From 04.00am this morning, October 4th 2021, the rules for people arriving into the UK from Portugal have changed.
The traffic light system has now gone and is replaces by a red list and the “rest of the world". Travel testing requirements are now primarily dependent on two factors: your vaccination status and whether the country you’re returning from is on the UK government’s red list.
Portugal is now in the “rest of the world" list, so these are the current rules for people arriving to UK from Portugal:
If you’re double-jabbed, new travel rules are set to become easier. Double-vaccinated travellers going to the UK from Portugal will no longer have to carry out a pre-departure Covid test, but will still be required to book a PCR day two test to take within the two days after their arrival. However, PCR tests are set to be phased out by the end of October, which will allow travellers to book a cheaper lateral flow test for the day two, but this is not yet in place.
If you haven’t had both vaccines, arrivals to the UK will now be required to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival in England and take two PCR tests on days two and eight (with the option of a third “Test to Release” on day five) - whether you’re arriving from a red list country or not. You won’t have to go to a quarantine hotel as Portugal is a non red-list country, you can isolate yourself at home.
This is a change from previous rules, where unvaccinated travellers returning to the UK from green list countries were not required to quarantine - now they will need to do so.
You still the need to fill out the passenger locator form 48 hours in advance and upload it online. We suggest you also print it off.
For the full details go to the official UK Travel advice website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19
