UK tourists in Germany and Austria will be subject to new entry requirements from October 2025
UK tourists in Germany and Austria will be subject to new entry requirements from October 2025(Image: Frank Soellner/Getty Images)
The Foreign Office has issued its latest update to UK tourists travelling to Germany and Austria at the end of this year.
Officials have warned over “new” Schengen entry requirements, which will impact Brits travelling to and from any country in this specific area.
There are 29 countries in the Schengen area, including 25 EU members states and four non-EU countries, which will soon all be subject to the new European Union Entry/Exit System.
As of today (July 30), the FCDO has updated its Germany and Austria page to reflect the update which will come into force from October 12, 2025.
The website reads: “New Schengen entry requirements: From 12 October 2025, the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) will begin.
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“When travelling into and out of the Schengen area, for short stays, you may need to:
- have you fingerprints and your photo taken
- answer the Schengen Border Code questions
“f you enter the Schengen area through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras International, this information will be taken at the border, before you leave the UK.
“You may also need to provide either your fingerprint or photo when you leave the Schengen area. EES may take each passenger a few extra minutes to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border once the system starts.”
The government describes the new EES system as a “digital border system that will change requirements for British nationals travelling to the Schengen area.”
It explains anyone with a UK passport who is heading to one of the countries in the Schengen area will be “required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, when you arrive.”
The official body goes on to explain that the ES registration will replace the current system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the EU.
It continues, explaining in detail how the process will work: “When EES is introduced, you will need to create a digital record on your first visit to the Schengen area at the port or airport on arrival. You will be required to submit your fingerprints and have your photo taken at dedicated booths.
“You will not need to provide any information before travelling to a Schengen area country.
“If you are flying to a country in the Schengen area, you may experience longer queue times when you arrive at your destination.
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“If you enter the Schengen area through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras International, this information will be taken at the border, before you leave the UK. You may also need to provide either your fingerprint or photo when you leave the Schengen area.”
The web page adds: “If you frequently travel to the Schengen area for work and/or leisure purposes, you must ensure that your total stay in the Schengen area is no more than 90 days in every 180 days.
“You must be aware of the penalty and enforcement approach for exceeding the immigration limit in any individual Member State you plan to travel to, or through.
“Your digital EES record is valid for 3 years. If you enter the Schengen area again during this time, you will only need to provide a fingerprint or photo at the border, when you enter and exit.”