Amber list travel update: Double-jabbed Brits can fly without quarantining from July 19
DOUBLE-jabbed sunseekers will be able to fly to amber list countries without quarantining on return from July 19, The Sun can reveal.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps will unveil the rules change on Thursday.
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It means hassle-free holidays to Spain, France and Greece will be back on for millions, all of which are on the amber list.
A source told the e: "Border Force do have to make some technical changes and they had asked for a bit longer to get the new systems in place. But they can see the writing on the wall on this and they have accepted it will be the 19th."
But travellers must take a test before they come back to Britain and another gold standard PCR test on the second day of return.
It is understood those who cannot be jabbed will also be exempt from quarantine - children travelling with double-jabbed parents would swerve the ten-day isolation with extra testing.
Ministers had been warned that delaying the boost for vaccinated holidaymakers would be a body blow to the summer travel season.
Holidays expert Paul Charles said: “It would be pointless introducing it in mid-August as the summer travel season will have been lost almost entirely — along with tens of thousands of jobs.”
Many European countries are also only allowing in Brits who have had both jabs.
Both Portugal and Malta are only welcoming fully-vaccinated Brits, along with France while Spain now requires a negative test, or proof of both jabs, from all UK arrivals.
Brits heading to Cyprus will need to have two Covid tests unless they are fully vaccinated from tomorrow.
However, Germany has recently lifted restrictions for Brits who are fully vaccinated, after initially closing their borders to the UK due to the Delta variant.
While just the Balearic Islands, Malta and Madeira are on the green list as holiday hotspots, it is hoped that more destinations could also be added.
Brits who have had both Covid shots will also be able to zoom through fast-track lanes at Heathrow under blueprints to open up travel to amber list countries without the need to quarantine.
Travellers will be able to digitally upload their vaccination certificates ahead of their flights and be directed to separate queues at the London airport after presenting them on arrival.
It will mean passengers who are fully vaccinated with be able to skip lengthy queues - slashing the time it takes to get through border controls and stamping out congestion.
The scheme will be trialled by British Airways, Virgin and Heathrow following a meeting last week with Downing Street officials.
Healthy Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed earlier this week that double-jabbed Brits will be allowed to skip self-isolation from August 16.
He revealed plans to rip up the mandatory 10-day quarantine for close contacts of positive cases.
People who test positive will still have to self-isolate for 10 days even if they're jabbed, he warned, and close contacts will still be urged to get a gold-standard PCR test to "get certainty" that they're not infected.
Mr Javid also confirmed under-18s - who are not eligible for vaccines - will be able to avoid quarantine if they come into contact with a Covid case.
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He also gave further hope for normality, and said school bubbles will end on July 19, giving a major boost to pupils and parents.
Mr Javid told MPs: “On July 19 it is our plan to remove bubbles and to end the requirement for early years settings, schools and colleges to routinely carry out contact tracing”.
Countries on the amber list
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
The Bahamas
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands, Tokelau and Niue
Côte d’Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czech Republic (Czechia)
Denmark
Djibouti
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Estonia
Fiji
Finland
France
French Polynesia
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece (including islands)
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Madagascar
Malaysia
Mali
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Morocco
Myanmar (Burma)
Nauru
Netherlands
New Caledonia
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
The Occupied Palestinian Territories
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Poland
Portugal (including the Azores) Madeira is on the green watchlist.
Réunion
Romania
Russia
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain (including the Canary Islands) The Balearic islands are on the green watchlist.
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Maarten
St Martin and St Barthélemy
St Pierre and Miquelon
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Ukraine
United States (USA)
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen