INDIA has been moved from red list to amber list under easing of travel restrictions in times of Covid pandemic, as per the UK government announcement made on early hours of Thursday (5). The move will be effective from Sunday (8).
The move implies that fully-vaccinated Britons and children upto the age of 18 need not quarantine or take the day-8 test after arriving in England from India, provided one have had the final dose of the vaccine at least 14 whole days before the date of arrival in England.
India is joined by Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE that are also being moved to amber list from red list zone.
"The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4 am," UK tansport secretary Grant Shapps tweeted on Thursday (5).
"While it's right we continue our cautious approach, it's great news to open more destinations for people wanting to connect with families, friends and businesses across the globe, all thanks to our successful domestic vaccination programme," he said.
As per the changes in the rules in the UK’s overseas travel plan announced on July 8 by Shapps, double-jabbed Britons travelling from amber list countries are not needed to quarantine themselves.
Only vaccines given by the NHS will count for the new rule, reports said, adding that the rules remain same if a person has been vaccinated in USA or in many EU countries.
The recent move of India to amber list also implies that fully vaccinated passengers from India will no longer be subjected to compulsory 10-day hotel quarantine, which they were subjected to when the country was in UK’s red list zone.
Indians and people of other nationalities arriving from amber list countries will now have to quarantine for 10 days at the place of their stay in the country instead of mandatory hotel-quarantine stay.
The decision has come as a relief for the Indian diaspora in the UK, who had been demanding the easing of travel norms between India and Britain.
Security personnel inspect the site in the aftermath of an attack as food stall chairs lie empty in Pahalgam, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt on April 23, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists killing 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Getty Images
Tourists visit Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, about 112 km south of Srinagar on June 26, 2025.Getty Images
Pilgrims gather at the Baltal Base Camp near Domel, en route to the sacred Amarnath cave in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on July 29, 2025. The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, proceeds under heightened security following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony handler. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers across the pilgrimage route, with checkpoints, surveillance, and restrictions in place to safeguard the thousands of devotees undertaking the arduous journey. The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimages, drawing worshippers from across India to the high-altitude Himalayan shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Despite the threat of violence and challenging terrain, pilgrims continue their spiritual trek, determined to complete the sacred journey under the shadow of grief and resilience.Getty Images
