Prince Harry and Meghan to visit Britain next month. By Reuters - 16 August They will also attend an event in Germany on Sept. 6 to mark one year to go until the 2023 Invictus Games for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are due to visit the UK next month to "support several charities close to their hearts". Their visit will be the first time they have been back in the country since 2022 inbound forecast for UK: For the full calendar year, inbound visits are forecast to increase to 26.7 million and spending to £21.6 billion. These are 65% and 76% respectively of the visits and spend levels seen in 2019. This is an upgrade on our previous forecast, made in February, due to a stronger than expected start to the year. Out of major EU nations, Italians are the most likely potential visitors to the UK. 15 per cent of Italians surveyed said they would consider visiting this summer. That compares with only 13 per cent of Spaniards, and just five per cent of French. Only six per cent of Danes and Norwegians are contemplating a visit to Britain. The stunning alpine views from this high-elevation trail makes this one the best hikes at Mt. Rainier National Park, an experience you would be remiss to skip during your visit. #3. Catch wildflowers at peak bloom. See wildflowers at peak bloom is one of the best things to do at Mt. Rainier National Park. . Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor Do you wash your hands all the time because you are afraid .. germs? There is too much traffic. _____, the air is polluted. Choose the best answer among A, B, C, or D. Credit _____ is given in this semester requires approximately three hours of classroom work. Remember to turn _____ the lights before going to bed. ALhgOFK. Britain reached the end of its EU exit transition period on December 31st, 2020. As freedom of movement no longer applies, British travellers must meet new entry requirements when visiting Europe for short stays; as will EU citizens visiting the article looks at the rules UK travellers need to follow to visit European countries. It covers the following informationWhether British citizens will need visas before travelling to a European destinationWhat British travellers should do to ensure their passport is validWhat will change when arriving in EuropeHow UK visitors’ travel insurance requirements will changeWhat mobile phone roaming charges could applyHow pets will be able to travel with their owners to EuropWill British tourists need a visa to visit Europe?British tourists can still visit Europe without a visa. UK citizens are permitted a visa waiver for short trips of under 90 days for tourism or business to countries within the Schengen visitors can continue travelling to Europe without a visa, and with a valid from May 2023 UK passport holders will need to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver online and pay a small fee before travelling to the Schengen UK Government is aiming to introduce a similar scheme for European visitors to Britain. The UK ETA visa waiver is expected to be available to all EU nationals. This will follow broadly the same process but will apply to EU passport holders at the UK longer stays or to work full-time in Europe however, British citizens must acquire a work permit or Schengen visa from the country they wish to live in. They need to apply at the embassy of the country in British passports still be valid on a trip to Europe in 2022?Before travelling to the European Union or Schengen area, British travellers may find new passport restrictions apply. These are minor in nature but could affect a person’s ability to enter an EU UK visitors to Europe must make sure their passport has over 6 months of validity remaining from their date of entry into the EU. Yet in practice, this means that no more than 9 years and 6 months must have passed since the passport’s date of European regulations, a passport must not be over 10 years old. Any travel documents older than this will automatically be considered invalid even if it is still within its expiry situation could occur because the British passport office usually adds extra time to the validity of a passport if it is renewed early. These extra days of validity, however, would not be accepted in the EU where the cut-off is 10 years from the date of the case of UK travellers, this will mean their passport may need to be renewed earlier than expected before a European holiday. This must be done before 9 years and 6 months have passed since the document’s date of issue to travel to an EU example, if a passport was issued on the 1st December 2012, it will no longer be accepted at an EU or Schengen port of entry from 1st June 2022. This rule is applied even if the document hasn’t expired or has over 6 months left to new procedures will British tourists face when arriving in Europe?One change that British tourists will face when arriving in a European destination is that they will no longer be able to use the dedicated queue for EU and Swiss passengers. Instead, they will need to join the international UK passengers may be required to provide evidence that they are only travelling