This guide covers the UK visa from Germany in 2026: the ETA now required of German citizens, current fees in euros, and the visa routes for non-EU residents of Germany. Since Brexit, German nationals are visa-free for short visits but need a €24 Electronic Travel Authorisation approved before boarding — while non-EU residents of Germany need a full visa, whatever their German residence status.
UK Visas from Germany
UK Visa from Germany 2026: Fees, ETA Requirements & How to Apply
UK Entry Requirements from Germany
German citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to six months, but they do need an ETA (€24, valid two years) obtained through the UK ETA App. Non-EU residents of Germany need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) instead. For work, study, or family stays, German nationals apply for the relevant visa and give biometrics through the UK Immigration: ID Check App — no visa centre visit.
Germany sends millions of travellers to Britain every year for business, tourism, and family visits, and the two economies remain deeply intertwined. Since Brexit, though, German travellers face the same ETA system as other visa-exempt nationals — and it must be approved before boarding, as it is checked at check-in. German nationals can no longer use EU lanes and pass through the same control as other non-EU visitors.
- A valid passport: covering the duration of the stay.
- An approved ETA: €24, valid two years, via the UK ETA App.
- Evidence of return or onward travel.
- Accommodation details: a booking or a host's address.
- Enough funds: to support the visit without working.
- Genuine intention to leave within six months.
At the border, officers may ask about your plans, accommodation, and funds, though detailed questioning is rare for German visitors. Keeping your booking and return ticket on your phone speeds things up. Travellers from elsewhere in the region face the same system, including those covered by our France ETA guidance.
Do German Citizens Need a Visa for the UK?
It depends on your nationality, not your residence. Free movement between the EU and UK ended on 31 December 2020, so German citizens are now visa-exempt nationals for short visits — they can visit without a visa but cannot work, study courses over six months, or access public funds. According to the official gov.uk ETA guidance, German citizens have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, with a 99.6% issue rate in the latest Home Office figures — approval is effectively automatic for eligible travellers.
The full rules, exemptions, and how the scheme works across nationalities are covered in our guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme. Visitors from the Netherlands and other EU states follow the same ETA route.
UK Visa Fees from Germany 2026 (in Euros)
Home Office fees are set in pounds and shown in euros for applicants in Germany and the eurozone. The figures below are pulled from the official fee calculator, apply identically across euro-currency countries, and are non-refundable.
UK Standard Visitor visa fee and short-stay fees from Germany (2026)
| Visa Type | Fee (EUR) | Max Stay Per Visit |
|---|---|---|
| ETA (German citizens) | €24 | 6 months |
| Standard Visitor (6 months) | €164 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (2 years) | €615 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (5 years) | €1,097 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (10 years) | €1,371 | 6 months |
| Marriage Visitor | €164 | 6 months |
| Direct Airside Transit (DATV) | €50 | Airside only |
| Visitor in Transit | €91 | 48 hours |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros; ETA per GOV.UK.
UK work, study and family visa fees from Germany (2026)
| Visa Category | Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Student | €678 |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | €995 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | €1,966 |
| Health and Care Worker (up to 3 years) | €394 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | €413 |
| Partner / Family visa | €2,508 |
| Adult Dependent Relative | €4,417 |
| Priority service | +€608 |
| Super Priority service | +€1,215 |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros.
The Immigration Health Surcharge
Any visa over six months also carries the Immigration Health Surcharge, charged in pounds at £1,035 a year — students and Youth Mobility participants pay £776. It is paid on top of the visa fee and is not converted to euros. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt.
UK Tourist Visa from Germany
“UK tourist visa from Germany” means different things by nationality. A German passport holder visiting as a tourist only needs the €24 ETA — covering tourism, family visits, business meetings and negotiations (never paid work), short courses up to 30 days, private medical treatment, and transit. A non-EU national living in Germany must apply for a Standard Visitor visa regardless of how long they have lived there — a German Aufenthaltstitel does not grant visa-free UK access.
For repeat trips, the long-term visitor visa allows unlimited entries over two, five, or ten years while still capping each stay at six months. If a visit was refused before, our guides on why UK visas are refused and the odds of success when reapplying explain how to strengthen a fresh application. Travellers from Belgium follow the same visitor framework.
UK Visa from Germany for Non-EU Citizens
This is the question Germany's search data asks most: the UK visa fee from Germany for non-EU citizens is €164 for the six-month Standard Visitor visa, whatever the nationality — Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, Turkish, or other. The application goes through the visa centre network in Berlin, Düsseldorf, or Munich and takes about three weeks. A German residence permit strengthens the application as evidence of ties, but it does not remove the visa requirement.
German Residence Strengthens Your Application
Legal residence in Germany — especially permanent residence — helps a UK visitor application by showing strong ties and a clear reason to return. Include your Aufenthaltstitel, employment contract, and evidence of settled life such as property, bank accounts, or family in Germany alongside the standard documents in our UK visa supporting documents checklist. If a relative is hosting you, our guide to the sponsor's invitation letter shows what to include.
