Last updated January 5, 2023 at 11:00 GMT.
The CDC’s Order requiring proof of vaccination for non-U.S. citizen nonimmigrants to travel to the United States is still in effect. For more information see Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers.
Check the CDC website for additional information and Frequently Asked Questions.
Entry and Exit Requirements
- Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes, please see the UK government website for more information.
- Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry? No, please see the UK government website for more information.
Regardless of citizenship, from January 5, 2023, different rules apply to individuals traveling from mainland China to the UK. Please see the UK government website for more information. All other travelers to the UK no longer need to take any COVID-19 tests or fill in a passenger locator form when travelling to the UK from abroad. These changes apply whether you are fully vaccinated or not.
- you do not need to take any COVID-19 tests before you travel or after you arrive
- you do not need to fill in a UK passenger locator form
- you do not need to quarantine when you arrive
It includes people who are transiting through England. You should follow any rules that your travel provider tells you to follow.
Please see UK Visa and Immigration’s website for information on visa extensions for residents and tourists.
Quarantine Information
- Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine? No
As the rules are regularly being updated, please see the UK government’s website for the latest information. Please select the country you are traveling to (England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland) for guidance specific to that country.
For Transiting Travelers
Passing through England as part of an international journey is called ‘transiting’.
For information on requirements please see the UK government website.
Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
Please see travel requirements for your region:
COVID-19 Testing
- Are PCR and/or antigen tests available for U.S. citizens in the United Kingdom? Yes
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Are test results reliably available within one calendar day? Yes. Test results are available within 24 hours for additional fees.
Please see the requirements for your region:
If you require a test for international travel, you will need to obtain a test from a private clinic and not from the links above on the NHS. Testing may cost anywhere from £20 – £500 depending on where you are tested and the type of test you take. COVID-19 tests differ in the amount of time they take to get results (from 45 minutes to 48 hours). Please see our COVID-19 testing providers page for a list of potential test providers. Ensure the testing center knows your test is for travel overseas (i.e. to the United States).
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
- Has the government of the United Kingdom approved a COVID-19 vaccine for use? Yes
- Are vaccines available in the United Kingdom for U.S. citizens to receive? Any person in the United Kingdom, regardless of status, can receive the vaccine if they are part of an eligible group.
- Which vaccines are available in the United Kingdom? Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna
The United States Government does not plan to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to private U.S. citizens overseas. Please follow the United Kingdom’s developments and guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination.
Please click here for more information, including links to vaccination procedures in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Individuals who do not have an NHS number or are not registered with a GP are still entitled to free COVID-19 vaccinations. The Department for Health and Social Care published guidance confirming that all people aged 50 and over will be eligible for an autumn COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine. Details of how boosters will be delivered will be set out on the above website nearer to the program start date.
Click here for information from the CDC regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Visit the FDA’s website to learn more about FDA-approved vaccines in the United States.
If you have been vaccinated in the United States, but use the NHS in the United Kingdom, see the NHS’s website for how to update your vaccination records.
Local Resources
For the latest information with regards to COVID-19, please visit the UK government’s webpage on Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice.
To find out more on what you can and can’t do in the UK, please visit the UK government’s webpage on Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do.
View U.S. Embassy London’s Most Recent Alerts.
U.S. Centers For Disease Control Resources
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Other Links
- Department of State InfoCentral Coronavirus page
- Department of State COVID-19 Traveler Information page
- How To Self-Isolate (via GOV.UK)
- State.gov – UK Country Information and Travel Advisory page for the UK
- U.S. Embassy London (this website)
Movement Restrictions
- Is a curfew in place? No
- Are there restrictions on intercity or interstate travel? No
Travelling within the UK
For details, and for information on national and local restrictions, check:
- how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in England
- safer travel guidance for Northern Ireland
- safer travel guidance for Scotland
- safer travel guidance for Wales
Consular Operations
U.S. Citizen Services
The U.S. Embassy in London has resumed some passport and citizenship services. Please see our website for more information.
Visa Services
While routine services have resumed, visa appointments remain limited. Due to the impact of COVID-19, visa services and travel restrictions may change rapidly so please check this website regularly. Please see our U.S. Visa and Travel FAQs for the most up to date information.
COVID-19 Waivers for travel to U.S.
COVID-19 Vaccination Waivers
If you are a non-U.S. citizen who is a nonimmigrant (not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa), you will need to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you travel by air to the United States from a foreign country. Some categories of noncitizen, nonimmigrants are excepted from this requirement. If you meet the criteria for one of these categories, you will need to fulfill additional requirements to travel by air to the United States. For information on exceptions please see the CDC’s website and scroll down to the heading “Exceptions.”
The CDC may grant a humanitarian or emergency exception in limited circumstances only when an individual must travel to the United States to preserve health and safety (e.g., emergency medical evacuations) and is unable to become fully vaccinated before travel. Individuals who fit the exception criteria described in the Presidential Proclamationexternal icon and CDC’s Order may contact the U.S. embassy or consulate in or nearest the country from which they are departing for the United States. The embassy will then transmit this information to the CDC for consideration.external icon
To facilitate the review of a humanitarian or emergency exception request, the following information should be provided by email to Embassy London for each passenger traveling from the UK for transmission to the CDC:
- Name (family name/surname, given name)
- Passport #
- Nationality
- Cell phone number (including country code) of passenger or head of household if family unit
- Email address of passenger or head of household if family unit
- US destination address
- Is US destination home address?
- Flight itinerary, including any connecting flights
- Airline
- Flight #
- Departure airport and date of departure
- Arrival airport and date of arrival
- Vaccination Status
- Fully Vaccinated
- Name of vaccine product (or products if a combination)
- Date of first dose
- Date of second dose (if a two-dose series)
- PDF or photograph of vaccination record
- NOT Fully Vaccinated
- Fully Vaccinated
- Purpose of travel to the US and a brief explanation of why urgent travel is needed
- Justification for humanitarian or emergency exception to providing proof of being fully vaccinated (e.g., vaccine availability, passenger ineligible for vaccine at location, insufficient time to become fully vaccinated)
- Documentation to support justification (e.g., medical records, orders for emergency evacuation)
- Information regarding any other solutions that were sought prior to application (e.g., flight changes, testing en route, assistance in obtaining testing/vaccination, etc.)
Security Updates
The Department of State encourages all U.S. citizens to enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security and health updates. Visit travel.state.gov to view individual Travel Advisories for the most urgent threats to safety and security.
Embassy Assistance for U.S. Citizens in Distress
U.S. Embassy London, United Kingdom
33 Nine Elms Lane London, UK SW11 7US
+44 (0) 207-499-9000
from U.S.: 011 44 (0)20 7499-9000
SCSLondon@state.gov or our website at uk.usembassy.gov.
U.S. Consulate General Edinburgh
+44 (0) 131 556-8315
Edinburgh-info@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General Belfast
+44 (0) 28 9038-6100
acsbelfast@state.gov
State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
United Kingdom Country Information page.
