If you want to travel to the UK, you must comply with the current entry requirements. Learn what to consider when entering the country and taking food and goods with you.
You need a valid passport to enter the UK. Citizens of certain countries may also need to apply for a visa. In addition, from 2024, travelers from visa-exempt countries will also be required to obtain an electronic travel authorization (ETA UK).
For tourists or business travelers, it is important that they can present a booking confirmation of the accommodation during their stay. It's also a good idea to have a return or onward ticket if asked.
If you travel to the UK with children, each child must have a valid passport. Also, you should carry additional documents that can prove the legality of your joint trip.
These include, e.g., birth certificates, passport copies of both parents or legal guardians, powers of attorney, and a declaration of consent signed by the child (if possible). This is because the UK authorities have a duty to combat child abduction and human trafficking.
Whether you are allowed to enter the UK depends not only on the completeness and accuracy of your travel documents but also on the personal impression you make on the border officials. The following criteria are included in the decision regarding your suitability to enter the country:
If, after a brief interview and submission of your documents, the border officials consider you fit, you will be allowed to enter the UK.
Before crossing the border into the UK, you may need to fill out a form to help the UK government manage its customs, quarantine, and security matters.
The submission of a complete customs declaration as a paper form is necessary for:
You can make the declaration yourself or with the help of a customs agent. In the latter case, when leaving the airport, take your luggage into the red channel and make yourself seen.
For smaller quantities or uncontrolled goods, you can complete a simple online customs declaration. It allows you to:
There are no mandatory vaccinations to enter the UK. However, it is recommended that all standard vaccinations for children be carried out.
There is no mandatory insurance for travel to the UK. However, we recommend you take out travel health insurance, which protects you against high financial burdens in an emergency.
UK entry requirements are subject to change. Follow the news and weather reports and find out about the current entry and transport regulations shortly before your trip.
Make sure you check the latest regulations before you travel to ensure a hassle-free border crossing into the UK.
You can bring some goods with you from abroad without having to pay tax or duty in the UK if they are either for your own use or a gift.
The goods you are allowed to take with you are generally referred to as “personal allowance."
| Duty-free amounts for Great Britain | Details |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | 42 l beer or 18 liters of wine or 4 l liqueur with more than 22 % alcohol or 9 liters of sparkling wine or fortified wine (e.g., port, sherry) and other alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of up to 22 % |
| Tobacco | 200 cigarettes or 100 Cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco or 200 sticks of tobacco for electronic tobacco heating devices / This allowance can be divided (e.g., into 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars). |
| Other goods | Duty-free for personal use up to a value of £ 390 (or, if arriving by private plane or boat: up to £ 270). |
If you exceed the allowances, you must declare your goods online before travel or upon arrival at the border. In this case, you pay taxes and duties on the total value of the goods and not just on the value above the allowance.
You may not have to pay customs duties on goods you have bought from the EU if they were grown or produced in the EU, even if you exceed the allowances. For a "Zero Duty Application," bring evidence of the origin of the goods to present them to the border guards upon request.
Imports of meat, dairy, fish and meat products, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds into the UK from abroad are strictly controlled. Find out in advance about any permit requirements, declare all goods, and be prepared for the possible imposition of duties and fees or even confiscations.
There are different rules for bringing food and animal products into Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and Northern Ireland.
You can import the following products into Great Britain without restrictions:
| Import to Great Britain without restrictions | Details |
|---|---|
| Bread | No added meat or dairy products |
| Cakes + biscuits | Without fresh cream |
| Chocolate and confectionery | Without unprocessed milk products |
| Pasta and noodles | No added meat or meat products |
| Processed and packaged goods | Only plant-based goods (e.g., salads and soups) |
| Dietary supplements | Only with small amounts of animal products (e.g., fish oil capsules) |
There is no limit to the amount of money you can carry with you when traveling to the UK, as long as you have obtained it legally. However, it is recommended to avoid large amounts of cash and instead carry debit or credit cards.
If you are importing food or animal products protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), you must apply for a CITES permit. These include e.g., certain food and beauty products, exotic leather goods, furs, wooden musical instruments, and some medicines.
Some products are subject to additional restrictions if they are:
Some special foods, such as cheese and ham, can be imported under certain conditions. Plants and seeds must have a permit from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
The Northern Ireland regulations and allowances depend on whether you are arriving from the European Union (EU) or another country. Find out about the applicable import regulations before you travel to Northern Ireland.
You may not import the following items into the United Kingdom or do so only with a special permit or license:
If you import goods suspected of infringing property rights (e.g., pirated films or music), they may be confiscated, and you may be prosecuted.