Brits WILL be allowed into Portugal from May 17, country's foreign minister confirms

Brits WILL be allowed into Portugal from May 17, the country's foreign minister has now confirmed.

It follows fears that UK tourists could be turned away at the border due to the current EU travel ban.

However, the country's foreign minister said that Brits will just need a negative Covid test to enter from Monday, following last-minute talks.

Portugal was added to the UK's green list last week, meaning UK travellers can go on holiday from May 17 without having to quarantine when returning to Britain.

As one of the few countries on the green list, airlines and tour operators launched thousands of flights and deals to cope with demand, with even plans for a UK-Portugal ferry route.

Yet not only is the UK not currently on the EU-exemption list for travel, but Portugal also extended its "state of calamity" until May 30, despite being due to open their borders from Sunday.

This led to fears of a wave of cancellations from airlines if Brits faced being banned from entering on Monday.

Many families also worried that they could be stuck in a battle to get refunds from tour operators if their trip couldn't go ahead.

A statement from the Portuguese National Tourist Office has now confirmed: "The Portuguese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs announced today that British Tourists will be allowed to enter Portugal as of the 00:00 of 17th of May, next Monday.

"This decision, will revoke the essential travel restrictions, that is in place until the 16th of May. Any person entering Portugal will have, in any case, to have an RT-PCR test done 72hr before the departure."

There is hope that the UK could be added to the EU's travel green list from next week, the Sun revealed yesterday, with diplomats set to meet on Monday to discuss the blueprint.

Ambassadors from the EU27 will then gather on Wednesday when they could rubber stamp it – eurocrats have said the plan should be adopted by the end of this month "at the latest".

Portugal's lockdown extension could wreck plans to hold the Champions League final in Porto on May 29.

Up to 20,000 Man City and Chelsea fans are planning to descend on the country for the all-English final.

While Brits will now be able to travel to the match, they may be forced toleave Porto straight after the match is finished according to authorities.

Portugal's cabinet affairs minister Mariana Vieira da Silva said there would be a set of rules for fans attending the final: "Those who come to the final of the Champions League will come and return on the same day, with a test done, in a bubble situation, on charter flights.

"There will be two fan zones and from there they will be moved to the stadium and from the stadium to the airport, being in Portugal less than 24 hours.

Only four of the countries on the green list are welcoming Brits, with destinations including Australia and New Zealand not opening their borders to tourists.

While Brits won't have to quarantine when returning to the UK from a green destination, a pre-arrival test and a Covid test on day two are still required.

The rest of Europe is on the amber list, which requires a 10-day home quarantine.

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