to the EU for tourism or business. This may include return tickets to the UK and proof of sufficient funds for the duration of their British tourists need travel insurance in the EU?A European Health Insurance Card EHIC can be used until it expires. The EHIC entitles the holder to state medical treatment in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and the card expires the new Global Health Insurance Card GHIC will replace it. UK travellers are still advised to take out health British tourists have to pay mobile phone roaming charges?Mobile phone roaming charges could make a return for some British tourists. The requirement that operators must waive roaming costs will no longer apply to UK mobile networks as of December 31st the reintroduction of extra mobile charges when travelling abroad in Europe will be at the discretion of mobile network operators. Therefore, UK nationals are advised to check before arriving in the EU whether these additional costs may apply to them or UK Driving licences still valid in Europe?It will still be possible to use a UK driving licence in Europe, although tourists may also need an international driving permit IDP. This is expected to apply to British travellers in several EU UK citizens driving their car from Britain to Europe may also need to follow additional steps. When travelling to the EU by car, UK passport holders should ensure to have a car “green card”, proof of insurance and to display a “GB” nationality sticker on their British tourists still bring their pets to Europe?Yes, British tourists can still travel with pets such as cats, dogs or ferrets. However, travellers will face additional safety measures to do passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid to travel to an EU country or Northern need to be microchipped, receive a rabies vaccination a few weeks before travel and may need to hold an animal health certificate AHC. AHCs will need to be renewed for each trip the animal makes to so many changes, it’s especially important to be prepared when travelling to a European country from the UK. Wildfires in Canada have led to closures and flight delays in the US. Here's everything tourists need to know. Unprecedented wildfires have been ravaging Canada’s Atlantic coast since last week, sending hazardous smoke over the border into the nations' capitals have been shrouded in an unhealthy haze that has led to flight disruptions and the postponement of Major League Baseball you are visiting affected areas, you are advised to wear an N95 face mask to protect from PM experienced an unusually fierce start to fire season in the west of the country in have since sprung up in the east, with Nova Scotia battling to contain its largest wildfire on record. On Friday 2 June, 10,000 residents in coastal Quebec were forced to evacuate due to record million hectares of Canadian land has been scorched so far in 2023 - more than 10 times the annual average for this time of year - and the number is only officials asked other countries for additional help fighting more than 400 blazes nationwide that already have displaced 20,000 parts of Canada are affected by wildfires?In Ontario, a fire blazing 170 km west of Ottawa is causing dangerously poor air quality in the capital, which has spread south into Toronto and the US. The province of Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast has also been hard hit by wildfires in recent weeks. Long awaited rain over the weekend helped to bring fires under control, but some areas are still the Tantallon fire northwest of Halifax is now under control, firefighters have been battling a blaze in Shelburne County in the southwest of the province since 27 May. They have only just begun to contain its spread. Schools in the area were closed on Monday and 160 wildfires are burning in the province of Quebec, around 114 of which authorities are struggling to bring under control. Access has been banned or limited to 13 of the state's the coastal city of Sept-Iles, a local state of emergency was declared on Friday due to wildfires and thousands of people were evacuated. The southwest Quebec city of Val d'Or declared a state of emergency earlier this City has not been directly affected by the wildfires but, like many places, is suffering from poor air early May, Alberta and British Columbia BC in western Canada have also been battling major blazes, leading to deployment of the armed forces. Travel warnings have been issued in parts of Vancouver, the very high risk’ air quality advisory has been lifted after fires last month but this may not can stay up to date with the latest wildfires and their severity through the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System’s CWFIS fire weather it safe to travel to Canada during wildfires?Thousands of people have been evacuated and hundreds of homes destroyed in Canada’s recent it is still safe to travel to most parts of Canada, you should check for wildfire updates and follow guidance from local sure to follow burn bans and restrictions. In some provinces, such as Nova Scotia, open fires are currently not permitted - including in parks and