Locator Form UK travel
 

Dear Members,

I am flying back to the UK from Bahrain with my son next week. As part of the UK travel requirements, I am required to provide a UK number in the Locator Form before our travel which can be used by the UK Track and Trace team if required for quarantine rules. Unfortunately, I will not have any local number until I reach the UK and buy a sim.
I don't think Bahrain number (on roaming) will be accepted in the form.

Any suggestion or experience who have been through this situation.

Appreciate your response.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

Your Bahrain number will be fine, most people just use their foreign mobile when visiting. As long as they can contact you in the UK on it, that will be all they need.

HTH.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

Thank You for your response. Other option could be that I ask my friend to buy a local 'Pay as you Go' sim and share the number for use in the Locator Form, The same number I use during my period of stay in the UK. In believe this is also an acceptable option.

Any comment.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

It must be your phone though, with you, not with your friend. Do you need a UK sim? If your Bahrain number will work fine then just keep that if you're visiting, no need to buy a UK sim card.

Are you actually having to quarantine or are you exempt?

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

I will be using the Sim. It is just that my friend will purchase it and leave it at my home. When I reach my home then I will insert the sim into my mobile.

I will need the UK number because my visit is part of the relocation plan.

Yes, Bahrain is in the Amber List which means home quarantine for 10 days is mandatory, plus day 2 and 8 Covid Test.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

I think that will work well. We did something similar in 2016, my wife's niece works for Virgin and she got us a discounted family member plan. It was very easy to replace the sim in the iPhone on arrival.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

Ah, I see, I thought by 'share the number' you meant sharing a phone with your friend! Sounds like a plan then.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

Will work fine.

If you did put the Bahrain number on the form I believe the form can be updated once in the UK. I would keep it simple and record the UK number.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

If you are going straight home after landing, the odds of them trying to contact you before you get the sim in are very low indeed. They would contact you if someone else on your flight turned up a positive covid test - but they won't know that until those day 2 tests have been done.

And yes, you can go back in an edit the form if needed.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

Thank you all for your responses and suggestions. One more travel related question about Day 2 and Day 8 COVID test. There is a long list of test providers in the UK Gov website. Any particular suggestion to go with which is cost effective and have good response time.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

I only had to do a day 2, luckily, due to the deal with the US for the fully vaccinated. I used Boots, ordered on their site, and you get a reference number to put into the passenger locator form. The test was waiting for me when I got here. You self-administer, pack it up in the pre-paid box, and drop it into a priority mail post box. 75 quid all in. Got the results within 48 hours of dropping it the box. Looks like their days 2 & 8 package is 145 quid. There are cheaper options out there. If you are just staying in the UK speed of result isn't that important. It's only important that they give you a reliable way to get it back to them and don't mess up the sample in their lab.

https://www.boots.com/day-2-day-8-covid-19-testing

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

Scroll to the end(ish) of this thread for a recommendation.

https://britishexpats.com/forum/cana...d-i-go-939660/

If you are staying in the UK, the only test you really need a quick result from is day 5 if you are doing test & release. For day 2 / 8 I'd recommend one of the cheap suppliers because it doesn't matter too much if it takes an extra day to get the result.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

We’re flying Thursday and have booked the Day 2 and 8 package with Boots, like others have said, speed of return isn’t critical. Also booked Day 5 test in store with them, as they have a store 4 miles from where we’re quarantining - seems more important to do that in as quick a way as possible. Had to pay upfront for the first package, but in store for the Day 5 ones.
They might not have been the cheapest but I feel they have a good reputation and a brand I recognize.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

Huge help for all your inputs. Twitcher1958 I didn't understand the Day 5 (Test for Release) in store test. During Quarantine period, can you go outside to the store to carry out the Day 5 test. Do you get the results instantly. If Day5 comes negative, does it mean that Day8 is not required and you can end the quarantine period after Day5 results come negative. I believe, Day 8 is still required to be carried out.

We are flying on next Friday but have not yet booked the tests. Is it late now?

Finally, my 10 year old son will be traveling with me. I believe I need to book Day2 test only for him and he doesn't need to complete the quarantine period.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Re: Locator Form UK travel
 

Day 5 test will release you. But you still have to do the day 8 test.

It feels as if day 2 & day 8 tests are unnecessary, and more about money-making and discouraging people from travelling as about health.

Day 5 test can be done in person, i.e. you are allowed to travel to take the test. The result isn't instant as it needs to be sent to a laboratory for analysis, so pick a provider which will give same day or next day results. Might be a better chance of this by doing test in the morning. I did a test in store at Boots and got the result early next morning.

Not too late to book tests.

The rules for 5-17 year old children are different depending on where they are resident. Assuming you are living in Bahrain rather than just visiting from the UK, they will need to follow the same rules as you.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-q...d-young-people