england travel rules

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• International travel, immigration and repatriation during COVID-19
• Entering England during COVID-19

Travel to England from another country – COVID-19 rules

Check if there are any COVID-19 rules in place for travel to England from abroad.

Applies to England

• Guidance for Northern Ireland
• Guidance for Scotland
• Guidance for Wales

Travel to England rules

When you travel to England, you:

• do not need to complete a UK passenger locator form before you travel
• do not need to take any COVID-19 tests before you travel or after you arrive
• do not need to quarantine when you arrive

This applies whether you are vaccinated or not.

It includes people who are transiting through England.

Other countries may have rules about what you need to do to leave the country to travel to England. You should check travel advice for the country you are travelling from.

How to stay safe while in the UK and on public transport

Check separate public health guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while you are in the UK .

Travel provider and transport hub rules

Your travel provider, or the transport hub you travel through, may have COVID-19 rules in place. For example, they may require or advise you to wear a face covering.

You should follow any COVID-19 rules and guidance from:

• your travel provider – airline, ferry, coach or train company
• the transport venue – airport, port, coach or railway station

Travel abroad from the UK

Other countries may still have COVID-19 rules that you must follow to travel there from the UK .

Check the ‘Entry requirements’ section of foreign travel advice for all countries you will visit or travel through .

You do not need to take any COVID-19 tests to travel to England from mainland China.

Updated rules for people travelling from mainland China announced.

New rules for travel from China come into force today.

More information about COVID-19 testing requirements for travel from mainland China to England.

From 5 January, people flying from mainland China to England will be asked to take a COVID-19 pre-departure test.

When you arrive in England from abroad you do not need to take any COVID-19 tests or fill in a UK passenger locator form.

If you will arrive in England after 4am, Friday 18 March, you do not need to take any COVID-19 tests or fill in a UK passenger locator form.

If you began your journey in Russia, you do not need to complete a passenger locator form, or take a COVID-19 test before travel to England or on arrival.

If you began your journey in Ukraine, you do not need to complete a passenger locator form, or take a COVID-19 test before travel to England or on arrival.

From 9am Monday 28 February, you can fill in the UK passenger locator form up to 3 days before you arrive in England.

From 24 February, there is no legal requirement to self-isolate if you get a positive day 2 test result.

You do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests or self-isolate on arrival in England if you qualify as fully vaccinated.

The testing and quarantine rules for international travel to England will change 11 February 2022.

You can now choose a lateral flow test or a PCR test as your post arrival test.

From 4am 7 January you do not have to quarantine on arrival in England if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England.

Changes to rules for fully vaccinated people travelling to England from 4am 7 January 2022.

People who qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England can now end self-isolation after 7 days with 2 negative lateral flow tests.

Further information about quarantine rules for children aged 4 and under.

People aged 12 years and over must COVID-19 test before they travel to England from abroad.

From 4am, Tuesday 7 December all people aged 12 years and over must also take a PCR or LFD COVID-19 test before they travel to England from abroad.

People who qualify as fully vaccinated must quarantine and take a PCR test before the end of day 2 after they arrive in England. Lateral flow tests will not be accepted.

From 4am 30 November 2021, fully vaccinated people must self-isolate and take a PCR test before the end of day 2 after they arrive in England. They may leave self-isolation if their PCR result is negative. Lateral flow tests will not be accepted.

South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe will move onto the red list at 12.00 midday Friday 26 November. A temporary flight ban will be in place and all travellers who have been in these countries must quarantine and take tests.

Travel to England rules for children no longer depend on their place of residence.

Clarification about unclear or inconclusive test results.

From 4am 22 November 2021, all children aged 17 and under will not have to quarantine on arrival in England.

People who qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England can book a lateral flow test for use from 24 October instead of a PCR test.

From 22 October, if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, you will be able to book an antigen lateral flow device (LFD) test instead of a PCR for your ‘on arrival’ test.

Rule changes for international travel to England for people who qualify as fully vaccinated.

Changes to amber list rules on quarantine and testing.

First published.

