HOLIDAYMAKERS have been reminded to complete an online track and trace form before they return to the UK or face a £100 fine or delays coming back into the country.
There's been confusion over when the Public Health Passenger Locator Form need to be completed – particularly given fast-changing quarantine rules.
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They initially came into force on June 8 when the UK introduced a 14-day quarantine for all arrivals after lockdown.
Currently, you only have to self-isolate for 14 days if you're returning to the UK from certain countries including Croatia, France, and Spain.
But the forms still need to be completed regardless of where you're returning from as the information provided is used to contact you under the government's Track and Trace scheme if you or someone you’ve travelled with develops coronavirus symptoms.
Here's what you need to know.
Full list of countries on the UK’s quarantine list
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire/St Eustatius/Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
France
French Guiana
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
The Occupied Palestinian Territories
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Island
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
São Tomé and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Spain
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Syria
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
USA
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Who needs to complete a form?
Pretty much everyone coming into the UK from overseas, whether you're a permanent resident or a visitor, needs to complete the online form before they arrive.
This applies regardless of the means of transport – so ferries, airlines, and the Eurostar/Eurotunnel- and it also includes those returning to the UK from countries where you don't need to quarantine.
You must complete this form even if you’ve already completed a different form to enter another country.
Each individual needs to complete their own form even if they're travelling under the same booking.
The only exception is under-18s who don't need to complete their own form if they're on the same booking and live at the same UK address as you. In this scenario, simply add their details onto your form.
Who is exempt from completing the form?
If you're arriving from the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or Ireland you don't need to complete the form if you've been in these territories for more than 14 days.
You will, however, have to complete the form if you've been in these regions for less than 14 days.
Those travelling for certain professions are also excluded, for example, diplomats – see Gov.uk for more information.
How can I complete the form?
You can find the form online on Gov.uk.
To complete it you'll be asked to provide the following information:
- your passport information
- your travel details, including times and dates
- the address where you will stay in the UK
Note that it must be completed online; you can't print it and fill it in by hand.
You also cannot submit the form until 48 hours before you’re due to arrive in the UK, which means potentially having to find free Wifi to avoid being hit with data roaming charges.
When you arrive at the UK border gate you will be expected to either have a printed copy of the document attached to your confirmation email or the document attached to a confirmation email on your phone.
Border Force officers will use the QR code at the top of the document to check you have completed the form successfully.
What happens if I forget to complete the form?
Forget to complete the form and it may hold up your return to the UK. You may even be refused entry if you're not either British or a UK resident.
Those who forget to complete the form on more than one occasion could be fined £100-plus, while those who refuse to complete the form altogether could be landed with a fine of up to £100.
You may also be fined up to £1,000 if you refuse to self-isolate where applicable.
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