If you must undergo essential travel abroad, please follow the guidelines below:
If you are abroad and affected by a British Embassy or Consulate closure, please ring the Foreign Office Switchboard at +44 20 7008 1500.
Planning your trip
Travel Insurance
Make sure you have appropriate travel insurance for overseas travel, and purchase it as soon as you book your holiday. Read the Foreign Office guidance on purchasing insurance for more information.
Overseas Restrictions
Many countries and territories have introduced screening measures such as temperature checks and health/travel questions, and entry restrictions at border crossing and transport hubs.
If you have recently been in a country affected by the virus, you may need to be quarantined, or may not be allowed to enter or travel through a third country. Make sure you check the travel advice for all the countries you are planning to visit or travel through.
Air Travel
As governments and local authorities bring in measures to control the spread of coronavirus, some airlines are changing their schedules or suspending flights for some destinations. If you're due to travel to an area affected by coronavirus, make sure you check the latest information with your travel company or airline.
International education trips
The government advises against all overseas education trips for children under 18 until further notice.
When you’re abroad
If travel advice changes when you are abroad
If Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice changes, you are advised to follow the advice of the local authorities. Your safety and security is the responsibility of the local authority where you are.
If you are abroad when the advice changes, contact your airline or travel company, and your insurance provider as soon as you are able to.
You should also keep checking Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice. If they advise people to leave a company they will say so, but only organise assisted departures in exceptional circumstances.
Quarantine while you are abroad
If the local authority where you are proposes to quarantine you for your own protection, you should follow their advice. When you are abroad, your safety and security is their responsibility.
If there are suspected cases of coronavirus where you are, you may need to remain in your hotel room or accommodation for 14 days, move to quarantine facilities, take tests for coronavirus and, if positive in some cases, be hospitalised abroad.
You should also contact your airline or travel company, and your insurance provider as soon as you can. We only organise assisted departure in exceptional circumstances.
Consular help
If you require consular assistance, you can contact them at any time by calling your nearest British embassy, high commission, or consulate.
