England will permit fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. and EU to enter without quarantine starting next week

As of 4 a.m. on Aug. 2, fully vaccinated visitors from the United States and European Union can enter England without needing to quarantine.

This decision is anticipated to enhance England's tourism sector, allowing travelers who have completed their vaccination in the U.S. or any EU nation to enter without a 10-day quarantine.

Since July 19, the U.K. has enabled fully vaccinated individuals from the U.K. to avoid a 10-day quarantine upon returning from amber-listed countries, excluding France. This option was limited to U.K. residents only.

Wednesday's announcement extends the quarantine exemption to all travelers fully vaccinated in the U.S. or EU. Once implemented, it will apply solely to arrivals in England, with other nations likely to adopt similar measures soon.

Americans must present their vaccination cards, while EU visitors will need to have the "green pass."

This long-anticipated change had been in discussions for weeks. On Tuesday afternoon, it was reported that the decision was imminent, and on Wednesday, the U.K. government confirmed that it would take effect on Aug. 2.

By allowing fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. and EU to enter England without quarantining, the government has addressed many requests from the travel industry, which has been advocating for the reopening to international tourists.

Travelers arriving from the U.S. and EU must have received their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before arriving in the U.K. They also need to take a pre-departure COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their flight, which may come from a lateral flow device. Additionally, they must complete a Passenger Locator Form and pre-book a PCR test to be taken on or before day two of their arrival.

The day two test must be obtained from a government-approved provider before traveling to England, costing around £40. If the test result is positive, travelers are required to quarantine in a secure location for 10 days starting the day after the test was taken.

It remains uncertain whether England will allow unvaccinated children under the new travel guidelines. However, the policy states that children aged 4 and younger are exempt from taking the day two and day eight tests.

Since international travel resumed from the U.K. in May 2021, each devolved nation has implemented a traffic light system to classify countries by their COVID-19 risk levels: red for high risk, amber for medium risk, and green for low risk.

Before the relaxation of quarantine rules for fully vaccinated British travelers on July 19, all amber arrivals were required to undergo a pre-departure COVID-19 test and tests on days two and eight of their 10-day quarantine period.

Travelers arriving in England have been allowed to end their full 10-day quarantine after five days in isolation by using the Test to Release scheme.

It is important to note that travelers from any country on the U.K.'s red list must still complete a 10-day quarantine in a government-approved hotel, which costs £1,750 ($2,427). Currently, there are 60 countries on the red list, none of which are in the U.S. or EU.

It's important to highlight that the U.K.'s announcement on Wednesday is not currently matched by any action from the U.S. As of March 2020, the U.S. has restricted entry for non-citizens who have been in the Schengen Area, U.K., China, Brazil, and other regions within the last 14 days.

Although there have been suggestions that the U.S. might soon lift this ban, it remains in place for now.