campgrounds. In Quebec, open fires are not permitted in or near forested Canadian government warns that wildfire smoke can be carried hundreds of thousands of kilometres from the fire zones, causing harmful air is particularly dangerous for older adults, young children, pregnant people, and people with respiratory an N95 mask could help to protect from air pollution to some from Canada's fires has spread south into the United States, prompting air quality warnings as far south as than 2,500 flights have been delayed in the US due to limited visibility, including at New York's LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and Philadelphia airports. Smoke also contributed to delayed arrivals at Dulles International Airport outside Washington DC, where a heavy haze shrouded the Washington Monument and forced the cancellation of outdoor tours. Flights in Boston and Baltimore could also be you are travelling to airports along the East Coast and Midwest, be sure to check for with hazardous levels of pollution has extended into the New York metropolitan area, central New York state and parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. If you are visiting these areas, wear a mask for protection. North Carolina and Indiana have also been areas with an air quality index over 300, you should avoid outdoor response to the smoke, New York is handing out 1 million N95 masks at state facilities. New York City has closed beaches and residents have been told to stay indoors as much as possible. Zoos in the Bronx and Central Park closed early and brought their animals inside. Some Broadway shows have been cancelled and Central Park's popular outdoor Shakespeare in the Park performances have been put off through in the northeast and mid-Atlantic this weekend or early next week is expected to clear the air a to stay safe during Canada's wildfiresIf you are travelling in fire-affected areas, stay up to date on local road, park and forest closures. Be sure to pack snacks and water in case your journey is should avoid outdoor activities in areas affected by at your accommodation, you are advised to keep doors and windows closed. When using an air conditioner, you should use the recirculate’ setting to avoid bringing in outdoor often coincide with extreme heat, creating a double threat. Check ahead for temperature warnings and take extra precaution if you are visiting areas affected by heat. England might be small, but it packs a lot into its pint-sized shores. Whether you're climbing the Lake District's uplifting fells or wandering along Dover's fabled White Cliffs, England delivers a bucolic feast for the senses. But the weather is never far from the conversation in England. The elements here are notoriously subject to change from hour to hour, though that rarely stops the people of this gregarious nation from getting out and having fun. Here's a month-by-month breakdown of what's going on, from festivals and events to the all-important weather, to help you pick the best time to visit. Discover the world's most intriguing experiences with our weekly newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. The peak season June–August is the best time for good weather and festivals The weather in England is at its best from June to August, with plenty of sunny days. This is the school holiday period, and many UK families make the most of the break from school, so prices for accommodation are high, particularly in August. Parking can be tricky, especially in national parks, seaside areas such as Cornwall and Devon, and popular cities such as Oxford, Bath and York. Public transport in London can be sweltering on a hot day. This is festival season too, and there are some huge outdoor events across the country. Spring is a lovely time to wander through the woods in England © Martyn Ferry / Getty Images The spring and autumn shoulder seasons are best for exploring the great outdoors There are fewer crowds in spring and autumn and the weather is often mild, making this a great time for hikes and cycle rides in national parks. Expect sun mixed with sudden rain showers from March to May, and some balmy autumn days from September to October. Seasonal sights start to open up in spring. The low season December–February is the time for country pub lunches by an open fire It's normal for the weather to be wet and cold through the low season. It can be snowy too, especially up north, where the weather can affect transport schedules. Opening hours are often reduced from October to Easter, with some places shut for the entire winter, but major sights especially in London remain open all year. Make the best of the season at Christmas markets and inside cozy pubs with roaring fires. In winter, make the most of the roaring fires in England's country pubs © Myles New / Lonely Planet Enjoy budget-friendly city breaks in January After the frenetic festivities of Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the chilly first few weeks of the year can feel a bit of an anticlimax, but there are still events taking place. January is a good time of year to take advantage of cheap city breaks and low hotel events London