The UK Passenger Locator Form was discontinued in March 2022 and is not required for travel as of August 2026. This page is kept for historical reference only. If you are traveling soon, please check our current entry requirements for your destination.
UK Passenger Locator Form: What It Was
The UK Passenger Locator Form comes up often in old travel checklists and forum threads, which makes sense - it was mandatory for nearly two years. It's since been scrapped entirely. Below is the full history: what it required, why it existed, and exactly when the UK dropped it.
What Was the UK Passenger Locator Form?
The UK Passenger Locator Form (PLF) was a mandatory online form that almost everyone entering the UK had to complete during the COVID-19 pandemic. Travelers submitted it via gov.uk, typically within 48 hours before arrival.
England operated its own version of the requirement under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020, while Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland ran parallel schemes with similar requirements. The form itself was straightforward, but it was one part of a much larger set of border health controls introduced in response to COVID-19.
Why the UK Government Created It
The Passenger Locator Form was introduced on 8 June 2020, alongside the UK's mandatory quarantine for international arrivals. Its legal basis was the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/568), published on legislation.gov.uk.
The form served a specific public health purpose: it allowed NHS Test and Trace and other public health authorities to contact arriving passengers, enforce self-isolation requirements, and monitor the risk of COVID-19 being imported through international travel. In short, it was a contact-tracing tool built for a specific moment, not a standard border-entry document.
What Information Travelers Had to Submit
The form asked for several categories of information:
- Contact and personal details: name, date of birth, passport number, phone number, and email address
- Journey details: flight, ferry, or train number/operator, the country traveled from, and seat number
- UK address where the traveler would stay or quarantine
Later versions of the form also required proof of a negative pre-departure test and, from late 2021 onward, vaccination status. The exact fields changed several times as UK entry rules evolved.
How the Requirement Changed Over the Pandemic
The form's requirements shifted repeatedly as UK border policy evolved through the pandemic:
- 2020
Launched alongside a 14-day quarantine requirement for most arrivals.
- 2021
The government introduced a "traffic light" system (red, amber, green) for countries, requiring different combinations of pre-departure and post-arrival testing depending on the traveler's route.
- Autumn 2021
Testing requirements were eased significantly for fully vaccinated travelers.
- Early 2022
Requirements were simplified further as the UK began winding down its remaining COVID-19 border measures.
Penalties for Not Completing It
While the form was in effect, failing to complete it - or submitting false information - carried real consequences:
- A fixed penalty of £100 in England (£60 in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland)
- A separate fine of up to £1,000 in England for failing to self-isolate as declared
- Non-British nationals or non-UK residents risked being refused entry for non-compliance
These penalties reflected the form's role in enforcing public health law, not routine immigration procedure.
When and Why It Was Scrapped
The UK Passenger Locator Form was withdrawn at 4am on this date, as part of a broader rollback of pandemic-era travel rules that also eliminated pre-departure testing and unvaccinated-traveler testing requirements. This marked the formal end of COVID-era entry restrictions at the UK border.
Is Anything Similar Required to Enter the UK Today?
No. There is currently no Passenger Locator Form, and no COVID-related entry form of any kind, required to enter the UK.
It's worth distinguishing this from the UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), a separate and unrelated pre-travel permit now required for most visa-exempt visitors who aren't UK or Irish nationals. The ETA is an immigration and border-security measure, introduced for entirely different reasons than the Passenger Locator Form, and it has nothing to do with public health or COVID-19.
If you're traveling internationally and need to check entry requirements for other destinations, our country-specific entry form guides cover current arrival cards and travel declarations for over 20 countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need to fill out a UK Passenger Locator Form?
No. It was withdrawn on 18 March 2022, and no replacement form exists.
What was the Passenger Locator Form used for?
It supported contact tracing and quarantine enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When was the Passenger Locator Form introduced?
It launched on 8 June 2020, under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020.
Is the Passenger Locator Form the same as the UK ETA?
No. They're unrelated schemes. The PLF was a public-health measure; the ETA is an immigration and border-security requirement.
What happens if I search for the old form online today?
Some old guides and third-party sites are still indexed even though the requirement is gone - treat any site offering to "process" a UK Passenger Locator Form today as stale information, not a live service.