Covid tests for travel

To come to France now you just need double vaccination certificate and the "attestation d'honneur" form saying you haven't been in contact with Covid. If you are unvaccinated you need to have a negative antigen test within 24 hours of departure. While you are here your vaccination codes will work for the Pass Sanitaire to go to cafés, museums etc.
To return to the UK you now need to have booked Day 2 antigen tests and have the codes on your Passenger Locator Form for the return journey.

At the moment I am collecting all the documents to fly to Moscow. And as far as I know, a PCR test is needed there because everything is strict there now. It seems that their president decided to quarantine again, so I don't even know if I can go there. But I have already issued a tourist voucher russia visa from russia-travel visa services, which did everything for me pretty quickly and without any problems. It remains to understand what to do next with this strange quarantine, apparently, their situation in the city of Moscow has worsened.

Merylstreep I read the Maureen Lipman article before I went to Malta. It didn't fill me with much confidence! I'm not sure why she had to travel half way across the island to obtain a pre-departure test as most chemists in Valletta stocked them. However, when I read the article I could imagine myself getting into a bit of a flap at airports as she did - in the event I think I managed to stay quite calm.

In the last month we have travelled to and from France and the Isle of Man and neither has rquired any test before we went, just proof of vaccination and a declaration just before we travelled that we did not have COVID symptoms and had not been near anyone with it in the 10 days before we travelled.

Coming back from France, we had to have a lateral flow test two days before we travelled back and a PCR one within two days of our return. This had to be ordered in advance and the test number entered on our Passenger locator form.

Coming back from the Isle of Man we travelled as if we were travelling from home to the shops.

The biggest problem with both trips was the arcane paperwork that meant we filled in forms to get numbers needed to put on other forms. We faced things like forms wanting the second number of three on a sheet, not the first, The Isle of Man used a system that put 0 and O and 1 and I beside each other in numbers that intermingled letters and numbers.

It was all worth the effort as we enjoyed both holidays.

Maureen Lipmans very sad tale of travelling to and from Malta.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9980931/MAUREEN-LIPMAN-never-holiday-abroad-again.html

Bluebelle I'm really surprised that you didn't need any tests! I assumed they were compulsory. I guess it depends on the country you are travelling to/from whether your Passenger Locator forms are looked at. They were really strict about seeing them in Malta. (Getting through the airport on arrival took 2 hours as they were so thorough - coming home to Newcastle Airport was very quick and easy by comparison)

That's annoying BlueBelle why do they make us go through that hassle when it's not needed.

Well none of that happened for me mrswoo I didn’t have to take any tests for my ‘green’ country trip and my passenger locator form was not looked at either in or out

We are just back from Malta and I can well understand how all the paperwork, proof of jabs and test booking can confuse people. DH and I nearly came to blows over completing our Passenger Locator forms.
However, in reality it was much less stressful than we expected it to be.

For Malta/ and any Green List country if you are double jabbed - before leaving the UK you must:
Have proof of both vaccinations. You can do this via the NHS app and best to print it off.
Register for a Passenger Locator form. You can make a start on completing the form but you cannot finish it until 48 hours prior to flying home
Order a Day 2 PCR test for when you are back home in the UK.
Order a Lateral Flow test to be done while abroad 2 days before flying home. You need to take the test kit with you
Once this test is done you take a photo of the result beside your passport details and then upload it to the company used. They will confirm the result by email. Keep the email on your phone as you may be asked to show it when leaving the country. However, the test result gets linked to your passport and you probably won't be asked to show it.
If you are travelling to an EU country you will also need to complete an EU Passenger Locator form before leaving the UK.

I hope this info has helped and not confused. Once we were "in the loop"it all seemed quite straightforward.
Things are changing again soon but I think they remain the same for Green List countries.

Not tastiest, I mean test must be taken......

That is extremely immoral in my opinion BlueBelle. It seems impossible to do that here as the tastiest must taken in a test center supported by your own passport. It is a bit of a worry, but we've been as careful as possible whilst we are here. Our accommodation is in a villa so no mixing as in a hotel. Meals out all eaten outside. Masks on if shopping. And liberal use of hand sanitizer. Even after touching a menu.

