Change of https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-the-uk-as-part-of-a-german-school-trip

Change description : 2026-08-01 00:01:00: Updated to add the application form and additional information to support the UK-Germany school trip travel arrangements which came into force on 1 August 2026. [Guidance and regulation]

Showing diff : 2026-05-18 16:06:25.406002495 +00:00..2026-07-31 23:03:41.495597948 +00:00

Guidance

Visit the UK as part of a German school trip

The German-UKGermany-UK school trip travel arrangementinformation hasform notallows yetyou cometo intobring force.a group of pupils from a school in Germany to the UK.

AsThe partGermany-UK school trip travel information form allows you to bring a group of the UK-Germany5 Friendshipor more pupils aged 19 and Bilateralunder Cooperationfrom Treatya (‘theschool Kensingtonin Treaty’),Germany to the UK andUK.

Your Germanyschool agreedmust to makebe travelregistered requirementswith for school groupsyour easier.relevant Thislocal arrangementmunicipal or competent authority for you to use this form.

Everyone who is nottravelling currentlyas part of the group must be included in placethe form. Confirm who is travelling and cannotcheck bethey usedhave yet.the correct documents before you fill it in.

WeIt willis publishfree theto UK-Germanyenter schoolthe tripUK travelwith informationthis form and relevantpupils guidancewill whennot thisneed arrangementa comesvisa intoor forcean electronic travel authorisation (ETA).

Documents the pupils need

Each pupil must have certain documents, depending on 1their Augustnationality.

Nationals 2026.of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein

Each pupil must have:

  • an authorisation to leave the country (AST) as set out by the Bundespolizei on their website, signed by their parent or guardian
  • a copy of their parent or guardian’s identity document
  • a passport or national identity card

UntilIf thisthey arrangementhave isa inpassport, place,they Germanshould schoolbring groupsit. visitingIt will make it faster to cross the UK border.

If they do not have a passport, they can bring their national identity card instead.

Nationals of other countries

Each pupil must continuehave:

  • an authorisation to meetleave the currentcountry (AST) as set out by the Bundespolizei on their website, signed by their parent or guardian
  • a copy of their parent or guardian’s identity document
  • a valid national passport or visita valid refugee travel document issued by the Federal Republic of Germany (Reisepässe und gemäß der Genfer Flüchtlingskonvention ausgestellte Reisedokumente)

Dual citizens

If the pupil is a dual citizen with British or Irish citizenship, they can travel and prove their citizenship using:

  • a valid British passport
  • a valid Irish passport
  • another valid passport containing a certificate of entitlement

Find out more about travelling to the UK as a dual citizen.

Documents the adults need

Depending on their nationality, each adult (accompanying teachers or responsible adults, not including pupils aged 18-19) will either:

Check if you need a visa or ETA to visit the UK.

All adults must bring their passport.

Filling in the form

The head teacher of your school must fill in the form.

If there are not enough rows in the form for the number of pupils or adults that are travelling, fill in another copy of the form.

Germany-UK school trip travel information form

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

They must send it to the German municipal or other competent authority at least 15 days before departure, along with:

  • the pupils’ authorisations to leave the country, signed by their parents or guardians
  • the copies of the parents’ identity documents

The municipal or other competent authority will check and validate the documents and send them back to the head teacher.

Bringing the form to the UK

Bring 2 copies of the form with you. You will need to show them to a Border Force officer at the UK border.

The Border Force officer will check it is correct and that everyone in the group has the correct documents.

They will keep one of the copies of the form.

Updates to this page

Published 10 February 2026
Last updated 181 MayAugust 2026 href="#full-history">+ show Show all updates
  1. Updated to add the application form and additional information to support the UK-Germany school trip travel arrangements which came into force on 1 August 2026.

  2. Updated page to say that the UK-Germany school trip travel information form and relevant guidance will be published on 1 August 2026.

  3. First published.

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Update history

2026-08-01 00:01
Updated to add the application form and additional information to support the UK-Germany school trip travel arrangements which came into force on 1 August 2026.

2026-05-18 17:06
Updated page to say that the UK-Germany school trip travel information form and relevant guidance will be published on 1 August 2026.

2026-02-10 10:31
First published.