More vaccines approved for travel to the UK
This article has been updated with the following changes:
On Tuesday 23 November:
- It is confirmed that all under 18s travelling to all four UK nations have reduced entry requirements from 22 November (except from countries on the red list)
- More countries were added to the list of approved countries and territories on 22 November
On Tuesday 30 November:
- Following the new temporary measures announced in response to the Omicron variant, all travellers regardless of vaccination status arriving into the UK now need to take a PCR test and must self-isolate in their accommodation until they receive a negative PCR test result on or before day 2. It is worth noting that it is possible to arrange to have a PCR test on arrival at the airport and pay for an express service with a test result by 22:00 the following day.
Since Monday 22 November, further vaccines have been approved for entry, meaning more vaccinated adults qualify as 'fully vaccinated'. Under 18s from all countries (except red list countries and territories) are now treated the same as 'fully vaccinated' adults.
Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing and Covaxin vaccines approved
On Monday 22 November, Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing and Covaxin were added to the list of approved vaccines for travel to the UK.
They joined Pfizer BioNTech, Oxford/ AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen vaccines.
Anyone who has received a complete course of these vaccines and has a vaccine certificate from one of over 135 approved countries and territories qualifies as 'fully vaccinated' for UK travel purposes. Formulations and combinations of the approved vaccines are accepted.
We expect students from key markets such as Hungary, Brazil and Turkey to benefit from the approval of these new vaccines.
Reduced requirements for all students under 18 years old
Since Monday 22 November, all students under the age of 18 are treated the same as 'fully vaccinated' adults.
Under the new temporary restrictions introduced on 30 November, they can leave self-isolation when they receive a negative result PCR test result on or before day 2 (providing they have not been in or travel through a red list country).
Additional countries added to the list of approved vaccine programmes
Since Monday 22 November, residents of Belarus, Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Faroe Islands, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, Samoa, Senegal, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe qualify as 'fully vaccinated' when travelling to the UK, if they have received a complete course of a UK-approved vaccine.
This change means that eligible passengers from these countries can leave self-isolation when they receive a negative PCR test result on or before day 2. This does not apply if the country goes onto the red list.
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Keep up to date on UK Covid-19 travel information affecting international students by following English UK on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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