Having a hard time understanding regulations under the lockdown in England. Wondering if there is any advice as needing to travel from the US to Manchester, UK and then directly to Wales. Aware we would need to quarantine for 14 days upon the arrival and follow any guidelines in Wales. Wondering if possible to cross the border of England/Wales at this time and the best method to do so?
Thank you.
When is this travel happening?
With the quickly and ever changing situation, the rules today may be different in a week.
This article illustrates the uncertainty of the situation---https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/24/cross-border-toilet-trips-at-chester-cinema-fall-foul-of-welsh-covid-rules
Americans are allowed to fly into one European Country (meaning you can't hop scotch) and if permitted by that particular country and only if your Passport is good for at least 6 more months. Check with your airline to see if they have or know of a sequestered system for delivery of passengers to Wales. Check to see if private transportation would be permitted. You may have to register valid reasons ahead of time. Do you have dual citizenship? If you own property in Wales; that may work. Good Luck.
Thank you to all who have responded. Greatly appreciated!
Travel is at the end of the month. Heading over the see my partner's family member who is not well. My partner is from the UK. I am not and do not hold dual citizenship.
Pay close attention to what Emma wrote. It's a complicated situation. This website might answer some of your questions.
Not required, but a negative COVID test may be helpful to take with you. There are very strict rules in place in England and Wales during this 2nd lockdown. The border crossing may be a challenge and you could get more scrutiny than your partner. There are strict rules on families mixing and seeing family members in facilities/hospitals.
If you go, I would highly recommend you take out Travel insurance and read the fine print on COVID. If you get sick then accessing a GP will be complicated. You do not state your age or health -which are all factors in weighing up the risks of a visit. There are flights arriving into the UK daily from the US so evidently, there are people traveling. I am a US/UK passport holder and want to visit my family, but I know I must patiently wait until things improve over here and there.
Margaret
Americans are allowed to fly into one European Country but only if your Passport is good for at least 6 more month
This is not currently true for France (and a whole lot of other places).
Americans are not allowed, under current (since mid-March) Covid restrictions, to enter into France for leisure travel.
Not required, but a negative COVID test may be helpful to take with you.
A negative COVID test will be of no use as decisions affecting immigration or movements once in the UK are not made on the basis of a negative test result. My wife has a negative test result but she still has to abide by all the lockdown rules along with everybody else. It will not allow you entry into Wales based on the reasons provided.
Sorry to sound harsh, but whilst your partner may or may not have a valid reason for travel, bluntly, you don’t. The lockdown in Wales has been more stringent than in England and you travelling in Wales wouldn’t meet their criteria. The situation can change and at short notice.
You would have to quarantine for 14 days, which means not even leaving the garden of wherever you are staying. You can’t stay with relatives unless they too self isolate for 14 days. You will need to get food delivered.
You need to avoid public transport if possible, so hiring a car would be the safest option. There is no physical border with England.
You are not permitted to visit hospitals or care homes, so you may want to question the wisdom of your trip at this particular time. The last thing you want is to put an ill person at risk.
It’s not for nothing that North Wales Traffic Police used to be known ( not particularly affectionately) as the “Traffic Taliban”!
They are also very very generous in dispensing traffic fines. Ask me how I know ;-)
Why don't you call the closest British consulate to you and ask them. They would have the official answer.
No need to, the correct answer has been provided on several posts by residents of the UK who know the rules.
Thank you all for your thoughts and feedback, they are most helpful. Would not want to impact the health of a loved one, so would quarantine without extended family. Perhaps not possible for me to take this journey into Wales following quarantine. Maybe best to wait until the lockdown is over in England and see what rules/regulations ... sorry for so many thoughts and I appreciate any and all feedback provided. With thanks and deep appreciation.
I am sure that this is very difficult for you.
If you, as you say, are coming to England this month, be aware that all of England is under a lockdown until into December and possible (probable) extension. Restaurants and bars and most shops and most attractions are closed. Tourism isn't allowed. Unnecessary travel is not permitted. That's for everybody, after the quarantine.
I'm just seeing on our local news that if lockdown is lifted we will likely return to the tiered system. Before the lockdown, the area in and around Manchester and the northwest and northeast and northern Midlands was in the highest tier and will almost certainly return to that or even more restricted.
I am sure that supporting your partner's family is very important, but at the moment England is no place to come to.
We don't know what Wales will do in the weeks after the fire-break...
Sorry
