Arrivals testing information
Testing for passengers arriving into the UK
Passengers arriving from all international destinations will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result before departing for England.
You must use a private test provider for these tests and not an NHS test.
If you’re travelling to England, what you need to do depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive. If you have been in a country or territory on the:
- Green list - You must take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on or before day 2
- Amber list - You will not need to quarantine on arrival in England or take a day 8 COVID-19 test, as long as you have been fully vaccinated under the UK vaccination programme and have not been in a red list country in the 10 days before you arrive in England. You will still need to book a day 2 test to take when you arrive in England and declare on your passenger locator form that you have been fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated under the UK vaccination programme, you will have to quarantine on arrival and take both the day 2 and day 8 tests.
- Red list - You must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests. Use the booking portal to book your quarantine hotel package (this is administered by CTM). Further details can be found here.
These rules do not apply for travel within the Common Travel Area (the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man). You do not need to take a COVID-19 test or quarantine on arrival in England if you are travelling within the Common Travel Area, and you have not been outside of the Common Travel Area in the previous 10 days. Different requirements apply for arriving into Northern Ireland.
Check out our travel portal to find out the travel requirements for each destination.
Test to Release - International Travel
Passengers arriving into England can reduce the quarantine period from non-exempt countries by taking a private Covid-19 test. If a test taken on day five after arrival proves negative, passengers can unlock themselves early from the 10-day quarantine. Find out more here.
Test to Release is available from the ExpressTest Drive Through.
ExpressTest Drive Through:
The ExpressTest Drive Through site offers Amber & Green Arrivals test packages. Green & Amber Day 2 tests can be taken prior to Day 2 and passengers can be tested at the drive-through immediately on arriving from abroad. The site is located in Car Park 7 next to the Holiday Inn and Travelodge hotels.
Tests cost £69 per person.
Please read the UK Government advice regarding international travel here. If you are concerned about your booking, please contact your airline or operator directly.