Entry to the UK for US tourists

[Neuhoftraveler]

On a different aspect than the most recent posts:  Would someone kindly update me on the current UK rules and restrictions on US tourists entering the UK?

[CruiserBruce]

Google is your friend:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/UnitedKingdom.html#/

 

Current as of today.

[Host Hattie]

I have moved your post to a more appropriate forum. I can't find any specific restrictions on entry but currently only essential travel is permitted once you're in the country.

 

[Ray66]

The only people allowed into the country at the moment are for repatriation purposes. No tourists from anywhere abroad.

 

All the hotels are closed and the only reason for people to go out and about is for medical purposes, shopping or exercise. Travelling to holiday homes or tourist spots is not allowed for anyone.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Contrary to what is stated above, there are currently no restrictions (above the usual entry requirements) on the U.K. border. 
 

The problem arises of what happens after entry, when to be away from the place you are living is an offence without a reasonable excuse under the health regulations. In the event of finding accommodation (most hotels are closed other than for key workers), you could basically only leave to exercise, seek medical assistance or to buy essential supplies. Attractions, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops are closed. Sightseeing is not a reasonable excuse.
 

There is simply no way to be a tourist in the U.K. at present. 

[John Bull]

Note the Eagle's reply.

There has been considerable disquiet in the UK that there are no government restrictions on travel into the country, and that there's not even any screening / testing at airports like LHR, or any quarantine period requirement. 

The govt says a ban on entering the country would make little or no difference, but even if they continue to believe that they may have to introduce a ban due to public opinion. So the situation is fluid and may change even before I hit the Submit button. 

 

But, as the Eagle says, it would in any case be both pointless and difficult / impossible to come here as a tourist.

Only a fraction of flights are still operating and I understand that fares are very high.

And once arrived a tourist would be faced by all the difficulties and restrictions mentioned by the Eagle.

Those "lockdown" restrictions may be lifted, in part at least, as the weeks pass by but I'd suggest that you wipe the UK from your plans for 2020. 

 

Stay safe and sane.

(I'm at least staying safe )

 

JB  

[newport dave]

A 2 week quarantine period is being brought in from May for any arrivals into the UK.

[ontheweb]

I'm feeling even better about cancelling our Norwegian fjords cruise out of Southampton. It does not sound like we would have been able to do tourist things the day before our cruise in London or see Stonehenge on our excursion back to the airport. Also don't know if our hotel is still open or whether the flights we had through Princess EZ Air are still at the convenient times that they were when we booked them. 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I'm feeling even better about cancelling our Norwegian fjords cruise out of Southampton. It does not sound like we would have been able to do tourist things the day before our cruise in London or see Stonehenge on our excursion back to the airport. Also don't know if our hotel is still open or whether the flights we had through Princess EZ Air are still at the convenient times that they were when we booked them. 

And I just checked, and the hotel where we were booked to stay (and cancelled after cancelling the cruise) is now closed until further notice. I wonder if we would have been informed, or they would have felt maybe they would be open by late July.

 

BTW, the hotel is the Sofitel Heathrow.

[LondonTowner]

Nobody knows the answer to these questions, but I can’t see any international travel happening until 2021. Even Spain, which relies very heavily on tourism is more or less writing off this summer.

 

Even with some restrictions lifted there will be strict social distancing and in the U.K. bars, restaurants and hotels will probably be the last places to open

[Cotswold Eagle]

18 hours ago, newport dave said:

A 2 week quarantine period is being brought in from May for any arrivals into the UK.

Although that measure has been floated in newspapers in recent days and by the Home Secretary in her appearance at committee, it has not been announced. The government spin machine is clearly testing how it would play. The sequence generally is:

 

- headline says ‘quarantine to be introduced’

- article purports that such measures have been agreed in principle, citing ‘sources’

- Government spokesperson says ‘everything is being considered’

Edited May 1, 2020 by Cotswold Eagle

[GrJ Berkshire]

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2020 at 8:06 AM, Cotswold Eagle said:

Although that measure has been floated in newspapers in recent days and by the Home Secretary in her appearance at committee, it has not been announced. The government spin machine is clearly testing how it would play. The sequence generally is:

 

- headline says ‘quarantine to be introduced’

- article purports that such measures have been agreed in principle, citing ‘sources’

- Government spokesperson says ‘everything is being considered’

Now fact , so UK  is off limits for US  citizens this year.

