Spain is talking to the UK to allow vaccinated Brits into the country within weeks

Spain, Portugal and Greece are making plans to open their borders to vaccinated Britons from June, as ministers rush through their plans to launch Covid passports in time for the propsed start of non-essential foreign travel on May 17th, it has been revealed this morning. The EU’s ban on visitors is not expected to apply to the UK because of its vaccination programme that has seen more than 33 million people get one dose and 10million of those receive both doses already.

The plans, code named 'get together' in Brussels, should allow vaccinated travellers to travel freely and avoid tests and quarantine, bringing hope to millions desperate to go abroad on holiday, or to see family members this summer for the first time in more than a year.

Officials from the EU's 27 member states held their first meeting this week to discuss the plans, but are already said to have decided that vaccination rates will be the key metric when deciding who can visit the bloc.

Insiders say Britain will 'certainly' be among the first to be allowed in through the vaccine passport scheme, with June touted as a start date. The country's case was helped further yesterday when it fell out of the 20 worst-hit countries for excess deaths during the coronavirus pandemic, for the first time since it began.

In tandem with EU countries opening up for all vaccinated British travellers in around six weeks' time, UK travel industry sources claim they have been told Covid passports are expected to be brought in from next month as they are studying Israel’s 'green pass' app as a potential model.      

Greece has already dropped its quarantine rules for travellers from more than 30 nations if they have been vaccinated or tested negative for Covid-19 from May 15^th, two days before Brits can travel again. More than 20 other countries, including Spain, Croatia, Turkey, Portugal and Cyprus, have suggested that they may ask arrivals for vaccination proof.

The Department for Transport in the UK is working on a document to be made for British people to show at borders from May 17th, the planned return date for international travel. Travel industry bosses have been told that Covid passports to prove people have been vaccinated should be ready by then.

Industry figures were given the update in a call with government officials yesterday, according to the Daily Telegraph. A government official on the call, between members of the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group, reportedly said: 'We aim to give people the ability to prove their vaccine status by the time international travel restarts where other countries require it. The earliest that will restart is May 17th.'

DfT sources have confirmed that they are working 'rapidly' to ensure the passports are ready by next month, adding that May 17 is 'the absolute earliest it will be'. A spokesman said: 'We are working on a solution to enable residents to prove their Covid-19 status, including vaccination status, to other countries on the outbound leg. We are working on this as a priority and intend to have the solution ready as soon as possible.'

The government is deciding on the best way to distribute the Covid vaccine certificate, which could come in either digital or physical form. It comes as MPs warned the planned restart of international travel on May 17th is in jeopardy because of the Government's 'vague and costly' plans.

UK residents are currently banned from leaving the country unless for essential reasons but this is expected to change from May 17^th, but there are fears even when this restriction is removed under the PM's roadmap, sun seekers may still be barred from the Continent, but hotspots such as Spain, Portugal and Greece could reportedly defy the EU and allow visitors.

Reports say Spain has told Downing Street it is pushing for Britons to be allowed into the country promptly, and there are suggestions it could be joined by Portugal and Greece in flouting the EU's rules and opening up to Britons. UK travellers are expecting to be free to take jaunts abroad from May 17th as lockdown easing continues, but the Government is yet to confirm the date. They are expected to make their final assessments on opening up further at the beginning of May.