Generally; a negative test has to be provided when entering Germany from a high-risk country or a country with circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. People are exempt from this if they have proof of vaccination or COVID-19 recovery. ; 1/8/2021 Obligations for current test certificate; vaccination; or infection proof are obligatory for people over 12 years old. ; 01/06/2022 Travelers arriving in Germany are no longer obligated to provide proof that they have been vaccinated; recovered or tested. Exceptions apply to those travelling from virus variant areas.; 11/06/2022: all travel restrictions are lifted.
Movement Restrictions:
Starting January 14; mandatory COVID-19 testing is required to enter or transit through Germany; with specific conditions depending on the type of risk area the traveller has visited prior to entering Germany. The list of risk areas can be found on the RKI website and the tests must meet the criteria laid out by the RKI. Entrants over the age of six who have been in a high-incidence area or in a virus variant area during the past 10 days before entering Germany must carry proof of a COVID-29 test and submit this to the competent authorities upon request and; if necessary; to the transport company before the start of the journey.
Germany has largely closed its borders to Czechia or Tirol (Austria) and implemented a transport ban for people travelling from virus variant areas to Germany by cross-border rail; bus; ship and air traffic. The border closures; which include border checks; have been preliminarily extended until 17 March.
16/03/2020: As of March 16/2020; the Federal Government has temporarily restricted cross-border traffic from France; Austria; Luxembourg; Switzerland; and Denmark. UPDATE: Border to Luxembourg is open.; 17/03/2020: the EU Parliament recommended that entry for non-EU citizens should be restricted within the next 30 days. The Federal Government of Germany has decided to implement entry restrictions for non-EU citizens in Germany. Citizens of EU countries have permission to travel through Germany. This also applies to citizens from Great Britain; Iceland; Liechtenstein; Norway; and Switzerland. ; 25/03/2020: The German Federal Ministry of the Interior has ordered an entry ban for the seasonal workers.; 02/04/2020: seasonal workers are allowed to enter under special circumstances e.g. only in groups; only via plane; if health checks are performed.
Travellers from China; South Korea; Japan; Italy and Iran (28/02/2020) - 15/05/2020 the border controls from neighbouring countries will gradullay stop and will end entirely 16/06.
3G rule is introduced in regional and long-distance trains. If passengers have not been vaccinated or have recovered; they must provide proof of a negative corona rapid test. The test must have been performed within 24 hours before the start of the journey.
Generally; a negative test has to be provided when entering Germany from a high-risk country or a country with circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. People are exempt from this if they have proof of vaccination or COVID-19 recovery. ; 1/8/2021 Obligations for current test certificate; vaccination; or infection proof are obligatory for people over 12 years old. ; 01/06/2022 Travelers arriving in Germany are no longer obligated to provide proof that they have been vaccinated; recovered or tested. Exceptions apply to those travelling from virus variant areas.; 11/06/2022: all travel restrictions are lifted.
Generally; a negative test has to be provided when entering Germany from a high-risk country or a country with circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. People are exempt from this if they have proof of vaccination or COVID-19 recovery. ; 1/8/2021 Obligations for current test certificate; vaccination; or infection proof are obligatory for people over 12 years old. ; 01/06/2022 Travelers arriving in Germany are no longer obligated to provide proof that they have been vaccinated; recovered or tested. Exceptions apply to those travelling from virus variant areas.
17/03/20: Entry ban for individuals other than citizens from countries in the European Union; European Economic Area; and United Kingdom; long-term residents and people with long-term visa or residence permits; family members of EU and EEA citizens; medical personnel and people responsible for transport of goods.; 1/03/2022: The European Union recommends that its member nations remove any non-essential travel bans for vaccinated tourists arriving from third countries starting March 1; 2022.
Germany has largely closed its borders to Czechia or Tirol (Austria) and implemented a transport ban for people travelling from virus variant areas to Germany by cross-border rail; bus; ship and air traffic. The border closures; which include border checks; has been preliminarily extended until 17 March.
In deciding to allow citizens from selected third countries to re-enter Germany; the Federal Cabinet is following a recommendation of the Council of the European Union. The Council had proposed the gradual lifting of restrictions for third countries with a low incidence of infection. The list of states is to be updated every two weeks on the basis of the latest epidemiological situation. Third countries are those states that do not belong to the European Union.; 3/03/22: Germany allows in all travellers; regardless of their country of origin; as high-risk list is abolished from 3 March.
16/03/2020: As of March 16/2020; the Federal Government has temporarily restricted cross-border traffic from France; Austria; Luxembourg; Switzerland and Denmark. UPDATE: Border to Luxembourg is open.; 17/03/2020: the EU Parliament recommended that entry for non-EU citizens should be restricted within the next 30 days. The Federal Government of Germany has decided to implement the entry restrictions for non-EU citizens to Germany. Citizens of EU countries have the permission to travel through Germany. This also applies to citizens from Great Britain; Iceland; Liechtenstein; Norway and Switzerland.; 25/03/2020: The German Federal Ministry of the Interior has ordered an entry ban for seasonal worker.; 02/04/2020: seasonal workers are allowed to enter under special circumstances e.g. only in groups; only via plane; if health checks performed.
