The FCDO foreign travel advice provides information on entry requirements for your destination, including if the country you are travelling to requires you to have a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter their country.  There are different types of COVID-19 tests available and the reliability of results can vary depending on the type of test you take.  Before travelling, you should check:

• if you need a negative COVID-19 test result to be able to enter the country you are travelling to
• what kind of test will be accepted by the country you are travelling to
• how soon before travel the test should be taken

COVID-19 testing for the purposes of international travel is not available on the NHS. Testing for this reason is only available through private providers who must have self-declared that they meet the UK Government’s minimum standards for the type of commercial COVID-19 testing service they offer. 

If you need to travel internationally for work and require evidence of a test, you should speak to your employer or occupational health adviser.

This depends on the entry requirements of the country or territory you want to travel to, as each country’s definition of a ‘full course’ alternatively known as ‘fully vaccinated’, may be different.

• Always check the country ‘Entry Requirements’ section of the FCDO foreign travel advicepages to find out what a country will accept as fully vaccinated.

Be aware that some countries are requesting evidence that you completed your COVID-19 vaccine course at least 14 days before arriving in their country. They may also require evidence of a booster dose depending on how long ago you completed your COVID-19 vaccine course.

How you can get proof of your vaccination status varies on where you live. If you are in:

• Scotland, you can get a record of your COVID-19 vaccination statusfrom NHS Inform
• England, the UK government has provided guidance for using your NHS COVID Pass for travel abroad
• Wales, there is guidance on how to get the NHS COVID Pass to prove you are vaccinated against COVID-19
• Northern Ireland, you can find guidance on how to apply for a travel COVID vaccination certificate

Make sure you check that the name on your proof of vaccination certificate matches the name on your passport.  Advice on how to amend incorrect details varies depending on whether you are in Scotland, England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

If you have not been fully vaccinated, you need to follow the entry requirements of the country you are travelling to. Entry requirements requested by other countries may include:

• requiring a negative COVID-19 test result before you depart from the UK
• requiring you to undertake a period of quarantine upon your arrival to that country

You should carefully research the entry requirements of your destination country before travelling in the FCDO foreign travel advice pages.

Each country has different requirements, and these are often dependent on the age of the child. Always check the entry requirements for the country you’re visiting.