International Travel from the UK from the 17th May 2021.

Find out everything you need to know below

International leisure travel from England will be permitted to resume on May 17 with destinations graded using a traffic-light system of red, amber and green. On Friday 7th May the government published the first “green list” of those deemed safe enough for people to visit and return to the UK without having to quarantine or self-isolate. The rules differ in the devolved nations with updates from them due to follow.

What countries are on the green list?

Twelve countries and territories feature on the UK’s green list. These are: Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Tristan da Cunha, St Helena, Ascension, the Falkland Islands, Portugal, Singapore, Israel and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

How will the system work?

While passengers returning from green-listed territories will not be required to quarantine, they will need to take a PCR test on or before day two of their arrival in the UK. Those from amber destinations must self-isolate for ten days, and take PCR tests on days two and eight; they can end self-isolation early under the “Test to Release” scheme, which requires an additional PCR test on day five. 

Mallorca is on the Amber List am I allowed to travel from the UK?

Although the FCO advice against all but essential travel you are still permitted to travel. On your return you must self-isolate for 10 days, and take PCR tests on days two and eight; they can end self-isolation early under the “Test to Release” scheme, which requires an additional PCR test on day five.

How often will it be reviewed?

Ministers will review the lists every three weeks, and there will be three more formal assessments in which the thresholds for green, amber and red will be scrutinised; these will take place on June 28, as well as no later than July 31 and October 1.

What are the Spanish restrictions for UK residents?

Entry restrictions and requirements continue to apply for travel to Spain and only those who are legally resident or who are travelling for essential reasons will be allowed to enter. Entry for tourism purposes is not currently permitted. This is due to end 31st May 2021.

Do you need a test on return to the UK?
Yes. Arrivals must present a negative test taken no more than three days before entering the UK. This can be a PCR, loop-mediated amplification (lamp) or lateral-flow test, although it’s your responsibility to ensure that it meets the minimum standards for sensitivity, specificity and viral-load details. Details can be found at gov.uk.

The good news is the price of the lateral flow test in Mallorca are now only 30 Euros and your Concierge can arrange for the tests to be done directly at the villa for you and your family.

When will Mallorca go Green?

By June 28 it is hoped that all of Europe will be on the green list. By mid-July, new variants permitting, much of the western world will be open for quarantine-free travel. Remember it’s a two-way street, though.

 

Is there anything else I need to check before I travel?

Your passport! In 2020 three million fewer people renewed their passports than in a usual year, and millions more of the documents are said to have now expired. The result is a backlog with ten million people needing to renew their travel document.

The Passport Office has warned that this could mean a processing time of up to ten weeks, instead of the standard three. It has said it will be sending text messages to people whose passports are nearing expiration to let them know to allow more time when they renew. Expiration of travel documents is not a valid reason to secure a refund of holiday costs.

Can I get insurance to cover me for Covid-19?

Yes, but beware of traps and exclusions. While many providers now offer some form of Covid-19 cancellation cover, very few will cover you if you test positive before departure and have to self-isolate. Look for a comprehensive policy with coronavirus medical cover and coronavirus cancellation cover, along with scheduled airline failure cover. Make sure to take out the policy at the time of booking, not departure. Which.co.uk has a comprehensive guide to Covid-19 travel insurance policies.

How does Brexit affect the rules?

The most significant change is that your passport must now have at least six months’ validity for you to enter Europe. You should also check the expiry date of your European Health Insurance Card. If it is no longer valid you should apply for the new Global Health Insurance Card (Ghic), which will allow access to free or subsidised healthcare in the EU. The card is not valid in Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You can apply for the Ghic on the NHS website. It is free — watch out for bogus websites charging people for the service.

What are the restrictions in Mallorca at the moment?

Currently the Government have just opened up from today the restaurants all day up to 10,30pm with a curfew imposed from 11pm to 6am. Masks are to be worn in public places, although when sat at table in restaurants they are removed. On the beaches and doing sports masks are not worn. We have read on social media that police are giving spot fines for non compliance but certainly our own experience the local police in Pollenca seem to very relaxed. 

Are Morgan Morgan offering flexible terms with bookings?

We will continue to apply our Book with Confidence flexible terms for the foreseeable future, until we are confident that travel restrictions will be a thing of the past – this means that our flexible terms apply to 2022 bookings.

For new bookings we require 10% deposit payment to secure the dates. 

We will check in with you 8 weeks before your departure (ie when your balance payment is due) if travel is likely to be impossible, due to Covid, for the dates you have booked. At this point you can choose to refund your deposit or transfer your booking to a later date in 2021 or 2022. 

Once full balance is paid, we will check in with you again 7 days before your check-in date if there is still a travel ban* in place. At this stage we will offer you the choice of either moving your booking to a future date for the full value of your booking, which you can put towards a future booking.

*Official travel restrictions preventing travel (Travel ban) are;

1. The introduction of travel restrictions by regional or national governments, either in the country of origin of the lead booker or in the region/country where your villa is located. This includes official advice against non-essential travel and the imposition of quarantine measures in the country where your villa is located;
2. If official travel restrictions preventing travel or quarantine measures will be introduced to/in the region/country where your villa is located;
3. If your flights/transport are cancelled for COVID-19 related reasons and there is no alternative to reach your destination. 

Coronavirus FAQs

We know you may still have questions and so to help provide some reassurance we have compiled the following list of frequently asked questions. As this is an evolving situation, please keep in mind that answers may change and we will update them as soon as it possible and/or necessary.  For further reference you will find a list of useful links at the bottom of the page.

How are you dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic as a company?:

  1. Everyone is affected by this unprecedented situation, and as an agent, we have felt the effects of Covid-19 on our business. This is an unprecedented and exceptional circumstance and we are all as a team with our partners, suppliers, villa owners and guests working to provide the best options for all parties.  
  2. We are following the official policies of governments and international agencies (such as the WHO) and use these facts to help us make the best decisions that support our guests, employees, suppliers and villa owners..
  3. In line with the recommendations here in Mallorca, all of our team is working from home. We are still very much open for business and you can contact us as usual through email and phone.
  4. Applying flexibility due to the circumstances and facts changing regularly and at times on an almost daily basis. We continue to monitor the situation closely and ensure that we are up to date with official information and industry standards. We also thank our guests for flexibility and patience whilst we ensure that we are able to provide the best solutions based on the fact.

What if I just want to cancel my booking, rather than reschedule it?

 In this situation, we would recommend you first contact your travel insurance provider. Cover will depend on your policy. Please check your policy documents and contact your insurance provider directly should you have any doubts. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds for Coronavirus-related cancellations, and our normal cancellation charges (shown below) will apply. 

 

Period before departure within which written notification of cancellation is acknowledged by us Cancellation charge (% of total invoice)
More than 60 days 25%
60-0 days 100%

I’m still planning on travelling later in the year. Do you have any practical advice?

We advise that you check and follow your government’s official travel guidelines including any specific precautions. For our guests who are looking forward to travelling later in the year we offer flexible booking conditions with balance payments due 30 days prior to arrival rather than 60 days and the offer of a voucher to put towards an alternative booking should the advice be not to travel on their arrival date. Our properties are available for rent all year round and Mallorca offers beautiful all year round, including winter.

Our flights have been cancelled. What should I do?

If your airline cancels your flight, you might be entitled to a full refund. Just as one airline cancels a flight it does not mean travel is restricted and so we suggest you check for alternative flights with other airlines.

What are you doing to prepare your  villas for Coronavirus prevention?

We are following all the recommendations and best practice guidelines issued by governments, health authorities and international agencies, and we are taking all possible precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of our guests.

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