Quarantine and FCO Exemption update - 31 July

The DfT and the FCO have updated their travel exemptions list.

Luxembourg has been removed from the list of countries exempt from UK arrivals quarantine, meaning that as from today all people who arrive from Luxembourg are required to self-isolate for 14 days.  If you have arrived from another country but have been to Luxembourg within 14 days of arrival in the UK you will also have to isolate for the remainder of the 14 day period (i.e. if you have been to Luxembourg and then in another (exempt country) for 7 days you would need to isolate for a further 7 days).

The FCO are also recommending that only essential travel be made to Luxembourg.

Full information on the quarantine rules and procedures as well as the list of exempt countries can be found here: 

Click here for the up to date list of 'Travel Corridors'               Click here for further information on quarantine rules

Click here for special rules for transit stops

Full information regarding those countries exempt from the FCO blanket ban on all but essential travel can be found here:

Click here to open the website

The Department for Transport said data from the UK’s Joint Biosecurity Centre and Public Health England has indicated "a significant change in both the level and pace of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Luxembourg".

"There has been a consistent increase in coronavirus (Covid-19) cases per 100,000 of the population in Luxembourg since the end of June, with over a tenfold increase in total cases over this time period," said the DfT.

"As a result, ministers took the decision to remove Luxembourg from the travel corridor list of countries from which people arriving in the UK do not have to self-isolate."

The move will be mirrored by the UK’s devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Anyone currently in the country should follow local rules and health measures, and check the FCO’s travel advice for further information.

The decision to reintroduce a return quarantine requirement for arrivals from Luxembourg comes after Serbia and Spain’s travel corridors were revoked earlier this month owing to increasing rates of coronavirus infection.

"The government has made consistently clear it will take decisive action if necessary to contain the virus, including removing countries rapidly if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country and not self-isolating becomes too high," said the DfT and the FCO in a joint statement.

Employers have been urged to show "understanding" for those returning from Luxembourg who will have to self-isolate.