• CONTACT US if you have any problems registering for the forums.

When will UK citizens be allowed to fly to the US?

Mom83

100+ Posts
Right now, I understand that UK citizens are not allowed to visit the US...am I correct? Is this due to UK or US regulations? Our daughter’s British in-laws are hoping to fly from the UK to the US in late July for 3 weeks...is there any chance the rules may change by then? I know that no one can foresee the future...just wondering what those of you who live in the UK are hearing. Our 20 month old granddaughter has not seen her UK grandparents since she was 2 months old in December, 2019...so heartbreaking for them.
 
It is so confusing! I think they can travel from the UK (but are recommended not to) but have to quarantine at home on return but they are currently not allowed into the US. So it is the US that is keeping them out. Explanation and proof below.

Our current lockdown restrictions were supposed to end on June 21 but this has been extended for 4 weeks until July 19 because of a rise in cases from the Delta variant. At that point foreign travel might be allowed. Currently it is allowed for essential purposes only but I have read that people are traveling to amber countries in Europe.

========================
From the UK government site.

Travelling internationally from England

There are no longer any restrictions on leaving England to travel internationally, however to protect public health in the UK and the vaccine rollout, you should not travel to countries or territories on the red or amber lists.


For travel in and out of the UK they have a traffic light system. Travelers from Green countries can enter but need a test after they arrive. Amber countries must quarantine in the place they are staying in the UK. Red countries quarantine in a hotel. The US is on our amber list. So your friends would have to quarantine on return, but by the time they return the US could be on the green list.

From the UK government site for travel to the US.
Since 16 March 2020, it is not possible for most British nationals to enter the USA if they have been in the UK, Ireland, Schengen zone, Iran, Brazil, or China within the previous 14 days. On 30 January 2021, South Africa was added. Those arriving from outside these areas will need to get a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) visa waiver to enter or transit the USA as a visitor. You should consult the US State Department website to determine which you will need.

US citizens and permanent residents of the USA, certain specified close family members and certain other limited categories of visas holders (such as UN staff and diplomats) are exempt. They will still be able to enter the USA, subject to normal entry requirements. Further details are on the US Embassy Website.


Foreign travel advice for the US.

List of countries by green, amber, red.
 
Thanks, Pauline. Yes...this is so confusing! I know our daughter’s in-laws are counting down the days until their visit here. They will be so disappointed if they are not allowed to come. They already bought their airline tickets...hopefully they can be changed if the travel policies do not allow them to come.
 
More British grandparents here! Yes, the insurmountable barrier at the moment is the US Presidential Proclamation (Jan 2021) forbidding travel to the US by non-US citizens from either UK or Schengen countries.

Our grandchildren in Colorado are 5 & 3 now, and we haven’t seen them (or our son and daughter-in-law) for very nearly 2 years. If it were only a matter of paying for extra tests, and quarantining on the return to the UK, that would be a price we’d be happy to pay... But there's no getting round the US ban!

As you might expect, we've been monitoring the situation as closely as we can. There's a frustrating amount of opinion out there, but an absolute lack of concrete facts. The latest opinions that I've read are that the proclamation might be lifted in early August, at the very earliest. The UK has been doing well on the vaccination front (I've been fully vaccinated for over 2 months now), but infection rates from the new delta variant are growing rather alarmingly, so I'm not feeling very optimistic about being able to travel before the end of the summer at the earliest.
 
Oh, Jonathan...this is so disheartening for those affected. Our daughter’s in-laws met their first grandchild in December, 2019 when she was 2 months old, but have not seen her since. Our son-in-law turns 40 in early August...we were hoping his parents would be able to travel here to not only celebrate his birthday, but to finally see their granddaughter again. They purchased airline tickets months ago...hopefully those can be changed if travel to the US is not allowed by their departure date in late July.
Our daughter is an eternal optimist...she has hopes that Biden will drop these restrictions in the next week or two...I am not as optimistic. This Delta variant has everyone concerned.
We were all to spend Christmas in Oxford last year...I am keeping my fingers crossed that we can do that this year.
And...hoping that you can get to the States to see your son and family very soon!!
 