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What you need to know about England's new travel system

Oct 15, 2021 • 4 min read

England is streamlining its international travel rules © travellinglight / Alamy Stock Photo

England streamlined its COVID-19 border rules in early October, replacing the green, amber and red traffic light policy with a "new clearer travel system" and scrapping the two-test rule for people who are fully vaccinated. Traveling or returning to England? Here's what you need to know.

On the back of the UK's successful vaccination campaign, a new system for international travel is now in place. Under the new policy, the previous traffic light system is replaced by a single list of red countries and territories that are considered high-risk in the context of COVID-19. People coming from red-list countries are subject to stricter rules including quarantine. Anywhere not on the red list is considered low-risk and therefore approved for non-essential travel.

New testing requirements

Testing requirements are reduced for most fully vaccinated arrivals from non-red list countries, provided they were vaccinated in the UK, the US, the EU or one of these  50-plus countries and territories . These arrivals will no longer need to take a pre-departure travel test when traveling to England.

TRAVEL UPDATE🔊: we’re making testing easier for travel 🧳💉 From Mon 4 Oct, if you’re fully vax you won’t need a pre-departure test before arrival into England from a non-red country and from later in Oct, will be able to replace the day 2 PCR test with a cheaper lateral flow. — Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 17, 2021

However, these passengers will need to book and pay for a day two COVID-19 test  to be taken after arrival in England.

Starting on October 24, full vaccinated passengers and most people under the age of 18⁠—arriving from countries not on the red list⁠—will be able to take a cheaper lateral flow test, instead of a PCR test, on day two of their arrival. The test are available through private providers, which will be listed on gov.uk , and can be booked starting October 22. The move comes just in time for those returning from half-term breaks. 

Travelers will have to take a photo of the test and a booking reference from the private provider, and send it to the provider to verify their test results. Passengers can also book a test at some airports. If a test shows a positive result, the traveler will need to self-isolate and take a PCR test to confirm.

Red list rules

Only British and Irish citizens or UK residents may return to England from red list  countries, but as of October 11, that list has been considerably reduced, from nearly 50 countries to just seven: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. "With half-term and winter sun around the corner, we’re making it easier for families and loved ones to reunite, by significantly cutting the number of destinations on the red list, thanks in part to the increased vaccination efforts around the globe," transport secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement. "Restoring people’s confidence in travel is key to rebuilding our economy and levelling up this country. With less restrictions and more people traveling, we can all continue to move safely forward together along our pathway to recovery."

Entry is denied for everyone else from a red-list location unless traveling for essential reasons. Arrivals from red-list countries, including returning citizens, must take a pre-departure test and then quarantine in a government-designated hotel for 10 days at a cost of £2285 per person, as well as taking two more PCR tests on days two and eight of their quarantine period.

Unvaccinated travelers

Under the new policy, unvaccinated passengers need to take tests before departure, on days two and eight of arriving/returning to the UK and will also need to quarantine for 10 days.

Read more: Do you need a visa to go to the United Kingdom?

Traveling with kids

As of mid-October, anyone under the age of 18 traveling from the 50-some countries with UK-approved vaccination programs is exempt from taking a pre-trip test, whether they're vaccinated or not, and all children under the age of 11 are exempt as well, no matter where they're traveling from. 

Children ages 11 to 17 traveling from red list countries have to take a COVID-19 test within three days of their arrival in England. Upon arrival, those aged 5 to 17 are required to quarantine for 10 days and take two tests, while those ages 4 and under are just required to quarantine. All passengers will need to fill in a passenger locator form ahead of travel.

The rest of the UK

Scotland , Northern Ireland and Wales use the same travel system as England, keeping the red list and merging the current green and amber travel lists into one to determine entry policies. Each government's website has more details.   

For more information on the UK's entry requirements, see here .

You might also like: How to get around in England Canada to require vaccinations for travelers 12 years old and over Visiting France with family? Children over the age of 12 must now have a health pass

This article was first published August 2021 and updated October 2021

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What are the current UK travel rules?

