Transport minister Grant Shapps announced on Friday that Britain will allow people in England to resume international travel from May 17, but will be limiting the number of destinations open for quarantine-free holidays to just a handful of countries as it cautiously emerges from COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

“We must make absolutely sure that the countries we reconnect with are safe. That their infection rates are low, and that their vaccination rates are high,” Shapps said.

Portugal, Israel, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore all made the green list for travel in a system that will be reviewed every three weeks.

Left off the list were Spain, France, Italy and the U.S., the top four most visited countries by U.K. residents in 2019, which all sit in the amber category and require self-isolation upon return to the U.K.

Green list travel will involve people taking two COVID-19 tests — one before arrival back into the U.K. and one within two days of returning.

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