Foreign Office urges festive travel caution

The FCDO on Wednesday issued a list of five festive travel tips it wants prospective travellers to be aware of before making a final decision on whether to travel overseas.

• Check the travel restrictions that apply to you. If you live in the UK, there are different restrictions in place in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland;
• Read the FCDO’s foreign travel checklist, which includes information on preparing for an overseas trip;
• Check the travel advice for the destination you are planning to go to. These pages include information on entry, screening and quarantine requirements that could affect your journey;
• Sign up for travel advice email alerts, so you automatically receive the latest travel advice updates for the destinations you want to know about.
• Get a travel insurance policy and make sure you are happy with the level of cover it provides.

Nigel Adams, minister responsible for FCDO travel advice, said: “Coronavirus has fundamentally changed the way we travel, meaning it’s more important than ever to consider the need for a trip abroad and to be prepared.

"Our staff will do all they can to help British people in difficulty, but travellers must take responsibility as well.

“Different destinations may introduce new rules and restrictions with little notice as they respond to the pandemic, so it’s vital that people plan their travel and understand that disruption is possible.”

The FCDO has echoed advice from the Department for Transport and transport secretary Grant Shapps that from 2 December, people are permitted to travel abroad, "subject to any restrictions in place at their destination".

Those living under Tier 3 restrictions "should avoid leaving the area other than for reasons such as work, education or caring responsibilities", although the government has confirmed this is guidance or advice rather a legal requirement.

International travel and any quarantine requirements will continue to be governed by the government’s travel corridor regime, meaning anyone arriving into England from a non-travel corridor country or territory, including any transit arrangements, will still have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.

However, from 15 December, those arriving into England from non-travel corridor countries will, after five days’ self-isolation, be able to to take a Covid test privately which, if negative, will release them from their quarantine.

The FCDO added that it continues to advise against cruise ship travel at this time, citing "the ongoing pandemic" and "latest medical advice", which it said was kept under constant review.