New Year’s Day Parade, Chinese New Year can fall in February February sees the return of the Six Nations The countryside can be glorious under snow and sunshine, but it's more likely to be grey and gloomy. The Six Nations rugby tournament brings colorful flags and a jovial atmosphere to pubs across the events Jorvik Viking Festival York, Six Nations Rugby Championship, Dark Skies Festival temporarily moved to October and November in 2022 England begins to bloom in March Spring starts to show itself in March, with daffodils, bluebells, crocuses and primroses brightening up the month. Many hotels and inns offer special weekend rates to tempt people out from under their events Bath Festival, University Boat Race London April brings iconic events and warmer weather The weather is looking up, with warmer and drier days bringing out the spring blossom on the trees. Sights and attractions that are closed for the low season open up around the middle of the month and major events such as the Grand National horse races take events Grand National Aintree, London Marathon temporarily moved to October in 2022 Celebrate diversity with the LGBTIQ+ community at Pride in London © Ms Jane Campbell / Shutterstock Beer gardens begin to fill up in May With sunny spring days, the calendar starts to fill up with events. Two public holidays the first and last Mondays of May bring heavy road traffic, and pub beer gardens get very busy. Key events Stratford Literary Festival, FA Cup Final, Brighton Festival, Chelsea Flower Show London, Glyndebourne May to August, East Sussex, Keswick Mountain Festival England goes music-mad in June Headlined by the legendary flag-waving Glastonbury, June sees the music-festival season kick off properly, and some big sporting events fill out the events Derby Week Epsom Downs, Isle of Wight Festival, Trooping the Colour London, Royal Ascot, Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, Glastonbury July brings festivals up and down the country This is it summer is in full swing, with weekly festivals and county shows. Schools break up at the end of the month, so there’s a holiday tingle in the air, dulled only by busy Friday-evening roads as people head out of town for weekends events London Pride, Latitude Festival Suffolk, Wireless London, Womad Wiltshire, Truck Festival Oxfordshire, Camp Bestival Dorset, Cowes Week regatta runs into August August is for exploring the coast and more festivals Schools and colleges are closed, parliament is in recess, the sun is shining and England is in a holiday mood, with many families heading down to the warm coasts of Devon and Cornwall. It's the start of the football soccer season, with packed stadiums through till events Notting Hill Carnival London, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Manchester Pride, Camp Bestival Shropshire Visit popular national parks such as the Lake District in autumn to avoid the worst of the crowds © Duncan Andison / Shutterstock Enjoy the last days of summer in September The first week of September feels more like August, but then schools open up again and motorway traffic returns to normal. The daylight hours start to get noticeably shorter, but it's still possible to find decent weather and even some warm events Great North Run, Last Night of the Proms London, Heritage Open Days Make the most of England’s autumn colors in October Leaves turn golden-brown, the weather begins to get colder, and days get shorter. Take advantage of cheaper hotel rates and enjoy the regal autumnal colors of the great events Falmouth Oyster Festival, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Halloween Ease the November chill at Bonfire Night The weather’s often cold and damp in November – suitably somber for Remembrance Day – while Guy Fawkes Night sparks up fun and fireworks in memory of a failed attempt to blow up parliament in events Guy Fawkes Night Bonfire Night, Remembrance Day December brings bright lights and Christmas festivities Schools break up around mid-December, and many towns and cities hold Christmas markets, ideal places to browse for Christmas presents with a plastic glass of mulled wine in hand. New Year’s Eve is the year’s biggest party, particularly in London and other big events Christmas markets, New Year celebrations Before Brexit, UK citizens could travel, live, go on holiday and work anywhere in the EU without any special permits or visas. As of 1 January 2021 that is no longer the Guardian’s Money team has spent the week poring over the many pages of documentation to explain how Brexit will affect and travelWhat does all this mean for holidays this year – if and when they are allowed to resume? While the coronavirus crisis has pretty much put a halt to all immediate travel, when the current restrictions are lifted and EU trips can resume, Brits face some significant changes over the next two most of those taking city breaks or beach holidays to an EU country plus Norway, Switzerland and Iceland will see little immediate difference, the picture is markedly different if you travel a lot or spend a significant amount of time in the Grand Canal, Venice. UK passport holders