The UK Home Office has indicated that the requirement for people travelling to the United Kingdom to have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will be strictly enforced from 25 February 2026.

From that date, anyone who is required to have an ETA but does not have one will be turned away by the airline when checking in at an airport abroad. German citizens who also hold British or Irish citizenship must use their British or Irish passport to enter the UK. They do not need an ETA. Further information on all ETA-related matters can be found here.

If you already hold a visa or residence permit for the United Kingdom (for example, you hold EU settled status), you do not need an ETA to travel to the United Kingdom. However, it is essential that your UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) account is up-to-date. Therefore please check regularly (and particularly before travelling abroad from the United Kingdom) whether all the details in your UKVI account are up-to-date (passport number and expiry date, address, email address, telephone number). Further information on all eVisa-related matters can be found here.