Lockdown Travel Restrictions

[GoingTheDistance2 7]

Hi all -

 

My wife is a UK citizen living in London, and is currently planning to travel to the US to visit me (USC) for a few weeks starting in late November.

 

With the new lockdown, it seems all travel outside of the UK is being limited with some exceptions — the named exceptions I’ve seen are “work, education, and other legally permitted purposes.”

 

I recognize there is still a lot of ambiguity around the details of the lockdown, but does anyone have a sense for whether visiting a spouse abroad might be an allowed “exception” to the measures being implemented on Thursday?

Unfortunately, my wife won’t be able to travel to the US before Thursday... otherwise, that might have been a good option.

 

Thanks

[corntop 129]

It feels like a big grey area and very dependent on luck or the airport staff your wife could face while trying to get there IMO. It says travel abroad is not allowed yet we've not closed the borders or stopped flights etc since all this started.  I'm not sure visiting a spouse abroad comes under "legally permitted purposes" but it likely isn't defined at all. I feel like if her flight is going ahead and she has all the documents to prove she is exempt from the US travel ban, then she may very easily get through, but if she comes across some strict airport staff? I'm not so sure, she might have to argue a bit. Good luck.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

3 hours ago, GoingTheDistance2 said:

I recognize there is still a lot of ambiguity around the details of the lockdown, but does anyone have a sense for whether visiting a spouse abroad might be an allowed “exception” to the measures being implemented on Thursday?

 

2 hours ago, corntop said:

. I feel like if her flight is going ahead and she has all the documents to prove she is exempt from the US travel ban, then she may very easily get through, but if she comes across some strict airport staff? I'm not so sure, she might have to argue a bit. Good luck

If a flight is successfully booked, I would take documentation of marriage to a US citizen.
Marriage certificate

Photocopy of US passport or US birth certificate

 

[Hannahl4211 42]

I travelled to the USA on an ESTA to see my husband in May during the first lockdown (which was a lot stricter than this one) and it was absolutely fine. I drove from Glasgow to London and flew from LHR! She will be fine! 

Edited November 3, 2020 by Hannahl4211

[GoingTheDistance2 7]

Appreciate everyone’s feedback here!

 

Wanted to see if anyone has any experiences leaving the UK to visit their spouse during this lockdown?

 

I see that some people were successful doing this during previous lockdowns, but our understanding is that travel restrictions for leaving the UK are stricter this time (while other components of the lockdown may have been stricter last time).