[LondonTowner]

The quarantine hasn’t yet been confirmed, but as Spain also announced a 14 day quarantine yesterday, it probably will be. Spain’s quarantine will last for the length of their State of Alarm which is reviewed every two weeks. I think all EU countries will follow suit, although some already have it in place.

[Cotswold Eagle]

11 minutes ago, GrJ Berkshire said:

Now fact , so UK  is off limits for US  citizens this year.

Not quite. There are two measures announced in the UK government’s plan:

- international arrivals required to provide contact and accommodation details

- to self-isolate for 14 days, at their accommodation or in government provided accommodation. 

However, neither measure is included in the 13th May package and there is no date for implementation other than ‘as soon as possible’. There is no indication of how long they would last, if they are implemented. 

 

[John Bull]

On 4/30/2020 at 1:44 PM, newport dave said:

A 2 week quarantine period is being brought in from May for any arrivals into the UK.

 

Updating on Dave's post..............

Proposals are now to bring in quarantining for passengers arriving from early June (but still no specific date). 14 days quarantine at a given address (hotel, apartment etc). Exemptions for travel from Ireland and, for whatever reason , France.

Lock-down provisions will be the same as for everyone else in the country but without even the right to leave the premises for excercise, food, etc, and sights / venues / restaurants / pubs closed until at least July.

So it's not worth visiting the UK for the time being, and I'll stick to my view that it won't be worth visiting as a tourist until 2021.

 

JB 

Edited May 13, 2020 by John Bull

[John Bull]

3 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Updating on Dave's post..............

Proposals are now to bring in quarantining for passengers arriving from early June (but still no specific date). 14 days quarantine at a given address (hotel, apartment etc). Exemptions for travel from Ireland and, for whatever reason , France.

Lock-down provisions will be the same as for everyone else in the country but without even the right to leave the premises for excercise, food, etc, during the quarantine period, and sights / venues / restaurants / pubs closed until at least July.

So it's not worth visiting the UK for the time being, and I'll stick to my view that it won't be worth visiting as a tourist until 2021.

 

JB 

 

[Cotswold Eagle]

5 hours ago, John Bull said:

Exemptions for travel from Ireland and, for whatever reason , France.

No. 10 has rowed back from the France exemption today - apparently Johnson said “at this stage”, meaning current circumstances (obviously, because that’s the case for everyone) and not meaning in the plan at this stage.... Why he bothered to mention France at all, then, has not been clarified 🤣

[John Bull]

31 minutes ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

No. 10 has rowed back from the France exemption today - apparently Johnson said “at this stage”, meaning current circumstances (obviously, because that’s the case for everyone) and not meaning in the plan at this stage.... Why he bothered to mention France at all, then, has not been clarified 🤣

 

I think it was a reciprocal deal with the French govt.

I'm not sorry that arrangement's fallen through - some French borders are open and it'd be a back-door for the rest of the world.

 

JB 

[Sekhmet]

14 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

I think it was a reciprocal deal with the French govt..... fallen through.

 

JB 

I read that it started off as a result of conversations between Johnson and Macron, but the European Commission (or similar) decreed that it would not be allowable during the transition period to single out France for 'special treatment', and such an exemption would have to apply to all 27 EU countries.

Edited May 14, 2020 by Sekhmet

[Cotswold Eagle]

On 5/12/2020 at 4:38 PM, Cotswold Eagle said:

Not quite. There are two measures announced in the UK government’s plan:

- international arrivals required to provide contact and accommodation details

- to self-isolate for 14 days, at their accommodation or in government provided accommodation. 

However, neither measure is included in the 13th May package and there is no date for implementation other than ‘as soon as possible’. There is no indication of how long they would last, if they are implemented. 

 

Just to update this thread, these measures will come into effect from 8 June. They will be reviewed every three weeks. They do not apply to arrivals from the Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man (the common travel area). There is a long list of exemptions, but none of any real relevance to the subject matter of this board. 
 

France has announced reciprocal measures on arrivals from the U.K. from the same date.