British travellers will be able to visit Madeira after the UK updated its green list for travel. Alamy
British travellers will be able to visit Madeira after the UK updated its green list for travel. Alamy
British travellers will be able to visit Madeira after the UK updated its green list for travel. Alamy
British travellers will be able to visit Madeira after the UK updated its green list for travel. Alamy

UK’s green watch list and double-vaccinated traveller plans explained


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The UK has updated the list of countries on its green travel list, with upgrades for Malta, Madeira and the Balearic islands, as well as some Caribbean islands.

There are also plans to later this year drop quarantine requirements for double-vaccinated passengers.

What are the latest changes to the green list?

Fourteen countries and territories will be cleared for quarantine-free travel from 4am BST on Wednesday.

Unlike the amber list, green list travellers do not need to isolate on their return to the UK.

The new additions to the green list are Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands, Israel and Jerusalem, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and Caribbean Islands Antigua, Barbuda, Dominica, Barbados, Grenada and the British Virgin Islands.

What is the green watch list?

All the new additions except Malta will appear on the green watch list, meaning they are at risk of suddenly being moved to amber.

The government is advising people travelling to green watch list countries to "take extra consideration" when booking holidays because "if there is a sudden change in conditions, a country or territory may be moved between lists without warning".

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said people should be aware the Covid situation could change quickly in any country to which they are travelling.

“At least people understand that's where we’re coming from,” he told the BBC. “We have this information and we think it’s right that other people have it as well.”

What happens if a country turns from green to amber?

Travellers arriving from a former green list country that has moved to amber will have to quarantine on arrival in the UK and take several Covid-19 tests.

The minimum requirement is 10 days of home quarantine but early release on day five is allowed with proof of a negative test.

As seen previously, unexpected changes can lead to passengers rushing to organise a flight home before the updated rules take effect.

What are the plans for double-vaccinated travellers?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was a “real opportunity” to open up travel for double-vaccinated travellers.

However, the government has not given a specific timeframe for the plan, saying only “later in the summer”.

Mr Shapps said fully vaccinated passengers could effectively treat amber countries as green, meaning they would not need to quarantine.

He said there were several hurdles to overcome in the next few months, including how to verify the vaccination status of non-UK residents.

“What do you do for people from elsewhere, where perhaps they don't have electronic records at all?" he said.

"The US is a good example, there are probably 50 different systems in different states and many of them are paper-based. There are lots of things to work through."

Travel protest – in pictures

He said there were also concerns about how to treat under-18s, who are not eligible to receive Covid-19 vaccines in the UK, and older people who refuse to take the vaccine.

"We’ve also got some people who will never be vaccinated. There are obviously issues over how you treat those people fairly," he said.

Who decides if a country is green, amber or red?

The decision is taken by ministers, who are informed by the Joint Biosecurity Centre, which looks at the Covid situation in each country.

The JBC examines the infection rate, testing capacity, quality of data, the risk posed by variants and genome sequencing capabilities.

The lists are reviewed every three weeks.

What happens to travellers who do not quarantine?

All passengers, whether vaccinated or not, must continue to abide by quarantine rules for returning to the UK from an amber list country.

The recommendation is still that people should not travel to amber list countries.

Anyone who does not quarantine at home after international travel can be fined £1,000 ($1,389), which may rise to £10,000 for repeat offences.

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The bio

Favourite vegetable: Broccoli

Favourite food: Seafood

Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange

Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania

Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.

Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes

How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019

December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'

JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.

“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”

November 26:  ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’

SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue. 

SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."

October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'

MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.

“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December." 

Brief scores:

Liverpool 3

Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'

Manchester United 1

Lingard 33'

Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)