By Becky Lucas , Abigail Malbon and Rick Jordan

What are the current UK travel rules, as England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are constantly changing restrictions? Here's everything we know.

Can I travel on holiday right now?

Yes. Monday 17 May 2021 was the first big date in the holiday calendar following many Covid lockdowns – the date from which travel abroad became possible again. Destinations were graded according to the government's traffic light system – green , amber and red – with each colour indicating different rules around testing and quarantining upon return to the UK. 

However, on Monday 4 October 2021, the travel rules changed once more. Green and amber list countries are now ‘non-red’ countries, with the red list of countries that should not be visited left in place. While there are currently no countries on it, quarantine hotels were phased out from the end of March 2022, making it likely that the red list itself has also been quietly dropped. 

On Friday 18 March, all Covid travel rules within the UK were removed – which means that travellers do not need to test, quarantine or even fill in a passenger locator form , regardless of their vaccination status, upon return to the country. 

As for holidays within England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – they are permitted. On Monday 19 July 2021, all group-size limits were removed in England, and residents are now free to travel domestically with as many people as they wish. Scotland, Wales and Ireland followed shortly after. 

Can I go on a cruise from the UK?

On Monday 2 August 2021, international cruises started again from England. However, you should ask your cruise operator and your travel insurance provider about medical facilities on board the ship and what happens if there's an outbreak on board. To confirm whether international cruises are permitted from ports in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is wise to check the relevant government website. 

Can I travel on holiday from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

Overseas travel from all three nations is allowed. Travel in and out of Scotland is possible, and all holiday accommodation, including hotels, is open. Travel within Wales and self-catered stays have been allowed since Saturday 27 March 2021 and travel in and out of its borders has been allowed since Monday 12 April; on Monday 17 May, all hotels and holiday accommodation were permitted to open. Northern Ireland relaxed more measures on Monday 24 May, when hotels and other holiday accommodation were allowed to reopen.

Can I travel from England to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Travel between England, Wales and Scotland is allowed, with overnight stays in self-catering and self-contained accommodation permitted, and hotels and B&Bs. 

For the full list of countries and proof of vaccine accepted, see the government's website . 

Should I book a holiday in the UK?

Staycations are surging right now. British holidays have been selling like hot teacakes: we advise that anyone booking a UK holiday is clear about its refund conditions. See our insider recommendations on the UK holidays to book , other UK destinations to visit , our favourite UK hotels and UK Airbnbs , and the best places for camping in the UK .

What were the key dates for lockdown easing in England?

Note: dates varied in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These are the correct dates for changes in England

Stage 1: March

All schools reopened on Monday 8 March, and outdoor socialising allowed one-on-one between members of two household bubbles. Since Monday 29 March, outdoor gatherings have been permitted for up to six people or two households (even if more than six – with a support bubble counting as one household). Outdoor sports have restarted. 'Stay Local' replaced 'Stay at Home' messaging. What did 'Stay Local' mean in England? The government website suggests it means remaining within your local area – village, town or city neighbourhood – as much as possible. However, day trips were no longer illegal from Monday 29 March , though still not advised.

Stage 2: Monday 12 April

Self-catering holiday lets, including Airbnb, reopened for individuals or families, along with campsites with no shared facilities. Staycation holidays are possible, and the 'Stay Local' guideline ended, so trips longer than just day trips are no longer advised against. Non-essential shops reopened, along with hairdressers, gyms and outdoor hospitality, including pub and outdoor restaurant gardens and terraces . Zoos and amusement parks have also reopened.

Stage 3: Monday 17 May

Hotels and B&Bs can now reopen and overseas holidays allowed to a few destinations, according to the traffic-light system. Most outdoor restrictions have been lifted ( so the first, smaller festivals can take place ), and limited mixing indoors will be allowed – so two households or six people from different households can meet for dinner and drinks inside, while 30 can meet outside. Pubs and restaurants, cinemas , theatres, museums , exhibitions and sports stadiums all to reopen, and some large events (up to 4,000 people) allowed. Children are no longer be required to wear masks at school – and we're finally able to hug other people again.