can spend up to 90 days in the EU’s Schengen zone during any 180-day period Photograph Andrea Matone/AlamyBritain and the EU have agreed visa-free travel for short visits, meaning UK passport holders can spend up to 90 days in the its Schengen zone during any 180-day can be in a series of short visits or one long visit, and it applies to all EU countries with the exception of the non-Schengen countries Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania. You could make a 90-day trip to any of those and still not use up your 90-day allowance. The same is true of Ireland, which allows unrestricted travel from the UK as part of a common travel area for British 2022 the exact date is yet to be confirmed, you will have to buy a visa waiver for holidays and short stays in the EU. This is not a visa but a permission to enter. It will cost €7 £ and will be issued under the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, similar to the Esta permit currently required to visit the usually spend more than 90 days in the EU over a six-month period as a tourist – will I be able to with a visa? Probably not. The Brexit agreement clearly restricts short trip visits to a maximum 90 days within one 180-day period. While the UK government says Brits who have exceeded their 90 days will be able to apply for a visa to stay longer, the European commission says that once the 90 days are up, the person would cease to be a tourist or “short stay” visitor, and would have to apply for a full long-term immigration visa – with all the costs and hassle that that it stands, someone spending May, June and July with a friend in Spain would not be able to return visa-free to any EU country inside the Schengen travel area until November – six months after they arrived in Spain. So, for example, if they wanted to visit Venice in August, that might prove each EU country has the right to set its own entry terms. It is possible that, for example, the Spanish or Portuguese governments, which are keen on maintaining UK tourist levels, could decide to offer an easy, non-work visa in the future, but this is by no means a more details to emerge from EU countries during the coming months – but don’t bank on cards remain valid in the EU until they expire. Photograph AlamyWill my Ehic card still work? Yes and no. According to the NHS website, your European health insurance card remains valid in the EU until it expires, which for some people will be quite a way a replacement is being developed called the global health insurance card Ghic. The bad news is that there are few details at the moment, and it does not for now extend as far as the the new Ghic is expected to cover you for travel in EU countries, but not Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. If travelling to any of those countries, buying private cover should be regarded as an absolute necessity. Transitional arrangements have been put in place for Norway allowing UK nationals to use their UK passport to access state-provided medical treatment if government is also negotiating new arrangements with Switzerland and the European Economic Area EEA/European Free Trade Association Efta states that could result in Ehic-style reciprocal healthcare cover in mind that the Ehic and its successor the Ghic are not the same as travel insurance. The Ehic card entitles visitors only to necessary state healthcare for free or at a reduced cost. It does not, for example, cover repatriation to the UK after a serious “global” bit of the new Ghic is something of a misnomer. The British government has not suddenly decided to give British tourists free health cover in the US. It will offer cover only under existing reciprocal arrangements largely in Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New I need travel insurance? It is not a legal requirement that a traveller buys insurance when visiting the EU, but for the vast majority of people it would be daft not to, with scores of annual multi-trip policies costing less than £50 available for travel to the EU in 2021. There have been widespread concerns about the cost of travel insurance post-Brexit as the Ehic is withdrawn, particularly for those with pre-existing about passports/immigration control? Pre-Brexit, you could travel to EU countries on your passport right up to the point it expired. As of 1 January 2021, the UK government was advising travellers visiting the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, to have at least six months left on their will no longer be able to use EU fast-track passport control and customs lanes, meaning possible delays at some airports. Also, when you arrive in an EU country except Ireland, be prepared to show your return ticket. You could also be asked to show that you have enough money for your licences remain valid for driving in the EU. Photograph AlamyAnd driving abroad? The good news is that your UK driving licence will continue to be valid in the EU. Previously it was understood that UK drivers would have to apply at the Post Office for one of two or both international driving permits, depending on the destination if you are taking your own car or other vehicle