Spain Remains On UK’s Quarantine-Free Amber Travel List Following Latest Update

British holidaymakers and the Spanish tourist industry as a whole breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday after it was announced that the country would remain on the UK's amber travel list.

In the latest update, Spain managed to escape the dreaded red list, which would have required all tourists returning to the UK from Spain to quarantine for up to 10 days in a government-run hotel and paying up to £1,750 (€2,046) per person.

There was much speculation and fear that the country would be added to the list in the run-up to the latest update after it was revealed that around one in 35 travellers returning to the UK from Spain in mid-August were infected with Covid-19.

The popular holiday destinations of the Canaries and Balearics also managed to escape the red list.

From Monday, August 30, mainland Spain and its islands will remain on the amber list which will mean that fully vaccinated people can continue to avoid quarantine on their return.

There weren’t many significant changes to the latest review which is carried out by the UK’s Global Travel Taskforce. The government department assesses the most recent global infection data and updates the travel lists every three weeks.

A number of countries had the privilege of being added to the green list which were Switzerland, Denmark, Portugal’s Azores, Finland and Canada.

Those who are fully vaccinated and travelling back to the UK from Spain will not need to quarantine, however, there still remains the requirement to take a Covid test (PCR preferred but not a legal requirement) in the three days prior to their return.

After arriving in England, fully vaccinated travellers must also take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2.

Those who are not fully vaccinated must currently quarantine at home for 10 days and take a Covid test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8.

All passengers must continue to complete a passenger locator form.

Anyone staying in England for less than 10 days will need to quarantine for the whole of their stay but can end their quarantine early if they pay for a private COVID-19 test through the Test to Release scheme.

The rules when travelling back to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are similar and can be found at the following official web addresses.

Scotland - https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine/pages/red-amber-and-green-list-countries/

Northern Ireland - https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-travelling-amber-country

Wales - https://gov.wales/rules-foreign-travel-and-wales-coronavirus-covid-19-html