Which Countries are on the Red, Amber, and Green List?

From October 4th, 2021, the travel traffic light system used for categorizing countries by the UK government will be scraped off. It will be replaced with a single red list of countries and the rest of the world list. This move will further simplify international travel for students and working professionals. Another great news for India is that international students who are fully vaccinated with a recognized vaccine are eligible to travel to the UK without quarantine and pre-departure test after 11th October. However, if you are traveling to the UK before the 4th of October, you must comply with all the rules and regulations set by the government based on your country of origin and other UK guidelines regarding tests and quarantine. Here’s a list of countries that are on the list of red, amber, and green with corresponding travel guidelines for each category. 

Also Read: Vaccination Rules for International Students

New Rules for Travel Post 11th October to UK

The Travel Traffic Light system has been scrapped and replaced with a single red list to ease travel to the United Kingdom. Currently, there are only 7 countries on the red watchlist for the UK – Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

Here are the new rules and the UK eased travel restrictions for India post-October 11:

• Vaccinated Travellers: Fully vaccinated passengers above the age of 18 returning from countries administer a day 2 test after arriving. They do not have to self-isolate themselves for 10 days or take COVID tests at their expense.
• Partially or Non Vaccinated Travellers: Other passengers who are not fully vaccinated with an authorized vaccine returning from a non-red destination must still take a pre-departure test, a day 2 and day 8 test, and complete 10 days self-isolation (with the option of Test to Release on day 5).

New Rules for Travel Post 4th October to UK

• From 4th October, fully vaccinated travelers won’t need a pre-departure test before arrival if they are arriving from a non-red listed country. The requirement for a day 2 PCR test is set to be dropped in England and Scotland only. However, if you are going to Northern Ireland or Wales, you must submit for the 2-day covid test.
• Fully vaccinated individuals have to take an 8-day covid list after arriving in the country. The day of arrival is determined as day 0.
• Unvaccinated travelers coming from a non-red listed country to the UK must take a pre-departure test, followed by day 2, and 8 tests, and are required to quarantine at home. They are can a test on day 5 to reduce the time of self-isolation. 
• Vaccinated and unvaccinated people traveling from a red-listed country have to submit a pre-departure test [taken within 72 hours], undergo a hotel quarantine for 10 days, and take the periodic covid tests on day 2 or 8 test. 

Also Read: Vaccination Camps for Students Going Abroad

Rules for Travel to the UK before 4th October 

Back in May 2021, the Westminister government in the UK released a new system for listing countries with respect to the novel coronavirus. This system was meant to regulate international travel and minimize the level of transmission in the country. The UK government categorized countries across the world in terms of Red, Amber, and Green color. There are a different set of rules and requirements that each individual has to fulfill based on their country of origin, for instance: 

• Vaccinated people traveling from countries listed under the red list are termed high-risk and are required to quarantine themselves in UK-administered hotels for 14 days. Along with submitting to tests before [within 72 hours and after arrival. (day 0, day 3, or day 8)
• Vaccinated people from countries listed under the amber list must carry a negative covid test within 72 hours and self-isolate themselves for 10 days. They have to submit to a test on days 3 and 10 before ending their quarantine.
• Vaccinated people coming from green list countries are required to take a test within 72 hours before boarding the flight and must take a test after arriving on day 3 and day 10.

Must Read: Government Approves Return of International Students to South Australia

Red, Amber, and Green List Countries

Red List

• Afghanistan  
• Angola  
• Argentina  
• Bolivia  
• Botswana  
• Brazil  
• Burundi  
• Cape Verde  
• Chile  
• Colombia  
• Congo (Democratic Republic)  
• Costa Rica  
• Cuba  
• Dominican Republic  
• Ecuador  
• Eritrea  
• Eswatini  
• Ethiopia  
• French Guiana  
• Georgia  
• Guyana  
• Haiti  
• Indonesia  
• Lesotho  
• Malawi  
• Mayotte  
• Mexico  
• Mongolia  
• Montenegro  
• Mozambique  
• Myanmar  
• Namibia  
• Nepal  
• Panama  
• Paraguay  
• Peru  
• Philippines  
• Réunion  
• Rwanda  
• Seychelles  
• Sierra Leone  
• Somalia  
• South Africa  
• Sudan  
• Suriname  
• Tanzania  
• Thailand  
• Trinidad and Tobago  
• Tunisia  
• Uganda  
• Uruguay  
• Venezuela  
• Zambia  
• Zimbabwe

Must Read: Govt Takes Concrete Steps to Help Indian Students Studying Abroad Now Stuck-In Country