abroad, you will still need to apply to your insurer for a green card to prove that you have cover. There shouldn’t be a charge, except perhaps an admin fee, according to the Association of British Insurers. You should print it out and be ready to show it if asked by the police or other authorities. Note that Northern Irish drivers who enter the Republic will also need one. The ABI says the EU could end the green card requirement in the coming about mobile roaming? The right to use your UK phone allowance while in the EU will end, meaning there is nothing to stop the phone companies reintroducing roaming charges. The big four main providers – EE, 02, Vodafone and Three – have said they have no plans to do this in the short part of the deal, the UK and EU have agreed to cooperate on “fair and transparent” rates for mobile roaming. It remains to be seen what that pet passports? The old EU pet passports are no longer valid. Instead the EU has agreed that Great Britain should be given “part two listed” status, allowing pets to travel within its borders providing the owners obtain an animal health certificate AHC. This confirms that your pet is microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. You will need to get a new certificate each time you travel up to 10 days prior to travel. The AHC will be valid for four pet passports are no longer valid. Photograph Carlos Osorio/ReutersHow much booze can I bring back with me? The days of filling the car with as much wine as the suspension could take are also over, and a booze cruise to Calais won’t really be worth it after 1 January. Travellers returning from the EU will be restricted to 18 litres of wine 24 bottles, 42 litres of beer and 4 litres of spirits or liqueurs over 22% in alcohol – plus up to 200 compensation for flight delays … will we still get it? Yes. The EU261 rules that require airlines to compensate passengers for seriously delayed or cancelled flights have been written into UK law and remain as before. EU travel firms supplying UK consumers will also still have to provide compensation if their company goes in the EUFor anyone who was already living or studying in the EU before 31 December 2020, it is business as usual, and you will pay the same EU fees until the course will also continue to be eligible for the same support – access to loans and so on – as students from the country you are studying as things stand, British students applying to study in the EU from September 2021 onwards face paying the much higher international fees paid by all non-EU nationals. They may well also not have access to the loans and other help that their predecessors in the EUBritons who live in the UK but spend a lot of time working in the EU face a complex situation. Photograph Xsandra/Getty ImagesFrom 1 January 2021, UK citizens no longer have an automatic right to live or work in the EU, so if you are looking to do this, you will need to check your destination’s immigration citizens who moved to an EU member state before 31 December 2020 can carry on living and working there but must register as a resident in the country where they live by 30 June Britons who live in the UK but spend a lot of time working in the EU, things are now very is a deal for senior managers who are seconded, and some short-term business visitors can work for 90 days in any given six-month period, but there are restrictions on the activities they can perform. The list of permitted activities shows that while meetings, trade exhibitions and conferences, consultations and research are fine, anything that involves selling goods or services directly to the public will require a work EU member state has its own immigration regime, with often strict sanctions for those who don’t and other performers have been left out of the deal, meaning that they have to get work permits to tour in the EU. The singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and the comedian Dawn French are among the more than 200,000 people who have signed a petition on the is no mutual recognition of professional qualifications in the deal, causing complications for those such as doctors, accountants and architects qualifying in the UK who wish to practise in the EU after 1 in the EUUK state pension holders can continue receiving payments if they move to live in the EU, EEA or Switzerland. Photograph Quique García/EPAI am a UK national in the EU – will I still get my UK pension? Yes. UK pensioners including EU citizens who have worked in the UK who have retired to an EU country have already been guaranteed that they will be able to receive the UK state pension, and benefit from any annual uprating. For people who intend to retire to another EU nation in future, there are also government guidance says “You can carry on receiving your UK state pension if you move to live in the EU, EEA or Switzerland, and you can still claim your UK state pension from these countries. Your UK state pension will be increased each year in the EU in line with the rate paid in the UK.”If you are receiving a private pension, such as an annuity, from the UK but are resident abroad, the government says you should