- All unvaccinated international arrivals are required to purchase and take a Pre-departure COVID-19 test.
- This can be an antigen test, such as a lateral flow test. The test must be taken within the 2 days before your service departs for England.
For further information, click here

- Many countries accept a pre-departure antigen test to be used for entry from the United Kingdom.
Check your destination country rules for their accepted tests and the appropriate timeframe to complete your test.

- Click on the 'Covid-19 Travel Tests' page on our website or click here.
- Choose 'Pre-departure Lateral Flow (Antigen) Test.
- Click 'Buy it now'
- Enter your contact information, shipping detail and payment details.

- We recommend that you order your PCR home test kit as early as possible.
Please Note:
Your test kit will be delivered anytime within 1-3 working days. Orders are not dispatched on Saturday or Sunday; Bank Holidays or other Statutory Holidays.
Working days are Monday to Friday.
This should be taken into consideration prior to booking your test kit to ensure delivery within time for travel.

The home test kit includes the following:
- Electronic instruciton leaflet (link can be found in the order confirmation email);
- Sterile nasal swab;
- Extraction tube with buffer (sealed with lid, the liquid inside is the buffer); and
- Lateral Flow Cassette.

- Your home test kit will include a detailed electronic instruction leaflet. The link can be found within your order confirmation email. Please follow this carefully.
- This explains how to take your sample correctly and activate your test kit in order to receive your results certificate.

- Your sample is taken with a gentle and non-invasive nasal swab.
- Clear instructions are provided in the electronic instruction leaflet on how to take your swab, see 'Step 2 - Taking your test'.

- You must activate your test kit in order to receive a result certificate for travel.
- Clear instructions are provided in the electronic instruction leaflet on how to do this, see 'Step 3 - Activate your test kit'.
- Step 1: Visit https://expert-testing.co.uk/activate
- Step 2: Select 'Activate your Pre-Departure Test'
- Step 3: Select 'Activate Antigen Test'
- Step 4: Enter your QR Code Number (located on your Lateral Flow Cassette)
- Step 5: Fill in the required information and click 'Activate'.
Please Note:
If you do not activate your test kit, or if your email address is typed incorrectly, you will not receive your result certificate for travel.

- You will receive your travel certificate by email within 3 hours of activation of your test kit.

- Negative = No evidence of an active Covid-19 infection
- Positive = The Covid-19 virus was detected. You must follow the government guidance in relation to travel
- Unclear = It is not possible to say if you had the Covid-19 virus when the test was taken. This is usually due to poor sample taking technique. A repeat test is required.
Please follow the electronic instruction leaflet provided to correctly interpret your results.

- No, this test cannot be used for travel.
A travel certificate is not provided with this test.

- All international arrivals are required to purchase a PCR test kit (Day 2 PCR Test or Day 2 & Day 8 PCR Test) prior to their arrival into the United Kingdom.

- Click on the 'COVID-19 Travel Testing' page on our website
- Choose 'Day 2 PCR Testing Package (Home Kit)' if you are fully vaccinated or for children 5-17, or 'Day 2 and Day 8 PCR Testing Package (Home Kit)' if you are not fully vaccinated
- Enter your arrival date and click continue
- Click Checkout
- Enter your contact information, shipping details and payment details.

- We recommend that you order your PCR home test kit as early as possible but at least 1 week before entering the United Kingdom.
- Please note: Your test kit will be delivered within 6 working days of the date of order. Orders are not dispatched on Saturday or Sunday; Bank Holidays or other Statutory Holidays. Working days are Monday to Friday.This should be taken into consideration prior to booking your test kit to ensure delivery before your Day 2 as stated in the government guidance.

- After purchasing your test kit you will instantly receive an order confirmation email. This will clearly state your Passenger Locator Booking Reference Number. Please also check your junk email.

- You must complete your Passenger Locator Form any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in the United Kingdom.
- Your Booking Reference Number within your order confirmation email should be used for completing your Passenger Locator Form.
- Please click here to access the UK Passenger Locator Form and for further information.

The PCR Home Test Kit includes the following:
- Instruction Leaflet
- Sterile Cotton Swab
- Sample Transport Tube
- Pre-paid return postage label
- Return Mailing Bag
- Barcode Labels
- Biohazard Bag
- Sample Return Box

- Your home test kit will include a detailed instruction leaflet. Please follow this carefully.
This explains how to:
- Take your sample;
- Activate your test kit;
- Package your completed test kit; and
- Return your completed test kit.

- Your sample is taken with a gentle and non-invasive swab.
- Clear instructions are provided in your test kit on how to take your swab, see 'Step 2 - Collecting your sample'.