Stage 4: Monday 19 July

All large events and live performances back on the calendar with no cap on size, nightclubs allowed to reopen, and all remaining social contact restrictions lifted – including the limit on six people or two households at gatherings and in restaurants and hotels. Although this was originally forecast to change from Monday 21 June, the government announced that the date was to be pushed back by four weeks to Monday 19 July, as the highly transmissible Delta variant was pushing up infection numbers. From 21 June, however, there was no longer a cap on the number of guests allowed at weddings. The UK then officially moved to Stage 4 from Monday 19 July. On the same day, Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated at a press conference that vaccine passports, available through the NHS app, would be necessary as a condition of entry to clubs and other venues with large crowds from September, in order to indicate whether a person has received both Covid-19 vaccine doses, tested negative for the virus or has natural immunity from it after having previously contracted. However, this policy has now been scrapped in England. 

What about the rest of the UK?

Wales, Scotland   and Northern Ireland are following the same rules as England – although Scotland continued the legal requirement for face masks in some settings for longer, until 18 April. England and Wales were first to end the free testing system for asymptomatic Covid sufferers, from 1 April 2022, while Scotland did so from 18 April and Northern Ireland is to follow on 22 April. Only Scotland will continue to provide free PCR tests for anyone with symptoms until the end of April, while England, Wales and Northern Ireland (the latter after 22 April) now provide them only for people with symptoms from certain, more vulnerable groups (which Scotland shall also do, from May). \

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Introduction

Britain and Northern Ireland currently have no official COVID-19 restrictions in place, however there is still guidance on what to do should you catch coronavirus while here on holiday. For more information, please check the official government websites using the links below.

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Northern Ireland

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TUI issues 'three hour' warning to anyone flying from major UK airport

For anyone planning a summer holiday  this year, you might want to reconsider which airport you’re flying from.

TUI has issued a warning to travellers jetting out from Birmingham airport, advising them to arrive at the airport three hours early to avoid disappointment.

And, if you’re catching a long-haul flight , the advice is to arrive four hours before take off.

The warning by the travel company comes amid works going on at Birmingham Airport until June.

The security hall is undergoing a £60,000,000 transformation to introduce brand new scanners which will change hand luggage rules for all passengers. 

Once the update has been completed, you’ll be able to pass through security and leave your liquids and electronics in your carry-on bags.

The British government had set a deadline of June 1 for all airports to complete the upgrades, ahead of the 100ml rule being scrapped this summer. 

‘We’d like to remind you to arrive at the airport with sufficient time before your flight,’ TUI said in a statement.

‘At the moment, we’re recommending giving yourself three hours for flights to Europe and Africa, and four hours for long-haul flights. 

‘That way, you’ll have plenty of time to check in your luggage and make your way through the security queues.’

‘Arriving any earlier than this won’t mean you can check in or pass through security early.’

TUI also reminded passengers of their bag drop off system.

‘On that note, don’t forget that if your flight takes off before noon, you can drop your bags between 2pm and 9pm using our day-before bag drop, making your departure day easier. You can do this for all flights except those to the USA.’ 

Why does the 100ml liquid rule exist?

The liquid rules were introduced in 2006 due to a terror threat.

Terrorists had been poised to smuggle liquid explosives through security by disguising them as soft drinks.

They planned to carry the explosives aboard planes travelling from the United Kingdom to the United States and Canada.

As a result of the incident, unprecedented security measures were initially implemented at airports.

New rules introduced on August 10 2006 resulted in hundreds of cancelled flights, long delays and queues at UK airports.

What are the new rules for liquids when flying?

The days of chugging a bottle of water, desperately squinting at the labels of your toiletries and debating over whether lip balm is a liquid (generally it’s not) should be behind us very soon. 

Up until now, unless your liquid items are bang on or below 100ml and crammed inside a small, clear plastic bag, you would have to bid farewell to them before going through security. 