contact your provider. But in general it says “UK law allows for workplace pensions to be paid overseas. The government does not expect this to change because the UK has left the EU.”However, there may be issues about the bank account into which your pension is paid. The Pensions Advisory Service says that although practice varies, pension schemes and annuity providers do not typically pay pension benefits directly into an overseas bank account, leaving the individual to transfer the money from a UK bank account – which will result in transfer fees and exchange rate importantly, if you are resident overseas, there is a risk that your bank may close your UK account. In that case, you will need to contact the pension provider to ensure that it can pay the money into an overseas is closing accounts for customers in Belgium, Estonia, Italy and Slovakia. Photograph Andy Rain/EPASo can I keep my UK bank account? Thousands of Britons resident in the EU were told in September that they would have their UK bank accounts closed by the end of the year. UK banks have been operating across the EU under passporting arrangements. Account holders who bank with firms that own an EU-based subsidiary will have their accounts transferred to that EU entity. But where that is not the case, accounts are likely to be Netherlands is particularly affected, with Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide and the Co-operative Bank withdrawing services. The Lloyds group, which includes Bank of Scotland and Halifax, is also closing accounts in Germany, Italy, Portugal, Ireland and Slovenia, and Nationwide will no longer serve Italy. Barclays is closing accounts for customers in Belgium, Estonia, Italy and Slovakia, and Barclaycard accounts across the EEA will be closed unless linked to a UK address. While Santander customer accounts remain open, the bank is not taking on any new requests from EU-based does this mean for my payments in and out of the account? If you used your account to run direct debits for bills in the UK, there is no obvious solution other than to check with other banks to see if you can switch to a new account, according to Robert Hallums, of the advice consultancy Experts for Expats. Some pension providers may accept transfers from a currency account such as the Moneycorp online currency account, which converts payments and receipts into the desired currency without large fees or currency fluctuations. You can also use this kind of account to pay bills in the UK or receive rental income. In the worst-case scenario, you may need to consider paying it into a local bank account and accept the higher costs of currency exchange rates and £85,000 of my savings still be protected? The Financial Services Compensation Scheme will still pay out the first £85,000 of your balance if your bank collapses, provided it is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. It is less than 2 months since the first cases of Omicron were confirmed in the UK – the most infectious variant to emerge since the start of the pandemic. A real setback to our plans to safely reopen international travel. But thanks once again to the nationwide army of medical staff and volunteers, and the huge public response to the booster programme, today 24 January 2022, with over 137 million jabs administered, including nearly 37 million boosters, Britain is one of the most vaccinated countries in the world. And Omicron is in retreat. Thanks to the decisions taken by the Prime Minister, we have managed to turn the tide on the virus in remarkable time while keeping our domestic society one of the most open in the world. Today, I can confirm to the House that our international travel regime will also now be liberalised, as part of our efforts to ensure that 2022 is the year in which restrictions on travel, lockdowns and limits on people’s lives, are firmly in the past. Mr Speaker, from 4am on the 11th February, and in time for the half-term break, eligible fully vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK will no longer have to take a post-arrival, lateral flow test. That means that after months of pre-departure testing, post-arrival testing, self-isolation and additional expense, all that fully vaccinated people will now have to do to when they travel to the UK is verify their status via a passenger locator form. Mr Speaker, we promised we would not keep measures in place a day longer than necessary, and it is obvious to me now that border testing for vaccinated travellers has outlived its usefulness. We are therefore scrapping all travel tests for vaccinated people. Not only making travel much easier, but also, of course, saving around £100 for the average family on visits abroad. Providing certainty to passengers, carriers, and our vital tourism sectors for the spring and summer seasons. So Mr Speaker, let me explain to the House how this will actually work in practice. For now, we will maintain our current definition of fully vaccinated for the purpose of inbound travel into the UK. That means 2 doses of an approved vaccination, or 1 dose of the Janssen vaccine. And we will go further. The measures for