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Publication - Advice and guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel and managed isolation (quarantine)

Published: 30 Apr 2021
Last updated: 30 Jul 2021 - see all updates
Directorate:
External Affairs Directorate
Part of:
Business, industry and innovation, Coronavirus in Scotland, Health and social care, +2 more … International, Transport

Quarantine rules and information on the process for people entering Scotland.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel and managed isolation (quarantine)
Overview

Overview

Changes to amber travel list from 2 August

From 4am on Monday 2 August, fully-vaccinated passengers arriving from amber list countries in EU member states*, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, microstates of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City, and the USA will not have to quarantine or take a day 8 test upon arrival in Scotland. Arrivals will have to carry with them a form of certification to provide details of their vaccine status. For US arrivals, this proof is a CDC card showing you are fully vaccinated, along with proof of residence in the US. All arrivals from Europe must show a record of vaccination through the European Digital COVID Certificate.

Amber arrivals who have been fully vaccinated will still need to take a pre-departure test before arrival into Scotland, alongside a PCR test on or before day 2 after arrival. 

Please check the red, amber and green list countries page for further details.

*This does not currently apply to arrivals from France who must self-isolate and take the required PCR tests on day 2 and day 8.

Changes to amber list travel from 19 July

From 19 July, changes came into place which meant you no longer had to self-isolate if you were travelling to Scotland from an amber list country and had been fully vaccinated in the UK.

Find out more about: changes to the red, amber and green lists

Going abroad

If you’re planning to travel abroad, you must:

  • check whether a country you’re travelling to is on the red, amber or green list
  • confirm what you need to do when you arrive back in Scotland

The green, amber and red lists can change at short notice. Before you arrive in Scotland, you should check these lists and make sure you’re following the correct rules.

If you’re planning travel, you should not assume that a country on the green, amber or red list now will remain on the same list over the weeks and months ahead.  If you travel, you must follow the rules that are in place for a country or area at your time of travel.

If you have been fully vaccinated, you must make sure you have a printed record of your vaccine status from NHS Inform for your journey back to Scotland.

Travelling abroad also carries a risk of bringing new cases and variants of COVID-19 into Scotland. You should think carefully about whether your trip abroad is necessary before booking travel.

Guidance for British people travelling abroad is on gov.uk.

Travel within Scotland and to other parts of the UK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies

Travel within the UK, and to the Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, is not counted as international travel. This means that you do not need to test, isolate or fill in a passenger locator form if:

  • you’re travelling to Scotland from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey
  • you have not travelled anywhere other than these areas in the 10 days before you arrive in Scotland

Your plans may still be affected if the area you’re travelling to or from has local restrictions in place.

For information on local travel restrictions, see guidance on travel within Scotland, other parts of the UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.

Red, amber and green list countries

Contact

Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000

The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

First published: 30 Apr 2021 Last updated: 30 Jul 2021 -