The German foreign ministry’s travel portal ‘Sicher Reisen’ issued an update for the United Kingdom page on 21 October reminding citizens that, since 2025, a valid Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is compulsory for visa-exempt short stays. The page also flags new rules for German school trips from 1 August 2026 and references the UK’s phased roll-out of online immigration and customs forms for its overseas territories. Although the ETA requirement is not new, Germany’s alert follows a spike in airline turn-arounds at EU airports where passengers lacked approved permits. Under UK carrier-liability rules, airlines must deny boarding to travellers without an ETA or visa. Lufthansa and Eurowings have circulated internal memos instructing check-in agents to verify approval codes at document check. For mobility teams the key action is awareness. Employees heading to the UK for meetings of up to six months must apply via the UK Home Office app at least 72 hours before departure, paying £10. The ETA is linked electronically to the passport; a new application is required when a passport is renewed. German nationals still need a full visa for paid work, internships or stays longer than 180 days. Multinational companies should also note the updated guidance for class excursions. From August 2026, every student, irrespective of EU citizenship, will need an individual passport plus ETA or visa; the old ‘student group list’ waiver disappears. Organisations arranging incentive trips or conferences involving minors must therefore budget extra lead-time. Failure to comply can lead to refused carriage, substantial re-ticketing costs and potential reputational damage in client-facing situations.
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
