Travel to UK Covid test

[amter]

Hi all, I can't seem to find information so am hoping someone can help.

My sister is travelling from Australia to London and has been told she must have a test booked ready to take when she lands in the UK. She needs to have a reference number before they will let her board in Australia.

All I can find is outbound tests.

Does anyone have any link to these types of tests?

Thanks!

www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19

thank you!

They are most commonly referred to as day two tests but am be taken any time from arrival up to day two. This means she can book one at her arrival airport immediately after landing or at a local clinic or order a home test that is posted back for analysis.

@CeeceeBloomingdale

They are most commonly referred to as day two tests but am be taken any time from arrival up to day two. This means she can book one at her arrival airport immediately after landing or at a local clinic or order a home test that is posted back for analysis.

Are you sure about that? The government instructions to which I linked state "You must book this test before you travel". As the OP stated, her sister must have the reference number of the test before she can leave Australia.

Lots of people seem to use Randox, you order online and get a reference number to put on PLF (passenger locator form), the Randox test gets delivered to address in uk, which is posted on day 2 after arriving,

You definitely have to book the test before you depart, otherwise you won’t have the information you need to fill in your passenger locator form. Look for “2 day test” and you’ll get the right one

You cannot go to a regular testing place in the UK upon arrival.

Also, you have to do them on the second complete day after you arrive. You wouldn’t be able to get one at the airport when you get here, as that would be day 0.

Why are people commenting on this when they clearly don’t know what the OP is talking about?

@Florianus Maybe that didn't read as I intended it, yes it needs to be pre-booked as the reference is needed for the PLF to be completed before departure. I meant you can pre book a test to be taken at the arrival airport, or at a local clinic (a private clinic offering day 2 tests, not NHS) or a home test, again private, not an NHS lateral flow. They absolutely can be taken on day 0, 1 or 2 @Pachonga, I have no idea why you are telling people not to post when you clearly don't understand the system yourself.

from Gov.uk
When you arrive in England – fully vaccinated

After you arrive in England you must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2. The day you arrive is day 0.

You mustbook this testbefore you travel.

Alright, hands up I was wrong.

The system has clearly changed since I went through it myself and I apologise

Apology accepted . It's always been that way as far as I know (I work in travel) but not well communicated by the government. Funny that

😂. Don’t Australia have hardly any cases and we are rife and they have to test when they come here! 🤦🏼‍♀️

@ScottishTinydancer321

😂. Don’t Australia have hardly any cases and we are rife and they have to test when they come here! 🤦🏼‍♀️

Everyone has to test though, including Brits when they return from abroad. I don't think they can really discriminate so just say everyone has to. I think one of the main concerns was new variants found elsewhere and being brought in.

@CeeceeBloomingdale I didn’t realise that so I apologise I thought green countries meant no testing? I have not kept on it though as not been abroad 😂, shows clearly lol

We booked ours with boots. They had availability and reasonable price (I think £22). They email you a number to put into the pass locator form when you pay.

It changed this week, day 2 tests can now be LFT rather than PCR and pre departure testing was scrapped for fully vaxed.

@trumpisagit

We booked ours with boots. They had availability and reasonable price (I think £22). They email you a number to put into the pass locator form when you pay.

We've used Randox for a PCR test, which was well-priced but we found it a dickens of a job to find their dropbox (it was well hidden on a business park in Isleworth). Boots ought to be good, although only the larger branches offer Covid tests.