Coronavirus: Foreign Office advises Brits against travelling to more than 30 countries

As a result of Covid-19, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued travel advice warning people against visiting certain countries or areas due to restrictions or the risk of quarantine.

FCO travel advice ranges from advising against all travel to an entire country to recommending travellers seek advice before travelling to a particular area, based on how safe it is to visit.

The guidance as of today advises against all but essential travel to 35 countries.

- CHINA: The FCO advises against all travel to Hubei province due to the outbreak, and against all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China.

- UNITED STATES – On Saturday, the US government extended an existing European travel ban to the UK and Ireland, with the exception of returning US citizens and legal residents.

The FCO subsequently updated its advice yesterday and advises against all but essential travel to the whole country.

- ITALY- The FCO advises against all but essential travel to all of Italy, including Sicily and Sardinia. Authorities in Italy have advised against travel for tourism purposes and said tourists already on holiday in Italy should limit their movements to those necessary to return to the place where they live.

- SPAIN- The FCO updated its advice on Spain in the early hours of yesterday, advising against all but essential travel to the whole country.

Previously, the Spanish ministry of health declared the areas of Madrid and La Rioja, and the municipalities of La Bastida and Vitoria, and Miranda de Ebro, as places where there is community transmission of coronavirus and the FCO advised against all but essential travel to those regions.

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- DENMARK – British nationals are advised against all but essential travel to the whole country, after Danish authorities announced they would be closing the borders for a month in response to the pandemic.

Foreign nationals who ‘do not have a recognised purpose for entering Denmark’ will be barred from entry.

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- NORWAY – The department advises against all but essential travel to Norway, after the Norwegian authorities said that all non-resident visitors arriving from countries other than Finland and Sweden would be asked to leave Norway on arrival.

British nationals legally resident in Norway will be allowed to enter the country but must enter self-quarantine for 14 days.

- POLAND – The FCO advises against all but essential travel to the country, owing to restrictions being put in place following the outbreak, which has seen borders closed and border controls introduced.

Non-Polish nationals will only be able to enter the country if they are a spouse or child of a Polish national, hold a Pole's Card, or otherwise have the right to stay or work in the country.

British nationals aged 70 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions are advised against cruise ship travel.

- KENYA – The FCO advises against all but essential travel to Kenya after authorities there announced measures restricting people, other than Kenyan citizens and resident permit holders, from going if they have travelled through countries affected by coronavirus, including the UK.

The restrictions will come into effect from tomorrow.

- CYPRUS - The FCO has advised against all but essential travel to Cyprus. They have advised people to follow the advice of the Cypriot authorities, including leaving their tourist accommodation by March 21.

All hotels and tourist accommodation have been instructed to close by Saturday until April 30. A state of emergency was declared in the country on Sunday.

- SOUTH AFRICA – The FCO advises against all but essential travel to South Africa following restrictions announced limiting who can enter the country.

Authorities said travellers from high-risk countries, including the UK and US, would not be permitted to enter the country from March 18.

Visitors from high-risk countries, including the UK, who have entered the country since mid-February will be required to present themselves for testing.

- NEW ZEALAND – Arrivals from countries other than China and Iran will have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival, the department said. Foreign nationals arriving from China or Iran will not be allowed to enter the country.

- FRANCE – The FCO has not currently advised British nationals not to travel to France, which has reported more than 4,000 cases to the World Health Organisation.

Restaurants, schools, universities, cafes, theatres and non-essential shops, have been closed, gatherings of more than 100 people have been banned and tourist attractions have been closed.

The FCO also advises against all but essential travel to Argentina, Albania, Burma, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Kosovo, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Malawi, Malta, Morocco, Mongolia, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

It cites partial or complete border closures due to Covid-19 as the reason for the warnings for Albania, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, San Marino, Slovakia, and Sri Lanka.

Potential issues with flights due to restrictions and cancellations are referenced in the advice for Argentina, Morocco, Mongolia, Paraguay, Peru and Philippines.

The risk of being placed into a quarantine is given as the reason for the advice for Burma, Estonia, Indonesia, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Sierra Leone and Vietnam.

Travellers are advised against all but essential travel to parts of Portugal and South Korea.

The FCO advises against all but essential travel to the Portuguese archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores and the South Korean cities of Daegu, Cheongdo and Gyeongsan which have been designated ‘special care zones’ due to outbreaks.