Like many of us based in the UK I was eagerly awaiting the announcement of the travel list to be published by the Government following the lifting of the international travel ban on 17th May. Below I detail exactly what you need to do and explain how to visit UK green list countries.
As soon as I saw Portugal was on the green list, I started planning my trip. I want to share my experience with this essential guide to visiting UK Green list countries. Portugal has since moved to the amber list, but this guide can be used and adjusted for any green list country.
During these Covid-19 times, it’s essential you complete some planning before your trip.
What do you need to do to visit UK Green List Countries?
1. A pre-departure Covid-19 test or evidence of double vaccination (differs for each country). The exact requirement for this test will be dictated by the country you visit.
2. You must complete a Passenger Locator Card/Health Check Form (Nearly every country has its own version that can be completed online)
3. You must complete another pre-departure Covid-19 test within 72 hours of your return flight to the UK. The UK state this can be a RT-PCR or the cheaper rapid antigen test.
4. You must complete the UK Passenger Locator Form
5. You must complete a PCR Covid-19 test on Day 2 of your return to the UK.
I was getting stressed before my departure, trying to ensure I had everything in place as I wasn’t 100% sure what I needed to do. Once you know what is required, it’s not that difficult, but you do need to plan ahead. Read on for detailed instructions of each step:
step-by-step guide to travelling to a green list country
1. Pre-departure Covid-19 test 1
The first requirement will vary depending on where you are travelling to as each country has their own entry requirements.
It’s likely you will need to provide evidence of a negative test result within 72 hours of departure or evidence of double vaccination. If you need to take a test, you can’t use the free NHS tests for travel purposes. This means you need to buy a test from an approved 3rd party. The Government does provide a list of suppliers (Find a coronavirus (COVID-19) travel test provider if you’re arriving in England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)). A lot of airlines and travel agencies offer discount codes for the various tests you need, so check with them first to see if any discount is available.
I flew with Ryanair, and they offer a 50% discount with Randox Health. This reduced the cost from £120 to £60. You don’t actually need to fly with them to use the discount code. The code is freely available if you search online. At the time of writing, it is RYANGREEN.
You can order travel packs, which include the pre-departure test and the day 2 PCR test. Make sure you order the tests early enough so that you can take the test and get the results within 72 hours of your flight.
I took my test with Randox on and put it in the local drop box on Friday afternoon (check the website for drop box locations and opening times). I received my result at 13:49 on Saturday, ahead of my flight on Monday. The process was straight forward and I was happy with the service.
2. Passenger Locator Card (PLC) / Health Check Form
Before flying to Portugal, I had to complete their PLC. If you are travelling to Spain you must complete their Health Check Form. These are straight forward, you provide details of your flight, where you will be staying and contact details etc.
You have to provide your flight seat number so you can’t complete this until you have checked in and have all of your details.
3. Pre-Departure Covid-19 Test 2 (before returning to the UK)
This was the most stressful part of the whole process for me, and Ill tell you why. You can find a list of clinics in Portugal that offer Covid-19 testing, however, they seem to have a shortage of supply. I spent two hours calling over 10 clinics before I eventually found an available appointment. The list of clinics for Portugal is here – (Lista de testes ra´pidos COVID-19_Aprovados Infarmed.xlsx) (visitalgarve.pt). I would be aware of potential similar problems in other countries suc as Malta and Spain. This test is a UK requirement, so you will have to do it wherever you go.
Before returning to the UK, you only need the cheaper Rapid Antigen test. Most of the clinics in Portugal were charging €25 – €30 for this test. The test must be completed within 72 hours of your departure.
I was attempting to book my appointment 6 days in advance, and still had problems. I think as more tourists arrive; this is going to be a real problem. As a last resort, there is testing at Faro airport. You can go the day before your flight and join a queue, you can’t book a time slot. I talked to a couple of people who had to queue for 1-2 hours, which isn’t so bad. I’ve heard on the news though that others have had to queue for over 4 hours.
Since my trip, I have found a better solution. A company called Qured (qured.com) offers video testing. You need to order the test before you travel and book a video appointment ahead of your trip. You then have a video appointment with them, and they watch you take the test and verify your result. They then issue you with the required travel certificate. The cost of the is £39, and I think this is well worth it to avoid the hassle of trying to find somewhere local.
I must say, I haven’t used this service, as I only found out about it after I had already travelled. If anyone has used them, please let me know your experience.
4. UK Passenger Locator Form
Before you return to the UK, you must complete the UK Passenger Locator Form ( UK passenger locator form)
To complete the form, you must provide a reference number for your day 2 test. You will receive this when you order your Day 2 test, so it’s important you have ordered it before you return to the UK.
You will need your seat number again to complete this form. I just completed it at the airport whilst I was waiting to board the plane.
5. Day 2 Covid-19 test in the UK
On Day 2 of your return to the UK, you must take another PCR test. This will be the one you (hopefully) ordered before you started your trip.
So that’s it. Once you know what to do, it’s not so bad, although waiting for your test result and hoping it comes through in time (and is negative) is still stressful (or at least it was for me).
The Government reviews the travel green list at least 3 weeks. To keep up to date, check the government website here.
Be aware of the travel review dates:
The government reviews the travel list at least every 3 weeks. If you are concerned about the country changing from green to amber, I would advise you to plan your trip within the 3 week period in between reviews. This will dramatically reduce the risk of getting caught out. If you can work from home, and quarantine at home isn’t a major issue I wouldn’t panic. You will just have to complete one more PCR test once you return on day 8.
How is life in Portugal (Note Portugal is now on the amber list)
You read a lot of stories on the news about what the rules are in Portugal, and not all of them are accurate, so let me tell you what it’s really like.
Masks are supposedly mandatory all of the time, except on the beach. In reality, that’s not actually the case. Most people do wear them in busy town centres, and I wanted to respect that too, so I also wore my mask when lots of other people were around. They must always be worn inside shops, no exceptions.
If you’re walking around cliff tops, or quiet streets, and no one else is around, it’s really not necessary. I saw quite a few people walking around without masks. We don’t wear masks outside in the UK as its proven that the virus doesn’t spread well outdoors, so I felt comfortable doing this.
Masks are definitely not required on beaches, and no one wears them. I did read a story on the BBC that people even wear them on the beach…fake news!!
I went at the end of May / beginning of June. Most pubs and restaurants were open, but there was still quite a few that were closed. I’m not sure if they have permanently closed or if they will open up later in the year. One thing to be aware of is that Portugal is still in a ‘state of calamity’. One consequence of this means all bars and restaurants must close (or last orders) at 10.30pm.
Shops, such as supermarkets must also close earlier than normal. During the week, they close at 8pm, and at weekends, they close by 6pm.
I hope you find this guide for how to visit UK green list countries useful and will assist you in travelling in the near future. Please share any experiences you have yourself and take care.