But Birmingham Airport, which handled 11,000,000 passengers last year, is set to become one of the first major British airports to scrap the 100ml rule from June 1 2024 – meanwhile other airports have delayed the launch, London Gatwick has set a new deadline of March 2025, while Manchester, East Midlands and Stanstead have also said their new scanners won’t be introduced until next year.

Birmingham airport bosses have been installing scanners that use X-ray technology to create a 3D scan of the contents of a passenger’s bag.

Not only will passengers be able to bring in liquids of more than 100ml, but they’ll no longer have to remove large electronic devices such as laptops from their bags, as per current restrictions .

Nick Barton, CEO of Birmingham Airport, previously told Metro.co.uk : ‘Birmingham Airport has invested £60 million in a new security hall and scanning equipment.

‘From June 1, our customers will see the benefits of the new security systems as we roll them out, which will result in a quicker and easier pre-flight security screening process for our customers.

‘In the meantime, up until the 1st June date, our existing security restrictions remain in place.

‘It is timely to remind all customers that they still need to remove electricals during the search process and only carry liquids, pastes and gels, up to 100ml, in 20 x 20cm in resealable bags in their hand luggage.’

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As foreign travel rules ease, what is required to enter the UK?

With a range of proofs needed, the market for fake Covid test and vaccination certificates is booming

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When the UK reopens for foreign travel on Monday, a number of requirements for entry to the UK will be in force, involving a number of different types of tests and certificates.

The black market for pandemic-related products, including fake negative Covid tests and fake vaccination certificates, is booming.

Border officials have warned that an estimated 100 fake negative Covid tests were being caught each day even before the borders are opened further for foreign travel.

What is required to enter the UK?

The details are to be confirmed, but it’s expected that up to three polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests will be required: one before entry showing a negative result, and up to two afterwards, depending on the country from which a traveller has arrived.

PCR tests cost an average of £120 a test for each person.

What about other countries?

Countries have differing requirements, but some, including EU states, have said a requirement involving vaccination will be required to enter them.

What do you need certificates for in the UK?

To enter the UK, certificates are needed to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test. The test result must be in either English, French or Spanish.

Depending on the country of origin, up to two more tests could be required, both of which would need a certificate to prove a negative result.

What about vaccination?

The government has suggested it will incorporate a vaccination status into the existing NHS Covid app.

However, there are currently no requirements to prove vaccination status when entering the UK. The level of vaccination progress will be taken into account when determining how countries should be classified.

What checks are there?

Border Force officers at airports and ports are responsible for checking the certificates, although no specific training is provided.

Some Border Force officers said the certificates can be easy to spot as they often have spelling mistakes or punctuation errors. But as there is no single template for a negative test, it can be challenging.

What is the scale of the use of fakes?

Border Force staff have said that by their nature it is challenging to estimate the true scale of the use of fake certificates. However, union officials have said that at least 100 fake certificates are caught each day – equal to thousands a month.

Cybersecurity researchers said there were more than 1,200 vendors on the dark web offering fake certificates, vaccines, treatment drugs and protective equipment. Individual channels on encrypted messaging apps have more than 1,000 subscribers.

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Another UK airport scraps strict 100ml liquid rules in time for summer holidays

• Hope Brotherton , Travel Reporter
• Published : 9:55, 26 Apr 2024
• Updated : 14:38, 26 Apr 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

A REGIONAL airport in the UK has ditched the 100ml liquid rule - months before the June deadline.

At most airports across the country, holidaymakers currently have to remove items, such as liquids and electronics, from their  hand luggage  when going through airport security.

However waiting to have luggage scanned can often cause delays, as people are forced to unpack their bags.

New technology is slowly being introduced at airports across the country that's set to make the 100ml liquid rule a thing of the past.

As well as removing the need for people to take liquids out of their hand luggage, the new CT scanners  will increase the liquid allowance to two litres.

Additionally,  laptops and electronic items  won't need to be removed from hand luggage either, which will speed up the whole security process.

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Last year,  Teesside Airport  became the first airport in the UK to ditch the 100ml liquid rule, while London City Airport became the second.

