Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK scraps quarantine for India and Pakistan travellers

UK scraps quarantine for India and Pakistan travellers

VACCINATED Indians will not be required to quarantine on arrival in the UK from Monday (11) as Britain has scrapped tough Covid-19 quarantine requirements for 47 destinations.

Travellers vaccinated in those countries, including India and Pakistan, will be treated the same as returning fully vaccinated UK residents, so long as they have not visited a red-list country or territory in the 10 days before arriving in England, the Department for Transport said.


Those arriving before the cut off date of October 11 would still need to follow the rules for unvaccinated travellers.

A spokesperson of the British High Commission in India said, “the UK has further opened up international travel and will recognise India’s vaccine certification system from October 11. The decision was taken after close technical cooperation between our ministries taking public health factors into account.”

“The extension of vaccine certification is a further step to enable people to travel more freely again, in a safe and sustainable way, while protecting public health.”

From October 11, Indian travellers who have received both doses of Covishield or any other UK-approved vaccine at least 14 days before arrival in the UK can travel without having to quarantine; will not be required to take a pre-departure test nor take a day-eight test following their arrival.

Those not fully vaccinated with one of the four UK-recognised vaccines (Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, Janssen) or any formulation of these vaccines, including Covishield, must take a pre-departure test, and must take a Covid-19 test on or before day-two and on or after day-eight, and self-isolate for 10 days.

Travellers can also choose to shorten their home quarantine to around five days under the Test to Release service.

Many countries with high infection levels were put on a red list, requiring arrivals to spend 10 days in a government-provided quarantine hotel, while the need for a PCR test and other tests often cost more than the flight itself.

Airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet have said that the approach and the frequently changing restrictions have delayed any recovery in the sector, leaving the British industry lagging behind its European peers.

On Thursday (7), the secretary of state for transport, Grant Shapps, said restoring people's confidence in travel was key to rebuilding the economy. "With less restrictions and more people travelling, we can all continue to move safely forward together along our pathway to recovery."

More For You

wasim bashir

Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings. (Photo credit: West Yorkshire Police)

West Yorkshire Police

Former West Yorkshire Police officer jailed for misconduct

A FORMER West Yorkshire Police officer has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison after being convicted of misconduct in a public office.

Wasim Bashir, 55, who worked as a detective constable in Bradford District, was found guilty of one count of misconduct in a public office for forming a sexual relationship with a female victim of crime. He was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, 29 August.

Keep ReadingShow less
Epping protests

Protesters calling for the closure of The Bell Hotel, which was housing asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping on August 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Over a dozen councils plan legal action despite Home Office court win

Highlights:

  • Court of Appeal has overturned injunction blocking use of Epping hotel for asylum seekers.
  • Judges say human rights obligations outweigh local safety concerns.
  • At least 13 councils preparing legal action despite ruling.
  • Protests outside the Bell Hotel lead to arrests and police injuries.

MORE than a dozen councils are moving ahead with legal challenges against the use of hotels for asylum seekers despite the Home Office winning an appeal in the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
India-Canada-iStock

India and Canada have appointed new envoys in a step to restore diplomatic ties strained since 2023. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Envoys appointed as India, Canada move to restore diplomatic ties

INDIA and Canada on Thursday announced the appointment of new envoys to each other’s capitals, in a step aimed at restoring strained ties following the killing of a Sikh separatist in 2023.

India has named senior diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik as the next high commissioner to Ottawa, while Canada appointed Christopher Cooter as its new envoy to New Delhi.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rajitha Senaratne arrested

Security officers escort Sri Lankan former fisheries minister, Rajitha Senaratne (C), outside a court in Colombo on August 29, 2025. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Getty Images

Rajitha Senaratne detained as Sri Lanka intensifies anti-corruption drive

SRI LANKAN former government minister surrendered himself to a court on Friday (29) after two months on the run, the latest high profile detention in a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown.

Anti-graft units have ramped up their investigations since president Anura Kumara Dissanayake came to power in September on a promise to fight corruption.

Keep ReadingShow less
protests-uk-getty
Protesters from the group Save Our Future & Our Kids Future demonstrate against uncontrolled immigration outside the Cladhan Hotel on August 16, 2025 in Falkirk, Scotland. (Photo: Getty Images)
Getty Images

Government wins appeal over housing asylum seekers in hotel

Highlights:

  • UK appeals court overturns ruling blocking hotel use for asylum seekers
  • Judges call earlier High Court decision “seriously flawed”
  • 138 asylum seekers will not need to be relocated by September 12
  • Full hearing scheduled at the Court of Appeal in October

A UK appeals court has overturned a lower court order that had temporarily blocked the use of a hotel in Epping, northeast of London, to house asylum seekers.

Keep ReadingShow less