Quarantine rules imposed on travellers from further destinations

Travellers arriving in Scotland from Poland and the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba must quarantine on arrival. This is due to significant increases in the number of cases testing positive in Poland as well as the increased number of cases in the Caribbean islands. Travellers from Turkey will also be required to quarantine as it is clear that case numbers in Turkey have been under-reported.

This means they are required to self-isolate at home, or another specified address, for 14 days from 4am Saturday (3 October).

Meanwhile those arriving from the Azores and Madeira will no longer need to quarantine due to the low number of cases.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said:

“Although we are lifting quarantine restrictions on those travelling from the Azores or Madeira, in line with the public health data we have received, people should think long and hard before choosing to travel abroad, particularly during the forthcoming October break. At present all foreign travel carries a risk. Quarantine requirements could be imposed on those arriving on holiday abroad, just as we may make the decision to impose the same in Scotland.

“People should think very hard before committing to non-essential foreign travel.

“Imposing quarantine restrictions on those arriving in the UK is our first defence in managing the risk of importing cases from communities with high risks of transmission. This is vital in our efforts to supress the spread of the virus in Scotland.

“We continue to be in regular discussions with the other three governments in the UK.”

Wherever somebody has travelled from – whether an exempt country or not – it remains a legal requirement to complete a Passenger Locator Form and provide it to Border Force officials. Failure to do so can also result in a fine since this, along with any failure to self-isolate where required, poses a significant risk to wider public health across Scotland.

More details about what the quarantine requirements mean can be found on the Scottish Government website.

Background

Public health rules for international travel are an important part of Scotland’s wider response to the pandemic to limit the introduction of new chains of transmission. 

To allow the appropriate arrangements to be put in place, following the laying of the regulations, the change will come into force at 4am on Saturday 26 September.

All international travellers arriving into Scotland, apart from a very limited number of individual exemptions, must complete a passenger locator form and provide evidence that they have done so on arrival in the UK if requested to do so by a Border Force official. This includes people arriving from countries where quarantine is subsequently not required. Individuals who do not complete the form and present it when asked on arrival may be fined £60. The fine can be doubled for each subsequent offence up to a maximum of £480.

Failure to comply with the requirement to quarantine may result in a fine of more than £480.

Those travelling abroad should check in advance for any local requirements to quarantine on arrival at their destination. Further information about the foreign travel public health rules, including quarantine requirements, can be read on the Scottish Government website. This includes the existing list of overseas destinations where those arriving in Scotland are exempt from self-isolation.