Can UK residents travel to the US and what are the Covid restrictions?

Follow the latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic

UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps announced that fully vaccinated passengers arriving from amber-list countries will no longer have to quarantine if their shots were administered by either a US or EU-approved manufacturer.

“Whether you are a family reuniting for the first time since the start of the pandemic or a business benefiting from increased trade – this is progress we can all enjoy," he said.

The move will undoubtedly make travel from the US to the UK a much less arduous prospect – but what about the reverse? How easy is it for people from the UK to travel to the US? Will they face quarantine? Will they need to provide proof of vaccination?

Before these questions are answered, here are the newly announced rules for travel from the US to the UK.

What's changed for travellers going from the US to the UK?

Any fully vaccinated passenger coming from the US, which is on the UK's amber list, will no longer need to isolate if their shots were administered by a US-approved manufacturer.

On the current list of approved vaccine manufacturers in the US are Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. AstraZeneca on Thursday announced it would be deferring its application for US approval until the autumn.

Previously, only travellers from the US who had been inoculated by the UK's NHS were eligible to skip the period of self-isolation.

Will people entering the UK from the US need to have a Covid test if fully vaccinated?

Such travellers will still have to undergo pre-departure Covid-19 screening and take another test two days after landing in England.

They will also need to provide proof of US residency.

When will the US-to-UK travel changes come into effect?

The changes came into effect at 4am British Summer Time on Monday, August 2.

Can people travel from the UK to the US?

Current rules mean that it is not possible for most people from Britain to travel to the US if they have been in the UK in the previous 14 days.

These rules also apply to travellers from Ireland, Schengen Area countries, Iran, Brazil, China or South Africa.

There are some exemptions, however. The UK government said that "US citizens and permanent residents of the US, certain specified close family members and certain other limited categories of visa holders (such as UN staff and diplomats) are exempt".

This cohort can enter the country and will be subject to the normal entry requirements stipulated on the US embassy website.

The news is far better for prospective tourists to the US from the UAE.

What are the rules for travellers entering the US from the UAE?

There are no coronavirus-related restrictions for people arriving in the US from the UAE, guidelines from the US Department of Homeland Security showed, although travellers need to have proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than three days before flying.

Visitors can also show proof of having recovered from the virus in the past three months.

Travellers must also have a valid visa, as always, but the final decision on whether they can be admitted to the country will be made by a US Customs and Border Protection officer at a port of entry.

Visitors should also check state rules. While many states have removed restrictions, others still have some in place.

Will there be a US-UK travel corridor?

This has been mooted as a possibility for a while now but nothing concrete has materialised – despite US tourists being allowed to travel throughout the EU after it was added to America's safe travel list.

In June, America's chief medical adviser, Dr Anthony Fauci, told ITV News he felt that if the UK continued its positive vaccination trajectory, "it would be in a very favourable position" by the end of the summer.

This was before the Delta variant took hold in the UK and showed signs of doing the same in the US.

Trips from the UK across the pond may have to be put on ice for some time yet, much to the travel sector's chagrin.

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Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
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600-seat auditorium
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Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.

Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.

Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.

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UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

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Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

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How to get there

Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.