From 7 December, all non-exempt travellers over the age of 12, regardless of vaccination status, had to take an approved test no more than two days before their final departure for England.
From 7 January 2022, fully vaccinated travellers no longer needed to possess notification of a negative test result on arrival in England. On day 2 after arrival a test was required, but there was no longer any requirement to self-isolate while awaiting the result.
On 11 February 2022, all testing and self-isolation requirements for fully vaccinated travellers were abolished. Non-eligible travellers still had to pre-book a day 2 test, but did not need to self-isolate on arrival.
The regulations were finally revoked on 18 March 2022.
Legal basis and commencement The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/568) were introduced by way of a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, using emergency powers available to him under sections 45B, 45F(2) and 45P(2) of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. They came into effect on 17 May 2021.
'Traffic light' rules, from 17 May 2021; some rules retained after 4 October 2021
Green list arrivals, 17 May to 4 October 2021 The rules in this section were abolished on 4 October 2021.
Places listed in schedule 1 to the Regulations, legally "Category 1 countries and territories", were commonly referred to as the "Green list". The following rules applied to all arrivals (unless exempt) who had been in a Green list country during the preceding 10 days, and who had NOT been in any Amber or Red list country.
Requirement to provide information Travellers had to provide information on a passenger locator form in prescribed format which had to be completed on arrival into England or, for passengers on the Eurotunnel Shuttle, at immigration control in Calais. Passengers could complete the form up to 48 hours in advance.
The required information included the passenger's personal data, journey details, and details of the place they intended to stay during the next 10 days or to self-isolate if required. COVID-19 testing details could also be required.
There were exemptions for certain government contractors, foreign government officials, transport workers, seamen, aircrew, channel tunnel workers, transit passengers, road hauliers, essential and emergency workers, offshore oil workers, some specialist, clinical and medical workers, seasonal workers, people who have to travel for work at least weekly, and elite sportspeople. Also exempt were members of diplomatic or consular missions, representatives of international organisations afforded privileges and immunities in the UK, diplomatic and consular couriers, government representatives on official business, and some members of their households.
Requirement to possess negative test result On arrival in England (or at immigration control in Calais), travellers had on request to present notification of a negative COVID-19 test result. The test had to be of an approved type, and administered no more than three days earlier.
There were exemptions for children under the age of 11, certain government contractors, foreign government officials, seamen, aircrew, channel tunnel workers, and road hauliers.
Requirement to pre-book a day 2 test Travellers had at their own expense to pre-book an additional COVID-19 test, to be taken on day 2 after arrival. If the result of the test was negative, there were no further restrictions and no requirement to self-isolate. If positive, the person had to self-isolate as described below in connection with Amber country arrivals.
Children under the age of five were exempt from the testing requirement, and there was an extensive list of other exemptions and special cases.
Amber list arrivals, from 17 May 2021 The self-isolation rules and exemptions of this section were largely retained by the 4 October 2021 amendments, re-purposed as rules for non Red list non eligible travellers.
The "Category 2 countries and territories" of the regulations as initially enacted were countries not in the Common Travel Area that were not listed in schedules 1 or 3. These were commonly referred to as the "Amber list". Any country not mentioned by name was automatically deemed to be on the Amber list. The following rules applied to all arrivals (unless exempt) who had been in an Amber list country during the preceding 10 days, and who had NOT been in any Red list country.
Requirement to provide information Same as arrivals from Green list countries.
Requirement to possess negative test result Same as arrivals from Green list countries.
From 7 December 2021 a pre-travel test had to be taken by all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, no more than two days prior to the final leg of the journey to England.
Requirement to pre-book day 2 and day 8 tests Travellers had at their own expense to pre-book a 'testing package' comprising additional day 2 and day 8 COVID-19 tests. Children under the age of five were exempt, and there was an extensive list of other exemptions and special cases.
Self-isolation Travellers had to self-isolate at home or some other approved location normally for at least 10 days, or longer if either of the tests returned a positive result. In some circumstances optional private tests were permitted which, if negative, allowed early release. The traveller did not need to remain in isolation during that period from any person they live with at home, nor from anyone with whom they were travelling.
People who were self-isolating were not allowed to leave their place of self-isolation except: to travel to leave England, provided they did so directly to seek medical or veterinary assistance, or to obtain a COVID-19 test where required to fulfil a legal obligation such as to attend court, satisfy bail conditions, or participate in legal proceedings to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm on compassionate grounds, such as attending certain funerals to move to a different place of self-isolation in exceptional circumstances, for example to obtain basic necessities such as food or medical supplies where these could not be obtained in any other manner to access critical public services.
Some road hauliers could self-isolate in the sleeping cab of a goods vehicle, in which case they could also go outside for sanitary reasons, to take exercise, and to inspect, load or refuel the vehicle.
Amber list exemptions from 19 July 2021 From 19 July 2021 some arrivals from Amber list countries were exempted from the need to self-isolate. To be exempt, the traveller must not during the preceding 10 days have visited any Red list country, and must have completed a course of vaccination in the UK or as part of the UK roll-out overseas, with the final dose being given at least 14 days earlier. Children normally resident in the UK were also exempt, as were adults who had been involved in a UK clinical vaccine trial. Exempt Amber list arrivals also benefited from reduced testing requirements, and did not need book or undertake a day 8 test.
Between 19 July and 8 August 2021, travellers who had visited Metropolitan France within the preceding 10 days were treated differently from other Amber list arrivals, in that the exemption mentioned in the previous paragraph did not apply to them. This was referred to as an "amber plus" list. On 8 August, Metropolitan France was brought back into line with the other Amber list countries.
Amber list exemptions from 2 August 2021 On 2 August 2021 further self-isolation exemptions became available to travellers who had completed an approved course of vaccine outside the UK, specifically those regulated by the European Medicine Agency (EU member states, Andorra, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Vatican City), Swissmedic (Switzerland), or the Food and Drug Administration (US). Also exempt were children ordinarily resident in any of the countries listed. The US-based exemption for adults applied only to travellers who were "ordinarily resident in the US".
Amber list exemptions from 22 September 2021 From 22 September 2021 there were new exemptions for foreign police force officials, people on cruise ships who did not disembark, seasonal poultry workers, performing arts professionals, persons engaged in film or high end TV, and road haulage support workers.
Red list arrivals, from 17 May 2021 The quarantine rules of this section were largely retained by the 4 October 2021 amendments, re-purposed as rules for Red list non eligible travellers. Following removal of all of remaining countries from the Red list on 1 November, and again on 15 December, there were after the latter date no countries to which the following Red list rules applied.
The countries listed in schedule 3 to the regulations, legally "Category 3 countries and territories", were commonly referred to as the "Red list". The following rules applied to all arrivals (unless exempt) who had been in or transited through a Red list country during the preceding 10 days.
Ports of entry