Fully vaccinated Indians arriving in the United Kingdom will no longer need mandatory 10-day hotel quarantine as India has been moved from the country's "red" to "amber" list.

They will now have the choice to quarantine at home or any other place of their choice instead of having to pay huge hotel bills during the quarantine period.

The shift from red to amber status will directly impact thousands of Indian families, students looking to travel to the UK. Students will now heave a sigh of relief as they were finding it difficult to meet the expenses involved in staying at a hotel for 10 days. 

The change, announced by the Department for Transport, comes into effect from 4 am local time on Sunday Aug 8.

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"The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4am (sic)," UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted.

"While it's right we continue our cautious approach, it's great news to open more destinations for people wanting to connect with families, friends and businesses across the globe, all thanks to our successful domestic vaccination programme," he said.

Indian nationals can now quarantine at a location of their choice for 10 days after arriving in the UK. They will retain the option to "Test to Release" after five days of quarantine.

Those travelling from India will need to take a Covid test within three days before their flight and book in advance for two Covid tests to be taken on arrival in England as well as complete a passenger locator form on arrival.

After arriving in England, passengers must quarantine, but at home or in any place they have confirmed as their location for 10 days and test on or before day two and on or after day eight.

Those below 18 and those fully vaccinated in the UK are exempt from home quarantine. So are those who have received two doses of Covid vaccine in the EU and the US.

Those "fully vaccinated in the UK or under the UK vaccine programme overseas; under 18 on the day you arrive in England and resident in the UK or in a country with a vaccination programme approved by the UK and part of a UK-approved vaccine trial," will not need quarantine, the rules say.

Covishield, the India-made Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, is likely to be covered under this exemption.