It’s changing daily almost
I recently flew to Southern Ireland being an EU country I was expecting it to be very strict I knew I didn’t need a test (according to the gov website) but I was still a piece of jelly making sure a dozen times I d got all my print offs CoviD vac certificate and locator form NONE were looked at or asked for either coming or going
I had two grandkids catch CoviD in Tenerife ( they went for a break !!! )and had to quarantine in their apartment and of course they did need a negative test before flying home

I also know of someone who faked her child as negative when she knew full well they had CoviD to get them home on a plane I m not going to say how she did it on here but it was simple it was a very easy solution for someone who obviously has no conscience at all ???

We're in Zakinthos now. Our fit to fly test will be on Wednesday and can be a lateral flow test, but must be administered in a test center and we have to show our passports when we get it. We've booked our PCR tests for day two at home. I had a bit of a runny nose a couple of days ago and started worrying, so I took one of our own lateral flow tests and it was negative. Relief. We are both double Pfizer jabbed and both had Covid in January, myself badly, so we should be full of antibodies, but I started to worry when I had a runny nose. Thankfully all is well and the runny nose has gone.

Changes to Government advice - From 4 October you will still need to take a PCR test on, or up to day 2 of your return, but by the end of October (no actual date given as yet) this will change, and a Lateral Flow Test will suffice.

I expect by January none will be required just double jabbed .

From 4th October at 04.00a.m., double vaccinated travellers will no longer need a negative Covid test to return to the UK from the countries that are currently green or amber. This was announced by the government within the last 10 days or so.

Dustyhen2010
The lady in the travel agents said everyone has to have covid insurance to fly at present. Why not pop in your nearest travel agents and ask who they use .

It's changing all the time but yes a pcr is required but who your travelling with explain how and give you the PCR and how to upload before return.
If you've booked yourself, I'm not sure on that one but I expect a pharmacy or set place will do them.
It is a concern as a friend's mums PCR didn't come back in time and she had to wait an extra day as UK wouldn't allow her back without isolation. ( Hers was done seperately in France ).
I expect by January none will be required just double jabbed .

My husband is visiting UK at the moment. He needed to be doubly vaccinated,have a negative covid test within 72 hours of travel, complete a passenger Locator form with details of the test he had to take on the second day. This has to be ordered before travelling. Be careful about the Locator forms, the ones on the Ryanair site are incorrect. You need the Govt immigration one. One man was not allowed to fly as he had the wrong form.
Borrheid I downloaded all the forms for my husband as he is more comfortable with paperwork than his phone. Either are acceptable.
On returning to France he just needs his Pass Sanitaire and a form declaring he has not to his knowledge been in contact with anyone who has Covid and he has no symptoms.

What happens to travellers who are not online? My friend does not use computers or a smartphone. And how does the SpTH website work, what happens at the ‘48hrs’ before travel stage? Can I fill it in for him ? Does he have to show something at the airport or is it all held digitally? I’m so confused by it all!

Thanks Jaxjacky I have checked the website but I am still unclear whether you need to complete a passenger locator form in addition to the Spanish health form. Is the Spanish health form the same as the PLF?

Gwyneth www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements

I know that you have to complete a health form for Spain which is on their government website. This I think gives you a QR code which you need to board when leaving the UK. What I am not sure about is do you also need to complete a passenger locator form in addition, as this also gives you a QR code which means you end up with two. I have looked for information re my query but can’t find a specific answer. Can anyone help please?

Thank you dusty hen. Will have a look at them

Plus he took a PCR on his return. Still waiting for the results!

My husband went to France for 24 hours on Monday for a meeting (ridiculous but that’s another story) he didn’t need to take a PCR test before he went but had to take a fit to fly test in the UK beforehand, which was needed for him coming back from France the next day.

He is double jabbed so didn’t need anything else to get out of the UK.