dominoman

Has anyone been back to the UK since the UAE moved from Red to Amber? What was the experience like? Any problems?

I'm thinking of going back for a long weekend for an important family event.

spouse of scouse

Hi. You've probably already seen the quarantine rules for Amber countries, but just in case you can find them here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-ambe...tering-england

Unfortunately you'll need to quarantine in the place you're staying for 10 days, but you can have a Test to Release covid test on day 5 and if that's negative your quarantine ends then. Have a good trip!

Edit to say - Test to Release applies to England, not sure about the other countries.

csdf

My wife and kids went back mid-August. Only problems were around poor communication from the PCR testing people about how to provide the samples and return them.

UKMS

Depending on where you stay my experience has been that it’s better to do in person testing at a reputable clinic rather than post or courier tests …… costs a bit more but more reliable and organised. We did this for our day 2 tests and used the same when we were back at Xmas

Cypselos

It depends if you were vaccinated here or in the UK/EU/USA. If the former then it's 10 days home quarantine (with Day 5 test to release), regardless of which jab you have had. If the latter then you just need to do the day 2 test.

The post/courier ones were ok, though some of the instructions could have been clearer. Bear in mind that they take 36-48 hours minimum to turn around, so Day5 test to release is Day7 really. So it's not going to work for a long weekend trip - you need to go the week before.

I had a call from the NHS to explain the rules on my second day back, with the threat of a spot check, but nothing else.

Millhouse

Yes, it rained.

And the real question you want the answer to: He came at around 10am on the 3rd day.

I left on day 7, and I needed a PCR (in addition to the day 2 and unused day 8) to come back. I didn't do a day 5 test, but from what I can see that would not get you home.

Millhouse

wasn't it just a pre-paid return envelope?

csdf

They provided the wrong test kits (they sent two day 8 tests, instead of a day 2 and a day 8 test, and they're apparently not interchangeable). Once this had been figured out (there was no explanation of why the "wrong" test couldn't be registered online, so it was a painful job figuring out what was wrong) they sent a replacement kit. Which turned out to be a day 8 kit again. On top of that some of the instructions hinted that the day 2 kit had to be opened "live" on a Zoom call to make sure that they were done on the right day. But these instructions were actually remnants incorrectly pasted in from the day 5 test instructions.

tdrinker

If doing the day 5 test to release, best to do it in person in a clinic - do it in the morning and get the result by evening or overnight.

scrubbedexpat141

My friend had the same. Ended up getting out of isolation early - bloke rang and asked if he was isolating, then asked if he had two jabs, then when confirmed, said he could leave.
Mate obviously knew it was incorrect as jabs administered in the UAE but still did it.