Earlier this week, Aberdeen International Airport became the third airport in the UK to install the scanners.

This means passengers travelling through the airport can keep everything in their bags, instead of being asked to remove laptops and  ditch liquids  over 100ml at screenings.  

Hand luggage will then pass through the CT scanners, allowing airport security to inspect bags from a 3D image - a vast improvement on the 2D images that are currently used.

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Aberdeen Airport Security Manager William Wallace said: "We are delighted to have the NGSC scanners operational at Aberdeen.

"We are well ahead of the deadline set by the Government thanks to all the hard work from our staff and contractors.

"This is one of the biggest changes in airport security so we would ask passengers to be prepared for this new process and to have patience as we enter the biggest change in aviation security in nearly two decades."

In 2022, the Department of Transport implemented a deadline of June 2024 for  airports  to have the new scanners in place.

Birmingham International Airport, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool and Bradford are all expected to meet the June deadline.

East Midlands Airport is also set to finish installing the new scanners by June.

Earlier this month, the Government announced it has granted extensions to several large UK  airports  unable to meet its June 1 deadline.

Ministers have issued extensions of up to 12 months to several airports on a case by case basis, which is expected to be enough time for them all to complete the work.

The  Department for Transport  refused to provide a breakdown of the situation for each airport, citing security concerns.

However,  London Gatwick , Heathrow and Manchester airports are all understood to be among those who are due to miss the original deadline.

Airport Liquid Rule Explained

Originally introduced in 2006, the rules restrict holidaymakers to carrying just  100ml of liquids  in their carry-on luggage, which must be stored in a sealed, clear, bag.

Mike Harvey, Managing Director of 1st Move International, advised people to make sure they're familiar with the rules - especially when airports have different rules.

He said: "When planning your travels, it's crucial to be aware that the  100ml liquid restriction  might still be in place depending on the specific airport you depart from.

"Ensure that you check all departing airports on your itinerary, including  domestic layovers .

"Until a universal removal of the 100ml liquid restriction is implemented across  all airports , it’s best to adhere to the established protocols.

"Continue to pack liquids, gels, and aerosols in containers of 100ml or smaller and arrange them in a clear, resealable plastic bag, to mitigate the risk of disposal."

Airports mistakes

Taking too many liquids is one big mistake that people make at airports, but there are plenty of others, including wearing complicated pieces of clothing like belts.

Holidaymakers sometimes forget that belts need to be removed and scanned, which can cause delays at security.

Relying on screens for information is another mistake passengers often make, according to flight attendants.

Screens are often updated later than other places, so checking flight information online is much more reliable.

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Hand luggage rules for uk airlines.

We've rounded up how much hand luggage you can take on UK airlines when booking their most basic fare.

One personal bag measuring no more than 40cm x 20cm x 25cm

One personal bag measuring no larger than 45cm x 36cm x 20cm

One personal item that fits underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm weighing up to 10kg

One personal item that its underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 55cm x 40cm x 20cm weighing up to 10kg

British Airways

One personal bag no larger than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 45cm 25cm weighing up to 23kg

Virgin Atlantic

One personal item that fits underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 36cm x 23cm weighing up to 10kg

Meanwhile, a popular UK high street chain has started selling  this popular hand luggage bag  that fits Ryanair cabins.

And these are the rules around  bringing food through airport security.

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New Schengen Visa Rules for Indian Visitors: Key Questions Answered 

Peden Doma Bhutia , Skift

April 23rd, 2024 at 5:39 AM EDT

Destinations value Indian travelers, but lengthy visa processing times lasting months act as significant deterrents. The adoption of these new regulations by European authorities reflects a proactive effort to tackle these concerns, aiming to boost tourism flow.

Peden Doma Bhutia

The European Commission has introduced a new visa “cascade” regime for Indian nationals applying for Schengen visas in India. This regime looks to offer longer-term, multi-entry Schengen visas, based on the applicant’s travel history.

Indian travel agents had been complaining of Schengen visa delays as a major challenge to the summer travel rush from India.

• How does one qualify for the longer duration visas?

