Holidaymakers will no longer have to self-isolate on their return to the UK from these areas.
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Malta, Madeira, and the Balearic Islands have been added to the UK’s travel green list.
They are joined by a number of UK overseas territories and Caribbean islands including Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, Antigua, Barbuda, Dominica, Barbados and Grenada.
The change means holidaymakers will no longer have to self-isolate on their return to the UK from these areas.
But the additions – apart from Malta – will be on the “green watchlist”.
So if conditions change in any of the countries, they are at risk of being moved to the amber or red list.
Israel has also moved to the watchlist.
The government advises people not to travel to amber destinations, although it is not against the law.
Those travelling to an amber list country must take Covid tests before departure and after their return, along with completing a passenger locator form and quarantining for 10 days once back in the UK.
Red list countries are those the UK government says present the highest risk from Covid, and should not be visited “except in the most extreme of circumstances”.
The full list of destinations added to the green list as of 04:00 BST are:
- Europe: The Balearic Islands (which include Ibiza, Menorca, Majorca and Formentera), Malta and Madeira
- Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos Islands
- Other: Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory and Pitcairn
Six destinations have been added to the government’s red list – the Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Haiti, Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda.
Despite the changes, UK travellers still face some restrictive measures in Malta.
On Tuesday, the country – along with Portugal – introduced measures to restrict UK travellers who are not fully vaccinated.
The Portuguese government said travellers must quarantine for 14 days unless they can prove they received their second vaccine dose a fortnight before arrival.
Malta is only allowing double-vaccinated people in from Wednesday.
In Spain, UK travellers need to prove they are fully vaccinated, or provide a negative PCR test on arrival. This includes travellers to the Balearics.
If you’re returning from a green list country, you must:
- take a Covid-19 test before departure and have proof of a negative result
- book a test for day two after your return
- complete a passenger locator form
You do not need to quarantine unless your day-two test is positive, or NHS Test & Trace says you have travelled with someone who tested positive.