Hello everyone
Before Covid 19 I’d have a life where I’d spend 5 days each week in Switzerland then 2 days in Britain with family at the weekend

This whole not being able to fly about business is messing with my mental health badly.
I respect we can fly back and fourth but we have to pay all this money on Covid 19 tests and personally for me I just can’t afford an extra 300 Sterling on top of flights it drastically changed the concept

Before Covid flight to England and back 70 quid if booked in advance I have a rail card too so travelling from Heathrow to where I am from in England was cheap as chips whole trip cost me 90 quid
Now it’s more like 300-400 for a trip

Weren‘t you just almost 6 months in the UK?

It is how it is unfortunately.

Yes I was I like having both life’s CH and England my family are very poor and unwell and I like to see them

Lots of people who haven‘t seen their loved ones for months, maybe even more than a year……..
You had that at least for almost 6 months, more than most ever had during this pandemic

Don’t we all. Unfortunately unlike you, we haven’t!

Go away Justintheexpat. Some of us haven't seen family in Britain for 16 months now.

Yeah..... try being an Australian....

Yes, it's a drag. Covid is costing those people who want or need to travel a lot.

• Financially: if one chooses to travel that means accepting that one has to get the tests done since those are a requirement, and they cost.
• Emotionally: if one chooses to live in another country from one's family, then covering the distance to them is now so much more complicated, for just about everyone. And some people didn't even choose to live where they do, but their circumstances buffeted them that way. Or their families moved to somewhere inaccessible.
• Time-wise: there's all that extra planning to figure out which test centre to use, to get the test done and the results back within the right window before one's flight.

Right now, there are millions of people all over the world who cannot be where they want to be because of the entry requirements of some countries, and/or the way that Covid has negatively affected their finances and their physical or mental health.

Those still in the position to travel at all, if they so choose to do so, just have to pay the price. The new extras are annoying and a drain, but it really is as others have said: that's really all there is to it, and none of the steps can be avoided, at least not until the rules change.

Not always of course, but sometimes there are more ways to get around than immediately meet the eye. My own family are spread out over different countries and sometimes it's just a question of asking. I have asked politely and been granted exemptions to visit places that according to official information I would not have been allowed to visit.

Sometimes it's just a question of asking and of trying, and maybe sometimes also being flexible, for example by travelling via a third country. Sometimes also you have to be ready to pay a little bit more than would normally be the case, and spend more time travelling. But your well being and mental health are worth more than that. And see it all as part of the adventure.

That's interesting. Could you explain a bit more, please, about the basis on which you asked? Perhaps compassionate grounds?

Partially, yes. But when there just isn't enough money to pay the extra, then that lack can cause an additional strain on one's well-being and mental health.

19 months by now. My grandad is 93. Will I get to see him again? Not sure.

Various things . For example that an elderly relative needed help with the garden, or with renovations of the house .

The small print in the government website specifically said such things are no valid reason , but I tried anyway and it was approved .

Probably an ask and ye shall receive type of thing .

I guess it depends how much it matters to the individuals concerned .

Simply by virtue of not being able to go to the pub or to restaurants during lockdown I have managed to save up much more money than would normally be the case . Time to put some of that to good use .