The European Commission can issue a two-year multiple-entry visa after a traveler “has obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years.” This demonstrates a positive travel history and compliance with previous visa regulations.

Subsequently, after granting the two-year visa, authorities may issue a five-year visa if the passport has has adequate validity remaining.

• What benefits do holders of these extended visas enjoy?

During the validity period of these visas, holders can enjoy travel rights equivalent to visa-free nationals within the Schengen area, allowing for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

• Which countries are part of the Schengen area?

The Schengen area comprises 29 European countries, including 25 European Union member states: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden. Additionally, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland are also part of the Schengen area.

• Are there any restrictions or conditions to these visas?

Schengen visas do not grant the right to work within the Schengen area and are for short stays only. Additionally, the visas are not purpose-bound, providing flexibility for travel within the specified period.

Industry Take

Skift also spoke to players in the Indian outbound travel industry to understand what has changed in the new Schengen visa rules.

• How is this different from the earlier visas that Schengen countries offered? Don’t they already offer multi-entry visas with longer duration to Indians?

Mahendra Vakharia, managing director of Pathfinders Holidays, said there was no standard policy of Schengen states for issuing these long-term visas earlier. Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Italy and Spain usually issued long-term visa, but it was all subjective. “With this new policy it should be a standard rule now,” Vakharia said.

• Travelers mainly complain of longer processing times, has that changed?

Here too, there is no standard processing time as it varies from country to country, according to Vakharia. “France and Spain have been processing visas within four days, and then there’s Croatia, which takes 60 days,” he said.

Processing time will not change as of now, it will take time for the visa rules to be enforced, said an industry source, while highlighting that the visa would be especially useful for corporate travelers.

What Promoted The Move?

Speaking on the possible motivations, Vakharia acknowledged various reasons, including administrative capacity constraints at embassies to cater to the huge inflow of applications.

“As there is an overwhelming demand from Indian travelers, the process of securing visa appointments has posed significant challenges , especially for travelers residing in cities lacking VFS Global centers,” he said.

The European Commission said in an statement that the decision reflects the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility, aimed at fostering comprehensive cooperation on migration policy. Facilitating people-to-people contacts is a key aspect of this agenda, acknowledging India’s importance as an EU partner.

The decision also reflects a realization of the strong economic benefits derived through the spending power of Indian tourists. As Vakharia aptly puts it, “Why let go of the Golden Indian Goodie Bag?”

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Tags: asia monthly , europe , european commission , European summer travel , european union , india , india outbound , schengen , visa , visas

Photo credit: Park Guell in Spain. Unlike many Schengen countries, Spain has been processing visas within four days for Indian travelers. Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz / Pexels

More than 80% of asylum applicants now coming from UK via Northern Ireland, says McEntee

Minister for justice described ‘challenge’ due to common travel area, which government has worked to protect.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee: 'We simply must recognise that the challenges presented by migration and asylum exist.' Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

More than 80 per cent of people applying for asylum in Ireland are coming from the UK over the land Border with Northern Ireland , Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has estimated.

Ms McEntee told the Oireachtas justice committee, which is holding a hearing on the Government’s decision to opt-in to an EU-wide migration pact, that the estimate was that more than 80 per cent were coming across the Border.

“I would say it’s higher than 80 per cent,” Ms McEntee told Fianna Fáil Senator Robbie Gallagher.

Mr Gallagher said the statistic was “particularly worrying”. Ms McEntee said the Department of Justice engages with the UK authorities regularly, including through a Common Travel Area committee as well as bilaterally through the Department and between the Garda and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

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“This is the challenge that we have, that we have advocated for an open Border on this island,” she said. “It is absolutely a challenge.”

She said there is a returns agreement to send those back to the UK who have refugee status there, although that has been impeded by a recent High Court judgment which she is bringing forward legislation to remedy.

A Department of Justice source said that it was difficult to be precise about the numbers coming across the Border as it was not monitored routinely but that more than 80 per cent of International Protection (IP) applications are made at the IP office in Mount Street without having applied at a point of entry like a port or airport.

