Passenger Locator Forms

updates from the Department of Transport

All travellers must complete a Passenger Locator Form online before arriving in the UK, even if they are only transiting through the UK. It’s free to submit the form and it may be completed any time in the 48 hours before arriving in the UK.

Travellers will also need to show their form when checking in to travel or board a plane, train or ferry to the UK. They will need to provide a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test before travelling to the UK and the test must have been taken in the 3 days before departure. 

Recently, the DfT has made some significant and sensible changes to the PLF – as we detail below.

The front page or ‘summary page’ of the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) is being updated to better reflect the details carriers are asked to check at the border.

Following feedback from industry, among other changes, the DfT have updated the PLF front page to:

  1. Clear signal whether a passenger is red, amber or green.
  2. Bold signalling of exemptions
  3. Present key information relating to PLF validity – including flight number, date of arrival and passport number.

Click on the mock examples of the new front pages (below) for reference:

Passenger Locator Form mock-upGreen List: Exemptions - Staying in the UK
Green List: No Exemptions - Staying in the UK
Amber List: Exemptions - Staying in the UK
Green List: No Exemptions - Staying in the UK
Red List: Exemptions - Staying in the UK
Green List: No Exemptions - Staying in the UK
Multiple Trips, ie: crews or hauliers
Transit through the UK

NHS COVID PASS App

 

IMPORTANT - if you're using the NHS Covid Pass app as proof of your vaccination status, please ensure that the name shown on the app is exactly the same as how your name appears on your passport.

Under a pilot scheme held by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Heathrow Airport, around 250 fully vaccinated passengers on selected flights from New York, Los Angeles, Jamaica and Athens earlier this month presented their COVID status using paper or digital formats before boarding a plane. 99% of their documents were verified as authentic, with just two passengers rejected.

NHS Covid Pass app

In one case, there was a discrepancy between the name on their vaccine card and the name on their passport. Another involved someone who had been fully vaccinated less than 14 days before travel.

 

To help you navigate the changes of business travel, we’ve created the brand-new Traveller Toolkit. This invaluable online resource is packed full of easy-to-use guides and checklists for every stage of every journey. We detail exactly what you need to know and do before, during and after your trip in a post-pandemic, post Brexit world.

You can even check the travel restrictions and health status of your destination with our comprehensive COVID-19 Country Tracker, updated five times daily to ensure you have the very latest information to help keep you and your travellers safe.

Travel is changing. With common sense and a good TMC behind you, travellers can have the confidence to once again take to the skies. It’ll soon be back business as (un)usual.