Where can you currently travel to during the Coronavirus pandemic?

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) continues to review the guidelines for travel. With the situation seemingly improving daily the hope is that restrictions on UK travellers will be temporary, meaning some 2020 summer holidays may still go ahead to certain destinations.

Here we look at what destinations you may be able to travel to according to the FCO for UK Nationals:

EUROPE

FRANCE

§  Only permanent residents, French Nationals and a small number of essential travellers. In order to enter France, you will need to complete an international travel certificate, which certifies that your journey is essential and confirms that you have not been suffering from a set of listed symptoms associated with Covid-19.

ITALY

§  UK Nationals can now travel to Italy but are required to self-isolate on arrival for 14 days. Visitors will be required to complete a ‘Self-Declaration form for Travel’. At this time there are only a limited number of flights to the country.

SPAIN

§  A country that is desperate to see UK tourists return but at present borders remain closed to anyone other than Spanish citizens or those that are legal residents of Spain. Essential travel is permitted but will need to be proved, with the process being scrupulous.

GREECE

§  Everyone arriving in Greece from abroad will be tested for coronavirus, and will be required to go into self-isolation. For the first 24 hours you will stay in Government accommodation. If you test negative you will be required to provide your place of stay and self-isolate for 7 days. If you test positive you will be required to stay in Government accommodation for a further 14 days.

BULGARIA

§  Travellers arriving into the country will need to self-isolate for a period of 14 days.

CROATIA

§  On 11 May Croatia reopened its borders to visitors from the EU/EEA, and the UK, provided they held an accommodation reservation in the country. The self-isolation period was also removed. The Croatian government has introduced a new online entry form to expedite the entry of foreign visitors. Visitors should carry a copy of their accommodation booking or proof of ownership of holiday homes / boats when arriving in Croatia. If you’re travelling to Croatia for business you should carry evidence of a business invitation or meetings.

ICELAND

§  Every visitor required to self-isolate for 14 days.

NORWAY

§  UK Nationals are permitted to visit family members in Norway. Essential workers may also enter the country if the work is to begin imminently (proof will be required). All visitors will be required to self-isolate for 10 days.

POLAND

§  A self-isolation period of 14 days is required unless you meet one of the criteria on the list of exemptions.

SWEDEN

§  UK Nationals are currently able to travel to Sweden.

SWITZERLAND

§  There are some exemptions that will allow entry into Switzerland (Click here).

British nationals are able to apply for family reunification in Switzerland via the cantonal authorities.

The Swiss Government intends to relax border restrictions for UK Nationals on June 15^th

REST OF THE WORLD

BARBADOS

§  Any visitors are currently required to complete a 14-day quarantine on entry.

SINGAPORE

§  If you need to visit Singapore in extenuating circumstances, you should make a request to the Singapore government by submitting a Form 14 to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and wait for a response before attempting to travel.

THAILAND

§  International flights to Thailand are suspended until June 30^th 2020. Like with some countries there are very limited circumstance where entry may be granted. For more info click here.

UAE (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)

§  Any British residents needing to return to UAE will be required to follow the process as set out on the government website (gov.uk).

AUSTRALIA

§  You will need to apply for a visa via special exemption to be able to travel to Australia – normal visa applications are no longer accepted. Only Australian citizens and returning permanent residents and their immediate family members are permitted to enter Australia without an exemption until further notice.

NEW ZEALAND

§  The New Zealand border is currently closed to almost all arrivals.

For a small number of exceptions click here.

© CURRENCY ONLINE GROUP

10^TH JUNE 2020

Guide to mobile data roaming

Mobile data has overtaken voice minutes and texts as a deciding factor in mobile contract buying decisions. Jamie Kavanagh, a Contributor at Broadband Genie, tells us why it’s essential to understand what you’re getting for your money and one of the more complicated elements of a phone contract is data roaming.

What is data roaming and why is it important?

Every time you check an email, use the internet, use Google Maps, order an Uber or browse the web while on the move and not using Wi-Fi, you’re using mobile data. When you’re in the UK, most of your mobile data use will be included within your contract. But what about you’re travelling abroad?

That’s where data roaming comes in. Data roaming is the ability to use your phone data when you’re travelling, or roaming.

Knowing the data roaming conditions of your mobile contract is essential for anyone planning to travel with their phone. If you’re not sure about Wi-Fi or internet access at your destination, the ability to use mobile internet could be essential. Knowing what data is included in your allowance and what is not can help manage data use and prevent bill shock when you get home.

Some mobile contracts have roaming as an included feature. Others charge a daily fee or one-time fee to enable data roaming. Knowing what your contract includes ensures you make informed decisions about data use while travelling.

The cost of data roaming

While the UK is in the transition period after Brexit, the current EU legislation still applies. If you have inclusive data in your contract, that data is usable while travelling anywhere in European Union countries and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein at no extra cost. For now.

Travelling outside the EU and potentially within the EU after the transition period is not included in that. Depending on your contract and where you’re travelling, you may have to pay for a travel data bolt-on or pay a daily fee to access data. Much depends on your network as each provider sets its own rules and its own fees for accessing data while abroad.

What happens after Brexit is not known. Networks such as Three have already committed to not reintroducing roaming charges even if we leave the EU without a deal.

Best mobile networks for data roaming

Some mobile networks offer some great roaming deals:

·         Three’s Go Roam (previously Feel at Home) provides free roaming in 71 destinations across the world including the EU, USA and Australia.

·         EE’s Max Plan roaming is free with 4GEE Max Plans and allows 4G access to 53 countries, including outside the EU.

·         O2’s Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt Ons are paid extras that provide data roaming in 27 countries outside the EU.

·         Vodafone’s Global Roaming offers free roaming to 77 countries including some outside the EU.

·         Tesco Mobile’s Home from Home offers data roaming for pay monthly customers.

Other networks offer variations of these plans at different price points.

It’s important to note that free data roaming is not always free. Data use while you’re travelling will obviously use your contracted allowance. As long as you stay within that data allowance or buy roaming bolt-ons, you should avoid any extra charges.

Exceeding your allowance will incur costs. Exact costs are set by your network so check on their website before you leave. Voice, SMS and data is expensive when used outside pre-arranged bolt-ons or your included allowance so try to avoid it wherever possible!

Tips for limiting data use when you're abroad

If you want to minimize data use while abroad or want to preserve your data allowance for other things, there are a few tricks you can use:

Turn off all automatic updates on your phone

Some app updates can use a lot of data when downloading. To limit this, update your phone via Wi-Fi before you leave and turn off automatic updates on your phone. Alternatively, switch all phone updates to Wi-Fi only if your accommodation has Wi-Fi.

Use public Wi-Fi hotspots

If you’re travelling in built-up areas, you could restrict your internet use to public Wi-Fi hotspots. Just make sure you’re using a VPN or other security measure to protect your data while you do it.

Avoid streaming video and online games

Videos can make a journey seem much shorter but can also use a significant amount of mobile data. Download movies or TV shows beforehand and save them to your phone or play offline games or online games in offline mode. Use Airplane Mode on your phone if you’re not sure.

Disable data roaming altogether

The easiest way to avoid exceeding your data allowance is to disable mobile data completely. That way, you won’t be able to use data at all while you’re travelling. Make sure to not enable data hungry apps and you should use virtually zero data on your travels.