The Department believes that the overwhelming majority of those are coming from the UK and across the land Border. The Government believes that a significant number of Nigerians are coming via this route. There has been a spike in applications from that country.

Cabinet agreed that IP applicants from this country will be subject to an accelerated processing regime from Tuesday.

Earlier, Ms McEntee told the committee that up to 80 per cent of asylum seekers will be processed within three months under new EU rules.

Ms McEntee, who said that the new pact would mean that people will spend “less time in State-provided accommodation and ultimately are more likely to be returned to their country of origin”.

Failing to opt-in to the pact will result in Ireland becoming a more attractive destination, according to Ms McEntee. Numbers will “almost certainly increase” but the State would be precluded from accessing solidarity and burden-sharing mechanisms, “severely” limiting the capacity to “send people back to wherever they came from”, she told the committee.

“This would mean more people in the reception system for longer periods of time.”

The pact, which the Government wants to implement by the middle of 2026, has drawn opposition from politicians on the left and right. While the Government says it is a pathway to a fairer and faster immigration system, the plan to approve the pact next week is facing increasing opposition in advance of Dáil and Seanad votes.

Ms McEntee will give an overview of the pact, which consists of seven overlapping directives and regulations, arguing that there are significant risks to not opting in.

“We simply must recognise that the challenges presented by migration and asylum exist. They cannot be wished away. They must be addressed. And they cannot be addressed, in a globalised and interdependent world, by any state acting alone,” she told the committee.

She said that one element, the asylum procedures regulation, allows for “faster, fairer processing” of applications across the bloc, including “very condensed” border procedures for some people including those who come from countries with low “recognition rates” for asylum. It will allow for decisions to be taken in accelerated circumstances or for inadmissible applicants in three and two months respectively, and she argued that the longest time frame for a first decision will be six months under an ordinary procedure.

Under this regulation, she told the committee there are safeguards and appeals mechanisms. “In short, this regulation will ensure people get a quicker decision, whether positive or negative, on their claim.”

She outlined how the pact also contains a new screening regulation which kicks in when someone enters the EU irregularly or is found to be in a member state without permission.

The person will undergo a screening procedure within seven days, including identification, health and security checks and fingerprinting as well as being registered in the EU’s Eurodac database. This allows countries to check whether someone has lodged an application for asylum in another EU country.

Once that is concluded, people will either be entered into the asylum process or returned out of the country.

Another new regulation on the Eurodac database, she told the committee, will be important for Ireland as it experiences high levels of “secondary movement” – where someone has travelled to Ireland through another member state. Under this regulation, the system will be expanded to include collection of a facial images and fingerprints, including reducing the age for fingerprinting to six years and older.

Ms McEntee said this is to provide “stronger protection for at-risk children”, and that accessing this information will “help in returning secondary movers to the correct member state”.

Steps harmonising qualification for refugee status will reduce the incentive for applicants to move from one member state to another, she said, “which is positive for Ireland”.

She told the committee that managing external borders and the return of people without a right to stay in the EU will be done with “full respect for human rights”.

She outlined a new Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR), which will replace the current system for determining which member state is responsible for an asylum application, known as the Dublin III regulation.

“Ireland will directly benefit from a more effective system and process, allowing us to identify and return secondary movers to the correct member state responsible, freeing up out own system to assist those seeking international protection swiftly and efficiently,” she said.

To balance this, the same regulation will introduce a “mandatory solidarity mechanism” – something that certain critics of the pact have objected to. Under this, a “solidarity pool” will be established to balance out the impact on frontline member states where the most asylum seekers arrive, like Italy, Greece and Cyprus. This will consist of countries accepting people being relocated or buying their way out of this with a financial contribution.

Ms McEntee said Ireland’s share of this, based on current figures, will be 648 relocations or just under €13 million annually, with “flexibility” for states on how they meet it.

She emphasised that it does not mean Ireland will have to take an additional 648 applicants. “This may take the form of relocations, a financial contribution, offsetting against cases not returned ... or a combination of those.”

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Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times

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