those arriving into the UK who do not qualify as fully vaccinated have not changed since last March. So the time has come to review their position too. Today I can announce that passengers who do not qualify as fully vaccinated will no longer be required to do a day 8 test after arrival or, indeed, to self-isolate. They will still need to fill out a passenger locator form to demonstrate proof of a negative COVID test taken 2 days before travel, and they must also take a post-arrival PCR test. This is a proportionate system that moves us a step closer to normality while maintaining vital public health protections. For kids, travelling to the UK under 18s will continue to be treated as eligible fully vaccinated passengers, which means they will not face any tests at the UK border. I am also pleased to confirm that, from 3 February, 12 to 15 year olds in England will be able to prove their vaccination status via the digital NHS Pass for international outbound travel. Again – this should help families plan holidays for February half term. Mr Speaker, reconnecting with key markets not only to boost the UK economy, but will also help our hard-hit aviation industry take back to the skies. So I can also confirm that from 4am on 11 February, we will recognise, at the UK border, vaccine certificates from a further 16 countries and territories. Including important nations like China and Mexico, bringing the vaccine recognition total to over 180 countries and territories worldwide. Mr Speaker, one of the consequences of COVID, and of rapidly-changing infection patterns across the world, has been a border regime that, while necessary, has at times been complex, confusing and difficult to navigate. I know this has been something of a challenge for many travellers over the last 2 years. So, we will simplify the passenger locator form, making it quicker and easier to complete. And from the end of February, we’ll also make it more convenient by giving people an extra day to fill it out before they travel. Whilst the option for a red list of countries will remain in place, to provide a first line of defence against future variants of concern arriving from other countries, we are looking to replace the managed quarantine system with other contingency measures, including home isolation, provided we can develop new ways to ensure high levels of compliance. In the meantime, our contingency measures remain available – and as the House knows there are no countries on the red list currently. But I must make clear, these contingency measures are only to be applied if there’s a variant of concern that poses a substantial risk. One which is even greater than Omicron. The UK Health Security Agency will continue to monitor threats and will maintain our highly-effective surveillance capacity, monitoring COVID infections overseas. But I can announce today that over time, we intend to move away from blanket border measures to a more sophisticated and targeted global surveillance system. I’m also committing today to the development of a full toolbox of contingency options to provide more certainty on how we will respond against future variants. The government will set out our strategy, including how we’ll deal with any future new strains of the virus next month. And we will continue to work with international partners, including the World Health Organization, to help all countries achieve a level of genomic sequencing to monitor variants, which is much closer to our own world-leading capacity. Mr Speaker, we are moving into a new phase of the fight against COVID. Instead of protecting the UK from a pandemic, our future depends on us living with endemic COVID. Just as we live with flu, for example. We will set out our strategy for that transition in the spring. But as we navigate our recovery and our return to more normal travel next month our advice to all eligible adults who have not been vaccinated stays the same. Please, get jabbed as soon as possible. And if you’ve had two jabs, please get boosted. I’ve been speaking to my opposite numbers around the world recently and they’ve made it clear to me that regardless of what we do, they are very likely to require booster jabs from this summer. So my advice to anyone who wants to travel anywhere this summer, is don’t leave it too late to get your booster, you’re very likely to be required it by the third party country you are flying to. Mr Speaker, we already have one of the most open economies and societies in Europe, with the result being that our GDP has outpaced that of other G7 neighbours. With these changes today, we will have one of the most open travel sectors in the world. Of course we know COVID can spring surprises but everyone should feel confident about booking holidays, business trips and visits to families and friends abroad. But be in no doubt, Mr Speaker, it is only because this government got the big calls right on vaccinations, on boosters, on dealing with Omicron that we can open up travel and declare Britain is open for business. Today we are setting Britain free. And I commend this statement to the House.

are you going to visit britain next month