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The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be in place for all eligible travellers visiting the Schengen zone, including Germany, starting in 2025. All citizens of countries with whom the EU has a visa exemption agreement will be eligible to apply for ETIAS travel, and indeed it will be mandatory for them to do so.
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Welcome to Europe
With history, culture and natural beauty in rich abundance throughout Germany, it is no wonder that it attracts so many visitors that travel UK to Germany every year and has inspired fairy tales for hundreds of years. There are amazing things to see, from the Bavarian Alps to the Rhine Valley and beyond. The Rhine is famous for many things, most notably the vineyards producing award-winning Riesling wine and the many beautiful timeworn castles dotted along its riverbanks. Timber-framed settlements and church spires jut from the luscious hilly landscape along the river, which historically served as a transportation and trade link between the north and southof Europe for thousands of years, adding to the area’s depth of culture.Of course, with such a prevalence of culture and history in Germany, there have inevitably formed deep-rooted cultural practises, festivals and traditions. Oktoberfest is a world-famous festival held in Munich every year, which attracts thousands of attendees wearing leather lederhosen and frilly dirndl’s and drinking steins of beer. Massive Christmas markets abound every winter season in every major German city, where foliage-trimmed wooden huts sell everything imaginable including celebrated German foods like bratwurst and soft pretzel. Both of these traditions are so admired that they are imitated with reverence around the globe.Berlin, arguably the cultural hub of Germany, has anumber of fine museums and art galleries, as well as memorials and architecture that observe the many historical events that have occurred throughout German history –however favourable or not they may be. These sights includethe towering Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial of the Berlin Wall and the Holocaust Memorial. Remarkably, Berlin has over 180 museums, five of which are located on Museum Island –a UNESCO World Heritage site. Berlin is by far the largest city in Germany and is known for being creative,diverse, youthful and progressive with a world-renowned night life (and no official closing time!).Germany is undoubtedly one of the world’s must-visit countries. However, before booking your trip, it is important to remember that Germany is an EU country that falls within the Schengen zone, and as such will require eligible visitors to have ETIAS approval before entering the country. As a result, British nationals will qualify for ETIAS, as the UK is one of a lengthy list of nations that do not require a visa to enter the Schengen area.
Once the ETIAS system is operational in 2025, anyone who will travel UK to Germany will need an authorised ETIAS visa waiver. Before travelling, British people must apply for ETIAS and confirm that their passport is valid for at least three months after their expected arrival in Germany. From an as yet unconfirmed date 2025, all qualifying people must apply for ETIAS approval, or have an application submitted on their behalf, before planning to visit any country within the Schengen zone. The sole document required for the ETIAS application is a valid biometric passport. Biometric passports have been issued in the UK since 2010, so most British citizens should not find this to be a problem. The passport must have a machine-readable photograph that is printed rather than pasted or attached in any way. Although it isn’t always required, it should have an electronic passport chip. The ETIAS application will take you roughly 10-20 minutes to complete and is very straightforward, although a few things must be taken into consideration before starting the application. It is critical that the payment card used to pay the application fee has no holds on it, and that it has adequate funds to pay the application fee, which will be around £6 (the exact amount is yet to be confirmed). Basic biometric information such as name, date of birth and home address will be requested in the application and it is critical that all information is submitted correctly, otherwise the application may be immediately denied. ETIAS applicants must also provide information about their travel, medical and criminal histories. The ETIAS system will utilise all of the information gathered during the application process to check it against various databases such as the Schengen Information System (SIS), Interpol and Europol. The reason for this is to check that the submitted information complies with data already in the system, and also to check that the applicant is not a known threat of any kind. Approval is likely to be given within 24 hours, unless the information is deemed deficient or suspicious in some way. On occasion, an applicant may be asked to submit more information, or attend an interview. ETIAS approval will remain valid for three years or until the linked passport expires. In the event thatthe ETIAS holder’s passport expires or is replaced during that time for any reason, the linked ETIAS will be invalidated,and it will become necessary for the individual to apply again. During the time that an individual’s ETIAS is valid, they may travel into the Schengen area any number of times as long as their stay does not exceed 90 days within any 180-day period–if someone wants to stay longer, they must apply for a separate visa that is appropriate to their reasonfor staying.
Can’t find what you are looking for on this page?
No problem! Our Customer Service team is here to help.
All citizens who travel UK to Germany will need ETIAS visa waiver approval. When the scheme becomes operational in 2025 there will be a six-month grace period in order for visitors and border officials to get accustomed to the new system. After that, it will become mandatory for all eligible individuals to have ETIAS clearance.
It will be essential for all people from visa-free countries, regardless of age, to gain ETIAS approval before travelling to Germany. Minors will require their parent or guardian to apply on their behalf. Please note, ETIAS applicants under 18 or over 70 will not be required to pay the application fee when you travel UK to Germany.
Applying for ETIAS is a simple process that should take only a few minutes –20 minutes maximum (after which the application will time out). To apply, the applicant will only need to make sure they have stable internet access, a valid biometric passport and a payment card with sufficient fees to pay the application fee. Questions will be asked of the applicant such as their name, contact information, home address and citizenship. There will also be other questions for the purposes of security, asking the applicant their travel, medical and criminal history. If for any reason the application is deemed to be of concern to border officials, the applicant may be asked to submit other information or attend an interview for those who travel UK to Germany.
No –ETIAS and Schengen visas only allow for an individual to stay in any location within the Schengen area including Germany for a maximum of 90 days within any 180 days. If someone wishes to stay longer, or work or study in Germany, they must submit an application for the appropriate visa pertaining to the reason they wish to stay.
There are several ways to travel from the UK to Germany, with flying being the most common option. Numerous airlines offer direct flights between major UK and German cities. Alternatively, you can travel by train, taking the Eurostar to France or Belgium and then connecting to Germany via high-speed trains. You may also drive or take a coach, crossing the Channel by ferry or Eurotunnel, and continue through France, Belgium, or the Netherlands.
As a UK citizen, you can travel to Germany from the UK without a visa for short stays up to 90 days within any 180-day period for tourism, family visits, or business purposes. However, for longer stays or other reasons, you may need a visa or residence permit.
Yes, Germany is part of the Schengen Area, a group of 26 European countries that have abolished passport and border control at their mutual borders. A Schengen visa allows you to travel within the entire Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
A UK visa does not automatically grant you the right to transit through Germany. If you need to transit through Germany, you may require a Schengen transit visa, depending on your nationality and the specific circumstances of your journey. It is essential to check the German Federal Foreign Office’s website for the latest transit visa requirements.