Passport and visa regulations
Nationalities
| Passport required | visa required | Return ticket required | |
| Germany | Yes | no | no |
| Turkey | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other EU countries | Yes | no | no |
| Switzerland | Yes | no | no |
| Austria | Yes | no | no |
ID cards/identity cards
Attention: Since October 1, 2021, citizens of the EU and Switzerland need a passport to enter Great Britain.
Passport information
Generally required, must be valid for at least the duration of your stay.
Note on the passport
Travel documents that have been reported stolen or lost in the past and then recovered and re-registered should not be used for entry. The loss entry in the Interpol database is often not yet deleted, which is why they are confiscated at the border.
Visa information
A visa is generally required, except for citizens of the following countries listed in the table above for visit, business or tourist trips of up to 6 months: EU countries and Switzerland. Attention: If you plan to work in the UK, you need a work visa. This also applies to au pairs, interns, trainees, short-term substitutes and the self-employed. Visa-free business travelers require, among other things, confirmation from a British company that the activities are permitted as part of the business trip, proof of sufficient financial resources and proof of the entire planned travel route including accommodation.
- Thembaprograms: Offers ultimate guide to duty-free shopping in United Kingdom. Also includes import and export regulations, as well as embassy and telecommunication information about this country.
Costs
Germany, Austria and Switzerland: The visa fees for the following visa types are the same for all travelers who require a visa. Tourist Visa: Standard Visitor Visa: £95-£822 Business Visa: Contract with UK Company Foreign Experts: £95 Non-Contract with UK Company: £95-£822 There is also a service charge from the TLScontact Visa Application Centres.
Visa types and costs
Tourist, Business and Transit Visa.
Validity
Varies, tourist visas are generally issued for 6 months. A transit visa is valid for 7 days.
Transit
Numerous travelers who otherwise require a visa (further information from the consular posts) who arrive by plane and continue their journey from the same airport to a third country (excluding the Republic of Ireland) on the same day, have valid documents for onward travel and do not leave the transit area, require it no transit visa. First, an account must be set up with GOV.UK. The GOV.UK account is used to register for a visa application, fills out the application form for the visa online, pays the visa fee and arranges a personal interview appointment. The visa application is then submitted to the responsible TSL Contact Visa Application Center in Düsseldorf, Berlin, Munich, Geneva, Zurich or Vienna. It is not possible to submit an application by post.
Application required
Different depending on nationality. I. General: Visitor Visa: (a) 1 completed application form (some nationalities require 2 completed application forms). (b) 1 recent color passport photograph. (c) Passport valid for at least the entire stay and with one page blank on both sides. If issued within the last 12 months, a copy or the original of the previous passport. (d) Fee (proof of online payment). (e) Proof of employment or study. (f) Hotel booking or written invitation (accommodation payment should be made after visa issuance). (g) Confirmation of booking of round-trip tickets. (h) Proof of sufficient funds (bank statements from the last 6 months, statement from the travel agent for package tours, letters of invitation from relatives or friends for private visits). (i) Proof of marital status. Business visa: (j) Letter of secondment from your own company and invitation from the British business partner with details of the reason for and duration of the trip.
Processing time
From the personal appointment of the visa application for a short-term visa up to 15 days; Long-term visas: Up to 1 month.
Documents required upon entry
(a) Sufficient Funds. (b) Valid return or onward travel tickets.
Extension of stay
EU citizens and Swiss who want to stay longer than the visa-free 6 months in Great Britain need a visa or a work visa (this also applies to au pairs, interns and the self-employed). (UK organizations can only recruit workers from abroad if they are a Home Office licensed sponsor.
Entry with children
German: Children’s passport or own passport. Austrians: Own passport. Swiss: passport. Turks: passport. Note: The same visa requirements apply to children as to their parents. Note: UK Home Office regulations require that adults accompanying minors entering or leaving the country must be able to prove that they are the legal guardian or are related to the child and present a copy of their passport. Unaccompanied minors should carry a consent form in English signed by the legal guardian, which also provides information on the placement and care of the minor in the UK. adult travelers, who are accompanying a minor child who is resident in Great Britain when leaving Great Britain, should carry proof of their legal custody (birth or adoption certificate, a declaration of consent signed by the legal guardian, marriage or divorce certificates, if applicable). Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible. should carry proof of their entitlement to custody (birth or adoption certificate, a declaration of consent signed by the person entitled to custody, marriage or divorce certificates if applicable). Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible. should carry proof of their entitlement to custody (birth or adoption certificate, a declaration of consent signed by the person entitled to custody, marriage or divorce certificates if applicable). Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible. carry divorce certificates with you. Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible. carry divorce certificates with you. Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Entry with pets
Dogs, cats and ferrets from third countries that are not rabies-free require a UK-accepted national pet passport, which can only be issued by authorized veterinarians, and must have an implanted microchip on their neck as an identifier. The pet passport must show that the animal has had a valid rabies vaccination and, if necessary, a valid booster vaccination against rabies. The import is limited to 5 animals. Pets under 4 months of age are exempt from the compulsory vaccination against rabies. The detection of rabies antibodies and tick treatment is no longer required since 2012. Dogs must be checked and treated for tapeworms by a veterinarian 1-5 days before departure. Listed third countries: www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad#countries-and-territories Dogs, cats and ferrets as well as birds and small animals from non-listed third countries are subject to the following additional regulations: If one of the above requirements (implanted microchip, valid rabies vaccination, official health certificate, tapeworm examination in dogs and also a blood test 30 days of vaccination for vaccinal antibodies and a subsequent 3-month waiting period), animals from non-listed third countries must meet the following requirements before being brought to the UK: – Document required to provide evidence of an import permit issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. – 6-month quarantine, during this period the animal is vaccinated twice against rabies. Non-listed third countries: www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad#countries-and-territories For dogs, cats and ferrets from rabies-free third countries (e.g. Switzerland, Andorra, Iceland, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino and Vatican City ) the pet passport, which confirms a valid rabies vaccination, can also be used for importation. Britain is rabies free. Dog and cat import regulations have been relaxed under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). Further information on the countries and animal species that meet the PETS criteria can be obtained from the British Consulates General or the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural- affairs). Note: Owning the following types of dogs is illegal in the UK:
