The UK’s New Amber Plus Country Travel List

Millions of British travellers could face holiday chaos as Greece, Italy, and Spain may be added to the ‘amber plus’ travel list.

The British government is said to be concerned about increasing COVID transmission rates across the globe.

This means they could put further restrictions on travel abroad, meaning even double jabbed individuals may have to quarantine when visiting ‘amber list’ countries.

What is Amber Plus List?

The addition of France to the “amber plus” list on 16 July, mandating quarantine regardless of vaccination status, caught many holidaymakers and the travel industry by surprise.

The new category on the UK's traffic light system is somewhere between amber and red. It was created especially for travel to France, as ministers were concerned over the rise in Beta infections which was first found in South Africa.

Currently, only France is on the list. Ministers are reportedly considering removing France from the list but replacing it with Greece, Italy and Spain due to concerns over the prevalence of the Beta variant.

It has been estimated that almost six million British travellers would face last-minute quarantine if these three destinations are added to ‘amber plus’.

What to Expect on UK Travel

The next review of the travel green, amber, and red lists is expected in the first week of August, this would determine whether summer holidays are realistic in a given destination. Ministers are concerned about rising cases of the Beta variant which appears to render existing COVID-19 vaccines less effective.

A senior Government official said the hope was that Beta would effectively be “outcompeted” by the more transmissible Delta in the next week, limiting the spread of the variant and enabling the UK to keep these destinations on the regular amber list, which allows travellers to avoid quarantine if they are double vaccinated.

What are your thoughts on the new travel category? Would this affect your decision to visit these destinations? Talk to us in the comments section below.

Check out the deals we have found below and tell us your travel plans.

Check out the offers and discounts from:

And because of the pandemic, don’t forget to get your travel insurance, which will cover you for flight disruptions and pandemic related matters.

IaM can help with your visa application to the United States, the UK & other countries

If you need help with a US visa, a UK Visa, or visa to Europe, including help with appointment booking obligations, IaM can help. For more information and advice on US immigration, UK immigration law and US visa applications or if you need any help or assistance please, reach out to your Visa Coordinator at IaM.

Some of our posts include affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of these products, we might get a small commission. For more information, check out our TOS.