Editorial Team
Our content team
6 min read
On February 25, 2026, the grace period ended. If you're a German citizen heading to the UK without an ETA, you won't get past check-in. Your airline will turn you away. No backup flight, no refund. The German Federal Foreign Office has been flagging this for months, and now enforcement is real.
The UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation has technically been required for German nationals since April 2025. But the rules weren't enforced consistently. That changed on February 25, 2026. Airlines, ferries, and the Eurostar are now legally obligated to check your ETA status before letting you board. The UK Home Office is clear: "No permission, no travel."
So if you haven't applied yet, honestly do it today. It takes about five minutes.
How to Apply for Your UK ETA
Good news first: this really is quick. You can only apply through the official GOV.UK website or the UK ETA app by UKVI (available on iOS and Android). Nowhere else.
What you need:
A valid biometric passport (national ID cards won't work - not since Brexit)
A credit or debit card for the 16 GBP fee
Your phone camera for a face photo - no separate passport photo needed
Step by step:
- Go to gov.uk/eta or download the UK ETA app
- Enter your passport details (passport number, expiry date, personal information)
- Take a photo of your face using your phone camera
- Pay the fee: 16 GBP by credit or debit card
- Wait for confirmation - most applications are approved automatically within minutes
The fee is 16 GBP (roughly 18 EUR, as of February 2026). Most applications are approved within minutes. Still, the UK government recommends applying at least three working days before your trip, just in case.
Your ETA is valid for two years and allows multiple entries, with each stay capped at six months. The key thing people miss: the ETA is tied to your passport, not to you as a person. Get a new passport? You need a new ETA. You can check your current status any time at gov.uk/check-eta.
Three Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Trip
National ID cards don't work. Plenty of Germans still picture pre-Brexit travel: pull out the Personalausweis, walk through, done. That mental model is outdated. You need a biometric passport. No passport, no ETA application. No ETA, no boarding. A 2 x Reisepasshülle für den NEUEN Reisepass (ab April 2017), dokumentenecht und transparent in reißfester Schutzhülle keeps your passport protected during travel. And one thing worth knowing: apply for your UK ETA before you buy the ticket - not the morning of your flight.
Children's travel passports are genuinely risky. Germany's Kinderreisepass (a simplified children's passport without a biometric chip) hasn't been issued since January 2024. If your child still has one, especially an extended version, it's probably not going to work - either during the ETA application or at the UK border. According to AXA Assistance, the risk is real, not theoretical. Every child needs a full biometric passport. And yes, every child - even babies - needs their own individual ETA.
Fake websites are everywhere. The NRW State Criminal Police Office has documented cases where scam sites charged up to 200 EUR for an application that costs 16 GBP on the official site. The ADAC also warns against private intermediary websites with inflated fees. Simple rule: if the URL doesn't end in gov.uk, don't use it. For families traveling with multiple passports, a jiemei RFID-Familienpasshülle, wasserdicht, Reisedokumenten-Organizer, Kreditkarten-Clutch, Tasche für Männer und Frauen helps keep all your documents organized in one place.
2 x Reisepasshülle für den NEUEN Reisepass (ab April 2017), dokumentenecht und transparent in reißfester Schutzhülle
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What If Your Application Gets Rejected?
Most ETA applications go through automatically. But if yours doesn't, you have options. The most common reason for rejection is a data entry error - a typo in your name or a wrong passport number. Resubmitting with correct information usually solves it. For more complicated cases (prior travel refusals, for instance), contact the British Embassy directly. In those situations, three working days won't be enough buffer. Plan ahead.
Pre-Flight Checklist
Before heading to the airport, run through these four checks. Every box needs to be ticked before you travel.
Is your passport valid and biometric? (Not your national ID card, not a Kinderreisepass without a chip)
ETA applied for and approved?
Separate ETA for each child in your group?
Got a new passport since your last ETA? Then you need a fresh one
Also worth checking before a UK trip: make sure you're up to date on carry-on luggage dimensions for your airline - rules vary more than most people realize. And if you're planning other international travel this year, there are also new US entry requirements for 2026 to be aware of.
The application takes five minutes. Skipping it could cost you your entire trip.