- You must activate your test kit before returning it via Royal Mail.
- Clear instructions are provided in your test kit on how to do this, see 'Step 1 - Activate your test kit'.
- Step 1: Visit https://expert-testing.co.uk/activate
- Step 2: Select the type of test kit that you are activating (e.g. Day 2 Test)
- Step 3: Enter your barcode number (located in your test kit) and booking reference number (located in your order confirmation email)
- Step 4: Fill out the required information and click 'Activate'
Please Note: If you do not activate your test kit, or if your email address is typed incorrectly, you will not receive your test results

- Clear instructions are provided in your test kit on how to return your sample, see 'Step 3 - Posting your sample'.
Your Home Test Kit includes a pre-paid Royal Mail Tracked 24 return postage label to post your completed sample to our laboratory.
You can find your nearest Priority Postbox here.
Please carefully check the Priority Post box collection times prior to posting and make a note of the tracking number that is detailed on the returns label.
Ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, reduced air and freight capacity, high volumes and winter weather conditions are all impacting Royal Mail's delivery across the UK. Please refer to Royal Mail's website for their latest updates regarding delivery delays.

- You will receive your test results to the email address provided when activating your test kit, within 72 hours of your sample arriving at the laboratory.

Negative There is no evidence of an active Covid-19 infection.
Positive The Covid-19 virus was detected. You must self-isolate for 10 days from the day after your test date. People you live with or are travelling with should also self-isolate for 10 days. You must not travel.
Unclear It is not possible to say if you had the Covid-19 virus when the test was taken. This is usually due to poor sample taking technique. A repeat test is needed or you must self-isolate for 10 days.

- No, the vaccine does not cause a positive PCR test result.

All fully vaccinated arrivals and children aged 5-17 entering the United Kingdom require a Day 2 PCR test kit.
From 30 November 2021, Day 2 Lateral Flow tests are no longer accepted.
If you are not fully vaccinated, you will need to purchase our Day 2 and Day 8 PCR home test kit.

Day 2 PCR tests can be taken at any point on or before Day 2.

Day 0: Day of arrival into the UK
Day 1: Day after arrival into the UK.

Yes, you have to quarantine until you receive a negative Day 2 PCR test result at which point you can end your quarantine immediately.

You have to self-isolate for 10 full days.
You can stop self-isolating after 7 days if you do a rapid antigen (lateral flow) test on days 6 and 7 of your self-isolation period and:
- Both tests are negative; and
- You did both tests at least 24 hours apart.

The Day 2 PCR test is mandatory for all arrivals entering the United Kingdom.
You could receive a £2,000 penalty if you do not take a Day 2 PCR Test.
Please click here for further information.

All partially vaccinated and unvaccinated arrivals entering the United Kingdom require a Day 2 & Day 8 PCR Test Kit.
If you are fully vaccinated, you will need to purchase our Day 2 PCR Home Test Kit instead.

Day 2 PCR tests can be taken at any point on or before Day 2.
Day 8 PCR tests can be taken at any point on or after Day 8.

Day 0: Day of arrival into the UK
Day 1: Day after arrival into the UK.

Yes, you must quarantine for 10 full days.
You can end quarantine after 10 full days if you:
- Have received a negative result for both Day 2 and Day 8 PCR tests
- Do not have any Covid-19 symptoms

Yes, under the Test to Release scheme you can pay for a Day 5 Test to Release, which, if negative can end your quarantine. Your Day 2 test must also have been negative.
This is entirely voluntary.
You must still complete your Day 8 test.

This could be due to typing your email address incorrectly when purchasing your Test Package.
Please also check your junk folder.
To rectify this issue, please contact us using the contact form by clicking here, or via telephone on 01274 449 968.
Please note that due to an unprecedented volume of calls you may experience a greater hold time than usual. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Please ensure that you have allowed sufficient time (at least 1-6 working days) to receive your home test kit.
You can track your order using your DPD tracking details provided by DPD.
For further assistance please contact us using the contact form by clicking here, or via Telephone on 01274 449 968.
Please note that due to an unprecedented volume of calls you may experience a greater hold time than usual. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

This could be due to the following:
- Normal processing times (within 72 hours of receipt);
- Not activating your test kit;
- Providing an incorrect email address;
- Not applying your barcode label onto the sample tube;
- Incorrectly applying your barcode label onto the sample tube; or
- Your sample being lost in the post.

For further assistance please contact us using the contact form by clicking here, or via Telephone on 01274 449 968.
Please note that due to an unprecedented volume of calls you may experience a greater hold time than usual. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Yes, you can arrange a private courier to collect your sample and deliver it directly to our laboratory.
Please note that you will receive your test results to the email address provided when activating your test kit, within 72 hours of your sample arriving at the laboratory.