UK Travel Restrictions have been Relaxed for the Indian Travellers

The restrictions on travelling abroad have affected significantly all the segments of society such as job, occupations, economy and most importantly people’s lives. Almost all countries have closed their international borders to control the spread of the virus. They have also not allowed any foreign person to enter their country. Somewhere down the line, it breaks the trust between nation-to-nation and human-to-human. Wuhan (COVID 19) virus affects many across the globe. But especially those aspirants who were planning to study abroad, pay the university’s tuition fees were locked in their homes. Eventually, we fought, we won, and we survived. The world is rejuvenating itself because Wuhan (COVID 19) virus pandemic impact is now reducing day by day. People are coming out restarted their jobs and business.

In the hierarchy, many countries started opening their international borders and relaxing the travel restrictions for foreign travellers. Canada has lift-up the travel restrictions first, then we have seen some other countries as well. Now countries like Australia, the USA, and some European and Asian countries also seem to open their borders soon. We came across frequent positive news from the last few weeks, and as per the recent announcement from the UK, added to the list.

How UK Travel Restrictions have been relaxed for the Indian Travellers?

• As per the latest update of the UK travel restrictions, there will be no quarantine for the fully vaccinated Indians who travel to the UK.
• Previously, on 22 September, the UK had announced that Covishield has included in the list of approved vaccines. However, India was still there on the amber list. As a result, as per the UK travel restrictions guidelines, all Indian travellers who arrive in the country must quarantine for ten days. Irrespective of whether they are fully vaccinated.
• So based on that, the Indian foreign ministry has registered a strong objection against the announced norms of the UK travel restrictions. The Indian authority has pointed that the vaccination which majority of Indians have is the same AstraZeneca vaccine, which includes in the vaccination drive in Britain.
• Covishiled is the same vaccine that Oxford University has developed for COVID-19 is AstraZeneca, whereas, in India, it is produced and marketed as Covishield.
• In the chaos, India has also taken reciprocal travel steps. The government has imposed a 10-days quarantine for all British nationals arriving in the country from 1st October 2021. So till 5th October 2021, Indian Authorities have sent 162 out of 539 British citizens into the mandatory home quarantine who was arrived in India from the UK. However, British people are fully vaccinated, still, they have to follow the guideline as Indian travellers are facing the same under UK travel restrictions.
• In addition to the travel restrictions for the UK, their people also added in the compulsory pre-departure COVID 19 RT-PCR test within 72 hours before departure. Apart from this, UK nationals are also to be tested again on their arrival at the Indian airports. Additionally, the RT-PCR test is needed on the eight-day after their arrival.
• These reciprocal steps made a huge impact. As a result, the British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis has announced on 7th October 2021 that fully vaccinated Indians travelling to the United Kingdom will not be quarantined from 11 October 2021.

Conclusion

The Indian government have imposed travel curbs on British Nationals. The announcement from the British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, comes immediately a day after. As per Ellis’s statement on social media – “from 11 October 2021, there is No UK travel restriction, no quarantine for Indian travellers who are travelling to the UK with full-vaccination of Covishield or other UK-approved vaccines. “ He also added a thanks note to the Indian government for giving close cooperation from the last month or so.