Pre-departure tests from Germany back into UK

[Deleted User]

With the Government putting Germany onto the green list, and being a fully vaccinated adult, I can enter Germany just by providing proof of vaccination. My confusion is with the tests to come back into the UK. I know I have to do a Day 2 test once I have returned to the UK, but do I have to do a pre-departure test before I leave Germany? If so, what is the difference between the Rapid Antigen Test and the PCR test? If people are only being 'encouraged' to do a PCR test if they come back from Spain, what do I need to come back from Germany? Can I use the free NHS RAT? The government website is very confusing (probably purposely) and therefore I'm not sure what I have to do. Can anyone advise? Thanks

onashoestring

From August 8th when Germany goes on green list these are the rules :

Before travel to England

Before you travel to England you must:

• take a COVID-19 test – children aged 10 and under do not need to take this test

NHS tests

NHS tests cannot be used for the purpose of pre-departure testing before travel to England.

You cannot take an NHS test abroad with you to use on yourself before you return.

• Can be LFT or PCR the test result must be certified and in either English, French or Spanish.

  You are responsible for organising your own COVID-19 test, in line with UK government testing requirements. You should check that the test result can be provided in the correct format and language. For further information on testing facilities, including those that can provide a result in English you should consult the Patientenservice by telephone (116 117) or contact your local public health authority.

  
  
• book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test – to be taken after arrival in England

This is a PCR test from the UK Gov list of suppliers https://www.find-travel-test-provider.service.gov.uk/test-type/green

• complete a passenger locator form

michael1234

bexoxo60 said:

With the Government putting Germany onto the green list, and being a fully vaccinated adult, I can enter Germany just by providing proof of vaccination. My confusion is with the tests to come back into the UK. I know I have to do a Day 2 test once I have returned to the UK, but do I have to do a pre-departure test before I leave Germany? If so, what is the difference between the Rapid Antigen Test and the PCR test? If people are only being 'encouraged' to do a PCR test if they come back from Spain, what do I need to come back from Germany? Can I use the free NHS RAT? The government website is very confusing (probably purposely) and therefore I'm not sure what I have to do. Can anyone advise? Thanks

They also say somewhere that the relevant tests need to meet laid out specificity requirements. As if anyone abroad can get that detail and thus know for sure if their test will be accepted at the UK border. A real mess.

Also, the government advise as to what is required when flying back from Spain is to my mind incredible. You don't need a PCR test and can take an antigen instead but it is "advised" that you do so. Yet another utter mishandling of the situation.

CKhalvashi

michael1234 said:

bexoxo60 said:

With the Government putting Germany onto the green list, and being a fully vaccinated adult, I can enter Germany just by providing proof of vaccination. My confusion is with the tests to come back into the UK. I know I have to do a Day 2 test once I have returned to the UK, but do I have to do a pre-departure test before I leave Germany? If so, what is the difference between the Rapid Antigen Test and the PCR test? If people are only being 'encouraged' to do a PCR test if they come back from Spain, what do I need to come back from Germany? Can I use the free NHS RAT? The government website is very confusing (probably purposely) and therefore I'm not sure what I have to do. Can anyone advise? Thanks

They also say somewhere that the relevant tests need to meet laid out specificity requirements. As if anyone abroad can get that detail and thus know for sure if their test will be accepted at the UK border. A real mess.

Also, the government advise as to what is required when flying back from Spain is to my mind incredible. You don't need a PCR test and can take an antigen instead but it is "advised" that you do so. Yet another utter mishandling of the situation.

Completely agree. I was asked at immigration when entering the UK in January (essential trip) why I've chosen the test provider I did (apparently they hadn't seen this test provider before). The answer was simply that they were on the list at the other end as being acceptable to avoid isolation. The matter was left at that.

I speak the language of that country well enough to do business/general things, but wouldn't know how to think about asking technical terms such as specificity of tests.

As above, the Spain situation is ridiculous. It's either a requirement or it's not, the government can't have this one both ways.

Onashoestring perfectly points out the position for you; LFT before departure (which must be certified, so no NHS tests) and test before day 2 in the UK through an approved supplier, with no isolation period.

MACKEM99

Just change your name to Aloka Sharma and you can come and go as you please.

hwm86

Germany offers free lateral flow tests at a lot of locations including most pharmacies so don’t worry about arranging this.

onashoestring

hwm86 said:

Germany offers free lateral flow tests at a lot of locations including most pharmacies so don’t worry about arranging this.

Do you get the test result certificate in English with these free test ? 

[Deleted User]

hwm86 said:

Germany offers free lateral flow tests at a lot of locations including most pharmacies so don’t worry about arranging this.

No they only offer it free to German citizens. I have spoken with someone from our hotel, and they say that we would have to pay 30 euros each. They also don't accept tests which we buy in England and take with us. 

onashoestring

The test to return to the UK is a UK Government requirement so it just has to meet UK Gov  standards- German authorities won’t check that one as it for returning to the UK