I gather that a way around the U.S. ban is to spend 14 days in Mexico first, not that it makes a lot of sense from a health perspective.
 
In today’s UK news they said the government may soon remove the quarantine condition when returning from amber countries if you are fully vaccinated. So once they get into the US it might be easier returning home to the UK.
 
In today’s UK news they said the government may soon remove the quarantine condition when returning from amber countries if you are fully vaccinated. So once they get into the US it might be easier returning home to the UK.
This would be really helpful as it would allow our daughter’s in-laws to immediately return to work upon getting back to the UK.
Now we just need to get them allowed to enter the US!!
 
I gather that a way around the U.S. ban is to spend 14 days in Mexico first, not that it makes a lot of sense from a health perspective.
So Mexico allows UK citizens to enter with a 14 day quarantine stipulation?
 
I think Mexico allows UK citizens to enter without restriction; then the U.S. lets them enter after 14 days in Mexico, and a negative COVID test if entering by air.
 
I think Mexico allows UK citizens to enter without restriction; then the U.S. lets them enter after 14 days in Mexico, and a negative COVID test if entering by air.
Ah, got it! Well, as far fetched as that sounds, it might be a possibility if the US does not change its policy re visitors from the UK soon.
 
Well, the latest news is not looking promising for this summer.
Found the article. You are right, not looking good.

Financial Times, June 28:

Hopes fade for US-UK travel corridor before end of summer​

Officials play down chances of breakthrough on transatlantic restrictions before September​

 
Just an update...
Our son-in-law was able to fly from their home in VA to the UK 2 weeks ago to see his family...the first time in 19+ months that he has seen them. Fully vaccinated, 2 Covid tests, a form to fill out, and very cautious behavior while there...all led to a very pleasant 4 day visit.
And now, his mom and dad are flying to VA in January for 3 weeks...the first time they have seen our shared 2 year old granddaughter since they were here in Ohio in December 2019 when she was only 8 weeks old.
We are so hopeful that international travel will be increasingly somewhat normal in 2022...different, but doable!
 
And an update from us! Yes, the travel ban UK-US has lifted today (or tomorrow, depending on which source you look at). We're booked to fly out to Colorado at the beginning of December, and are staying around a month - and, of course, we're absolutely delighted!

We're just back from a week in Spain (first European trip for over a year): that all went smoothly, and testing requirements for us double-vaxxed (actually triple: Philippa got her booster today, and I got mine a fortnight ago) are straightforward. For the USA trip, I gather we need an antigen rest within 72hrs of leaving here, but I plan on rechecking once the ban is well and truly lifted!
 
Jonathan...I am so happy for you both! A month here in the States with your family...finally! Wonderful news!
Jeff and I got our boosters 2 weeks ago. Almost everyone we know, young and old, are getting booster shots if they are 6 months out from their second dose...hopefully this makes a real difference in the control of the virus. We are hoping to re-book our 2 week Italy trip that was canceled in April 2020 for this next April. We are waiting until January to see where things are...unfortunately no more planning too far ahead for us after the hassle of having to cancel 3 international trips in 2020.
Then, we are hoping to be spending Christmas 2022 in Oxford if our 2 year old granddaughter in Virginia can finally get vaccinated sometime next year.
Enjoy your December trip to Colorado!!
 

How to Find Information

Search using the search button in the upper right. Search all forums or current forum by keyword or member. Advanced search gives you more options.

Filter forum threads using the filter pulldown above the threads. Filter by prefix, member, date. Or click on a thread title prefix to see all threads with that prefix.

Sponsors

Booking.com Hotels in Europe
AutoEurope.com Car Rentals

Recommended Guides, Apps and Books

52 Things to See and Do in Basilicata by Valerie Fortney
Italian Food & Life Rules by Ann Reavis
Italian Food Decoder App by Dana Facaros, Michael Pauls
French Food Decoder App by Dana Facaros, Michael Pauls
She Left No Note, Lake Iseo Italy Mystery 1 by J L Crellina

Share this page

Back
Top