A new strain of coronavirus discovered in the UK, thought to be up to 70 per cent more transmissible than the original virus, has led to a slew of countries temporarily banning arrivals from the UK.

The Netherlands was the first country to issue restrictions, followed swiftly by a number of other European nations. Chaos ensued as the French border closed to Brits, including those crossing the Channel with cargo, until 11.59pm on 22 December.

More destinations have followed suit around the world, potentially scuppering thousands of people’s Christmas travel plans. Here’s everywhere that has issued a travel ban on visitors from the UK so far.

This is an evolving situation and while this list is being kept up to date, more countries may impose bans throughout the day. Bans may also be extended at short notice. You should check before you travel.

Argentina has suspended direct flights to and from the UK.

A flight ban on all flights from the UK is being imposed from midnight, Tuesday 22 December.

From 00.01 on 21 December 2020, Belgium will close the border between the UK and Belgium for at least 24 hours.

The Government of Bulgaria has announced that air travel between Bulgaria and the UK will be restricted from 00.00 on 21 December until 31 January 2021. British nationals with a valid Bulgarian resident permit are exempt, but they must self-isolate for 10-days upon arrival.

All inbound passenger flights from the UK to Canada have been suspended for 72 hours from 24.00 (ET) on 20 December.

Chile has suspended direct flights to and from the UK.

Direct flights to/from London will be suspended from 20 December until further notice.

Passengers who have arrived directly or indirectly from the UK from 13 December will be contacted and required to self-isolate for 14 days.

Croatia has announced it will be restricting travel for air passengers from the UK for 48 hours from 23.00 (UK time) on 20 December. If you were due to travel to Croatia from the UK, please contact your travel operator.

The Czech Republic has announced that it will suspend flights between the UK and Czech Republic from Monday 21 December.

The Danish Government has banned all air passenger flights between the UK and Denmark from 9.00 (UK time) on Monday 21 December to 9.00 (UK time) on Wednesday 23 December.

El Salvador has banned anyone entering the country from Britain.

From 22.00 GMT Sunday 20 December, Estonia will not be permitting the operation of air passenger services to or from the UK. The restriction to air services is temporary and subject to review, but is currently planned to last until 1 January 2021.

Finland has announced all travel from the UK will be restricted from 12.00 on Monday 21 December until Monday 4 January.

The French government has announced it will be restricting air, car, ferry and train travel from the UK to France from 24.00 (CET) 20 December for 48 hours.

All air passenger flights between the UK and Germany are banned from 23.00 (UK time) on Sunday 20 December until 23.00 (UK time) on Thursday 31 December.

From 22 December, travellers who have visited the UK for more than two hours within the past 14 days will be denied entry to Hong Kong.

Hungary has announced it will be restricting flights to/from the UK from 00.01 Tuesday 22 December. 

The Irish Government announced a ban on flights from Great Britain to Ireland for at least 48 hours from 00.00 on Monday 21 December.

On 20 December, the Italian government announced the immediate suspension of all flights between the UK and Italy. According to the Ministry of Health, anyone who has been in the UK in the previous 14 days will not be permitted entry into Italy. 

Additionally, anyone already in Italy who has been in the UK in the 14 days before 20 December, must report to their local health authorities and take a Covid-19 rapid antigenic or molecular swab test. These measures will remain in place until 6 January.

Jordan has announced it is suspending flights to and from the UK until 3 January.

On 20 December 2020 the Government of Kuwait announced that travellers will not be allowed to enter Kuwait if they have been in the UK during the preceding 14 days. This ban is expected to come into force by 22 December.

From 21 December at 00.00 until 1 January, Latvia will not be permitting the operation of passenger flights to or from the UK.

Lithuania has announced that all travel from the UK will be restricted from 04.00 on 21 December until 23.59 on 31 December.

The Luxembourg government has banned all air passenger flights between the UK and Luxembourg from 00.00 (CET) 20 December for an initial 24-hour period.

Malta has reportedly suspended all flights from the UK.

Mauritius is banning flights to and from the UK, starting at midnight on 21 December.

Norway has temporarily banned all flights from the UK. 

A transport directive from the government of Pakistan said travellers arriving from the UK on direct or indirect flights would not be permitted to enter from midnight on 22 December until midnight on 29 December.  

Passengers transiting in the UK on their way to Pakistan will be allowed to enter if they haven’t left the airside area of the UK airport they are connecting through.

Peru has not only suspended flights to and from UK, but the entirety of Europe.

Flights between Poland and the UK are suspended from midnight on 21 December. 

The government has introduced a ban on all passenger travel, with the exception of Portuguese citizens and those legally resident in Portugal, between the UK and Portugal from 24.00 (GMT) on Sunday 20 December 2020.

From 19.00 (CET) on 21 December, all passenger flights to and from the UK will be banned for 14 days.

Russia is suspending UK flights for one week from midnight on 22 December.

The Ministry of Interior announced the suspension of all international flights for travellers entering and leaving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (except in exceptional cases). Entry to the Kingdom through land and sea borders has been suspended. The announcement states that these measures are due to last for one week, and may be extended for another week. 

Flights to and from the UK will be suspended for 72 hours as of 00.01 22 December.  

Spain is to ban all arrivals from the UK apart from Spanish citizens and residents, the government has said. Madrid said it would also reinforce controls at the border with Gibraltar to ensure travellers complied with the restriction. Flights from the UK will continue to allow residents to enter Spain.

Sweden has announced it will impose restrictions on travel from the UK. Restrictions will be introduced as soon as possible, but the government is yet to announce a specific date and time.

All air travel to/from the United Kingdom is to be suspended. Further updates will be published when they are available.

The Dutch government has banned all air passenger flights between the UK and the Netherlands from 06.00 (CET) on Sunday 20 December 2020 until 1 January 2021. In addition all passenger ferries carrying passengers from the UK to Dutch ports are prohibited until 1 January 2021. This does not apply to freight.

Tunisia’s ministry of transport said that all flights arriving, departing and transiting between Tunisian airports and the UK, South Africa and Australia would be suspended.  

Those travellers who reside in or passed through those countries would not be permitted entry.  The restrictions would be in place until further notice, the ministry said in a Facebook post.

Turkey has announced it will be suspending air travel to/from the UK.