Working and Studying in the UK
Free movement ended on 31 December 2020, so German nationals now need permission to work or study long-term. The upside is convenience: as an EU national, you verify your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App rather than attending a visa centre, and UK visa grant rates for German applicants are high across all routes.
Skilled Worker Visa
The Skilled Worker route is the main path for German nationals taking UK employment. You need a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary meeting the general threshold of £41,700, with lower thresholds for some roles. The fee is €995 for up to three years or €1,966 beyond that, plus the health surcharge, and it leads to settlement after five years.
Youth Mobility, Student and Family Routes
German citizens aged 18 to 35 can apply under the Youth Mobility Scheme to live and work in the UK for two years; the fee is €413. For courses over six months, the Student visa costs €678 and allows part-time work; after a degree the Graduate route gives two years' post-study work. Germans joining a British or settled partner can apply for a partner visa (€2,508), with a minimum income requirement of £29,000.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from Germany
German citizens have an advantage: as EU nationals they can use the ID Check App to apply without visiting a visa centre. Non-EU residents of Germany use the Berlin, Düsseldorf, or Munich centre for biometrics. For an ETA there is no form beyond the app itself — download it, scan your passport, take a photo, and pay.
- Complete the online application and pay the fee in euros at gov.uk.
- German citizens: give biometrics via the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home.
- Non-EU residents: book biometrics at the Berlin, Düsseldorf, or Munich centre.
- Upload your supporting documents.
- Wait for the decision — about 3 weeks standard, 5 days on priority.
- Receive your eVisa or a vignette in your passport.
Processing Times and Delays
Standard processing is about three weeks for non-settlement visas and up to twelve weeks for settlement routes; ETAs are usually decided within minutes. If a decision runs late, our guide on UK visa delays explains how to chase it, priority and super-priority services can speed things up where available, and you can track timelines with our guide to processing after biometrics.
For official confirmation, use the gov.uk visa checker and the Standard Visitor visa guidance. Neighbouring guides cover the UK visa from Austria, the Common Travel Area rules for Ireland, and the UK visa from Switzerland. Sources: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule; GOV.UK ETA guidance. Figures verified August 2026 against the 8 April 2026 fee schedule.
Frequently Asked
Questions about UK Visas from Germany
No visa is needed for visits up to six months, but German citizens must hold an ETA before travelling. It costs €24, lasts two years, and is obtained through the UK ETA App. The requirement has applied since 2 April 2025 and is enforced at boarding — without an approved ETA, carriers will not let German travellers board transport to the UK. For work or study, the appropriate visa is required.
The six-month Standard Visitor visa costs €164 for non-EU residents of Germany, whatever their nationality — Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, Turkish, or other. Longer visitor visas cost €615 for two years, €1,097 for five, and €1,371 for ten. A German residence permit does not remove the requirement; applications go through the Berlin, Düsseldorf, or Munich centres and take about three weeks.
German citizens pay €24 for an ETA, not a visa. Non-EU residents pay €164 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa. Work visas range from €394 (Health and Care) to €1,966 (Skilled Worker over three years), the Student visa is €678, and a partner visa €2,508. Fees are charged in pounds and shown in euros on the calculator, and are non-refundable.
A German citizen with an ETA can stay up to six months per visit for tourism, family, or business. There is no annual cap on visits, but frequent or very long stays may prompt questions about whether you are a genuine visitor. Working, studying long-term, or settling all require the relevant visa with its own conditions.
Not without a work visa. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€995–€1,966), needing sponsorship from a licensed UK employer and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. German nationals aged 18–35 may also use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€413). Business meetings are allowed on an ETA, but paid work is not.
Yes. German and other EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals applying for UK work, study, or family visas can verify their identity through the ID Check App from home, so no visa centre visit is needed. You scan your passport chip with your phone's NFC reader and take a photo to complete identity checks.
Standard processing is about three weeks for visitor and other non-settlement visas, and up to twelve weeks for settlement visas such as partner routes. Priority service (€608) targets five working days for visitor visas, and super priority (€1,215) aims for the next working day where available. ETAs are usually decided within minutes, up to three working days.
The UK ETA App is for applying for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which German citizens use for short visits up to six months. The UK Immigration: ID Check App is for giving biometrics when applying for an actual visa — work, study, or family. In short, the ETA app is for visiting and the ID Check app is for longer stays that need a visa.
Nein — für Besuche bis zu sechs Monaten genügt die ETA, die €24 (£20) kostet, zwei Jahre gilt und über die UK-ETA-App beantragt wird. Die Pflicht gilt seit dem 2. April 2025 und wird beim Boarding geprüft. Für Arbeit, längeres Studium oder Familiennachzug ist das entsprechende Visum erforderlich; wer Status im EU Settlement Scheme hat, braucht weder ETA noch Visum.
Das Standard-Visitor-Visum für sechs Monate kostet €164 — unabhängig davon, wie lange man schon in Deutschland lebt, denn der deutsche Aufenthaltstitel ersetzt kein UK-Visum. Die Biometrie erfolgt im Visumzentrum in Berlin, Düsseldorf oder München, die Bearbeitung dauert etwa drei Wochen. Arbeitsvisa beginnen bei €995, das Studentenvisum kostet €678.