Will my New Year’s Eve holiday still go ahead?
Yes, it seems so – but there are some restrictions in place. You cannot travel to any country on the red list. Fully vaccinated travellers visiting countries on the non-red list must, as of 4am on Tuesday 7 December, take a pre-departure test and confirm a negative result, fill out a passenger locator form and book and pay for a PCR test to be taken on or before day two of their return to the UK. They must quarantine at home until a negative result is confirmed.
Travellers who aren’t fully vaccinated must take a pre-departure test and confirm a negative result, fill out a passenger locator form, and quarantine for 10 days at home on their return to the UK. They must take a PCR test on or before day two, and on day eight of the self-isolation period. They may pay for an extra Test to Release on Day Five, and will be released from quarantine early if this comes back negative. This option is not available in Northern Ireland.
Travel rules are changing quickly in response to the spread of the Omicron variant. Always check the latest, up-to-date information regarding the destination you’re visiting on the government website, and purchase travel insurance with Covid cover.
Are there any places I definitely can’t go to for New Year’s Eve?
Yes, travel to countries on the red list is banned. For the latest information about which countries travellers are unable to visit, see our article on the red list. Australia is also not welcoming travellers until mid 2022, and New Zealand is not opening its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists until Saturday 30 April 2022.
