Covid-19: US reopens border to UK travellers after almost two years

UK visitors will be able to travel to the US for the first time in nearly two years when the border reopens at 05:01 GMT.

The first flights take off from Heathrow at 08:30 - but all UK visitors over 18 will have to provide proof of vaccination to enter the US.

American travellers have been able to travel to the UK since 28 July.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has called this a "significant moment" for UK-US travel.

Transatlantic flights, he added, are "at the heart of UK aviation".

In addition to the UK, the travel ban is being lifted for people from Brazil, China, India, Ireland, South Africa, Iran and the Schengen countries - a group of 26 European nations.

Until now, only US citizens, residents and a small selection of other exempt groups have been allowed entry to the US from the UK.

The new rules will apply to all individuals that have received vaccines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and vaccines Listed for Emergency Use (EUL) by the World Health Organization.

The White House's assistant press secretary, Kevin Munoz, confirmed on 15 October that double vaccinated foreign nationals would be able to visit the US from 8 November.

The UK has been on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s highest risk category for Covid, level 4 or "very high" since 19 July.

The CDC said that vaccines approved by the US FDA and WHO's EUL vaccines will be accepted. Therefore, travellers that have received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two doses of the following vaccines will be allowed to enter the US:

Travellers must provide proof of vaccination via their vaccine passport. Certificates including the NHS Covid Pass will be accepted.

Children are exempt from the vaccination requirement, but all those aged between two and 17 will have to take a Covid-19 test three to five days after arrival.

Fully jabbed American visitors travelling to the UK need to take a test on or before the second day of their arrival.

After a difficult 21 months, airlines have increased UK-US flight schedules to meet the higher demand.

To celebrate the end of the travel ban, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will have a synchronised departure from Heathrow Airport.

Before travelling, fully jabbed passengers entering the UK no longer have to take a Covid test before travelling.

This applies to all individuals that have been vaccinated in the UK, the EU, the US and several other countries - Brazil, India, Pakistan and South Africa are some of the countries included in the list.

However, passengers have to prove they have been vaccinated before travelling. In addition to this, they have to take a lateral flow test two days after arrival in the UK.