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Questions re: New Covid Rules in the UK

Posted by on

Hello,

I have two questions, and I appreciate your input. I'm will be flying from JFK to Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic. I will be transiting through Heathrow on the same day as my arrival. I will be departing Heathrow for Paris on a separate ticket on Air France.

Question 1: I understand because I'm fully vaccinated I will not be required to take a Covid test prior to my departure from the States. Is it correct that I also will not be required to take the day two test upon arrival at Heathrow because I will merely be in transit?

Question 2: A week later, I will be flying from Paris to Heathrow in the evening. I will only be staying in London for two nights at an airport hotel. I'm wondering if I can take a Covid test in Paris on my last day there and if this will satisfy both the English testing requirement for my two-day stay and the U.S. requirement for my departure flight to the States.

Posted by
8374 posts

I am assuming that you are doing carry on bag only? If you check luggage I am not sure that your plan to stay in transit at LHR will work. Perhaps someone with more experience on this will chime in.

Here is a quote from State Department website on US entry testing.
If you are arriving on a direct flight to the United States, your test must be done within the 3 calendar days before your flight to the United States departs. If you are arriving to the United States via one or more connecting flights, your test must be done in the 3 days before the first flight in your itinerary, but only if the connecting flights were booked as a single passenger booking with a final destination in the United States and any layovers no longer than 24 hours. If your connecting flight to the US was booked separately or a layover in your itinerary lasts longer than 24 hours or your travel is disrupted and you leave the airport, you will need to get tested within the 3 days before your flight that arrives in the US. 

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you both for your information. I learned that I will need to book a day two arrival test although I'm just transiting to Paris through Heathrow because I will be checked at passport control in order to pick up my luggage and take my next flight. Someone who recently landed at Heathrow and flew out the same day booked a fully refundable test, and thereafter cancelled the booking once he went through passport control and got his next flight.

Regarding my return to London for two days, I've booked a lateral flow test on my first day in London. This test should also be ok to use for my return to the U.S. the following day.

Posted by
8374 posts

I'm glad you were able to get the answers you needed. Be sure to keep track if there are any sudden changes in protocols.

Have a great trip!

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