Amber List 

• Akrotiri and Dhekelia  
• Albania  
• Algeria  
• Andorra  
• Armenia  
• Aruba  
• Azerbaijan  
• The Bahamas  
• Bahrain  
• Belarus  
• Bangladesh
• Belgium  
• Belize  
• Benin  
• Bhutan  
• Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba  
• Bosnia and Herzegovina  
• British Virgin Islands  
• Burkina Faso  
• Cambodia  
• Cameroon  
• Central African Republic  
• Chad  
• China  
• Comoros  
• Congo  
• Cook Islands, Tokelau and Niue  
• Côte d’Ivoire  
• Curaçao  
• Cyprus  
• Czech Republic (Czechia)  
• Djibouti  
• Egypt
• El Salvador  
• Equatorial Guinea  
• Estonia  
• Fiji  
• France  
• French Polynesia  
• Gabon  
• The Gambia  
• Ghana  
• Greece (including islands)  
• Greenland  
• Guadeloupe  
• Guatemala  
• Guinea  
• Guinea-Bissau  
• Honduras  
• Hungary  
• India  
• Iran  
• Iraq  
• Italy  
• Jamaica  
• Japan  
• Jordan  
• Kazakhstan  
• Kenya
• Kiribati  
• Kosovo  
• Kuwait  
• Kyrgyzstan  
• Laos  
• Lebanon  
• Liberia  
• Libya  
• Luxembourg  
• Macao  
• Madagascar  
• Malaysia  
• Maldives
• Mali  
• Marshall Islands  
• Martinique  
• Mauritania  
• Mauritius  
• Micronesia  
• Moldova  
• Monaco  
• Morocco  
• Nauru  
• Netherlands  
• New Caledonia  
• Nicaragua  
• Niger  
• Nigeria  
• North Korea  
• North Macedonia  
• The Occupied Palestinian Territories  
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Palau  
• Papua New Guinea  
• Poland  
• Portugal
• Madeira 
• The Azores 
• Qatar  
• Russia  
• Samoa  
• San Marino  
• Sao Tome and Principe  
• Saudi Arabia  
• Senegal  
• Serbia  
• Solomon Islands  
• South Korea  
• South Sudan  
• Spain, including the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands
• (Formentera, Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca)  
• Sri Lanka
• St Kitts and Nevis  
• St Lucia  
• St Maarten  
• St Martin and St Barthélemy  
• St Pierre and Miquelon  
• St Vincent and the Grenadines  
• Sweden  
• Syria  
• Tajikistan  
• Timor-Leste  
• Togo  
• Tonga  
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan  
• Tuvalu  
• Ukraine  
• United Arab Emirates  
• United States (USA)  
• Uzbekistan  
• Vanuatu  
• Vatican City  
• Vietnam  
• Wallis and Futuna  
• Western Sahara  
• Yemen

Also Read: High School Students Optimistic About the Future and University Study Prospects Despite COVID

Green List 

• Anguilla
• Antarctica/British Antarctic Territory
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Austria  
• Australia  
• The Azores
• Barbados
• Bermuda
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• Brunei  
• Bulgaria  
• Canada  
• Cayman Islands
• Croatia
• Denmark  
• Dominica
• Falkland Islands  
• Faroe Islands  
• Finland  
• Germany  
• Gibraltar  
• Grenada
• Hong Kong  
• Iceland  
• Israel and Jerusalem
• Latvia  
• Liechtenstein .
• Lithuania  
• Madeira
• Mainland Portugal is on the amber list.
• Malta  
• Montserrat
• New Zealand  
• Norway  
• Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
• Romania  
• Singapore  
• Slovakia  
• Slovenia  
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands  
• St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha  
• Switzerland  
• Taiwan Green 
• Turks and Caicos Islands

Countries are regularly monitored by the UK government and can be shifted from one list to another based on the level of risk they pose to the country. You can check the official website to get more information about the watchlist. 

Also Read: Indian Government Reduces Second Jab Gap for Travel Abroad

List of Recognised Vaccines for Travel to the UK

• Oxford-AstraZeneca [AstraZeneca Covishield & AstraZeneca Vaxzevria]
• Pfizer-BioNTech 
• Moderna [Moderna Takeda]
• Janssen 

Also Read: Here’s a list of European Countries that have Approved Covishield for Green Pass

List of Countries Using the Traffic Light System for International Travellers

• Ireland 
• France
• Czech Republic
• Norway
• Estonia
• Lithuania
• Cyprus
• Denmark 

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If you are traveling to the UK then it is mandatory to follow all the rules and regulations set by the government to ensure your safety and health. Confused about the travel proceeds for the winter intake? Call our Leverage Edu on 1800 572 000 and clear all your doubts.