Border checks with Austria were extended until November 12; which was described to be mainly due to the continuation of the illegal migration potential via the Balkan route.; 02/07/2020: some non-EU countries were allowed to enter Germany again; such as Australia; Georgia; Canada; New Zealand... The closure of border for people from non-EU countries was extended. Travellers are no longer allowed to enter Germany without a valid reason - Land; Port. The starting date of when borders were closed or border checks introduced may differ for different countries.
3G rule is introduced in regional and long-distance trains. If passengers have not been vaccinated or have recovered; they must provide proof of a negative corona rapid test. The test must have been performed within 24 hours before the start of the journey.
On May 6; the federal and state governments mitigated or lifted many of the restrictions imposed on the COVID-19 pandemic. This allows people from one household to meet with people from another household. ; 26/05/2020: the federal and state governments decided to maintain the contact restrictions until 29 June. The number of contacts is to be kept as low as possible.
On May 6 2020; the federal and state governments mitigated or lifted many of the restrictions imposed on the coronavirus epidemic. This allows people from one household to meet with people from another household. On May 26 2020; the federal and state governments decided to maintain the binding contact restrictions until June 29 (objective: the number of people to whom contact is to be kept as low as possible). Thus; partial end date set at 6 may 2020 and full end date for stay-at-home set on 29 June 2020.
Following a COVID outbreak in a meat processing plant; in the counties of Gütersloh and Warendorf (Northrhine Westfalia) new restrictions were put in place. Contact restrictions (meeting not more than one person outside the own household); closure of bars; museums; cinemas; bars etc were again put in place. Initially for a week until 30/06/2020. Shops and restaurants can remain open under certain restrictions
Generally; a negative test has to be provided when entering Germany from a high-risk country or a country with circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. People are exempt from this if they have proof of vaccination or COVID-19 recovery. ; 1/8/2021 Obligations for current test certificate; vaccination or infection proof is obligatory for people over 12 years old.
Starting January 14; mandatory COVID-19 testing is required to enter or transit through Germany; with specific conditions depending on the type of risk area the traveller has visited prior to entering Germany. The list of risk areas can be found on the RKI website and the tests must meet the criteria laid out by the RKI. Entrants over the age of six who have been in a high-incidence area or in a virus variant area during the past 10 days before entering Germany must carry proof of a COVID-29 test and submit this to the competent authorities upon request and; if necessary; to the transport company before the start of the journey.
Multiple federal states (e.g. Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria) have started to implement a stay at home order. Leaving the house is during certain hours only allowed with a valid reason. On the 24 April 2021; Germany implemented its Infektionsschutzgesetz (German Infection Protection Act) which foresees stay at home orders in places with a 7-day incidence of over 100 on three consecutive days. As of 31st May 2021; the vast majority of administrative districts had a 7-day incidence below 100 and as of 7 June 2021; all regions had a 7 day incidence below 100.
Since 8 August; people travelling to Germany from high risk areas are obliged to take a COVID-19 test when they enter. High risk areas are defined by the Robert Koch Institute: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html
National movement restrictions: Partially banned
Restrictive measures mandatory between 14 October 2020 to 31 December 2020
Free movement of people. Instruction to keep 1.5m distance between people and to wear the mask in public transport and shops. AHA+H+L rule applies (see Other below). Fines are applied for those refusing to wear masks. Restrictions to be introduced if the number of new infections reaches 35/100.000 in the last 7 days (see Other below).
International movement restrictions: Partially banned
Restrictive measures mandatory between 08 August 2020 to 31 December 2020
Since 8 August travelers returning to Germany from risk areas need to provide either a negative test result which is not older than 48h or undergo a test within 10 days after arrival. Quarantine is mandatory until negative test result is received. Since 15 September tests are not anymore for free. As risk areas are defined areas in which the number of cases during the last 7 days is above 50 per 100.000 inhabitants. The list is maintained by Robert Koch Institute (see link below). Random controls of measures. From 1 October quarantine can be ended at the earliest 5 days after a negative test result. Information of travelers using airplanes or ships are recorded at arrival in Germany. It is generally recommended to not travel to risk areas.
Update: There are currently warnings against unnecessary tourist trips abroad; except to the EU; to Schengen-associated states; to the UK; Northern Ireland; Andorra; Monaco; San Marino and the Vatican. If a country or region exceeds the number of newly infected people in relation to the population of 50 cases per 100;000 inhabitants cumulatively in the last seven days; travel warnings can be issued again. This currently applies to regions in Spain; Belgium; Croatia; Bulgaria and Romania.
On June 10; the German government extended travel warnings for 160 countries outside the European Union until the end of August. The decision to lift individual travel warnings will take into consideration infection rates; the capacities of the country’s health system; testing capacity; hygiene rules and reliability of data as criteria. The government agreed to lift travel warning for 31 European countries as of June 15; instead putting in travel guidelines informing tourists about the coronavirus situation in each country. The original warnings for around 200 countries went into place on March 17. On April 29; German ministers have agreed to extend the global travel warning until at least June 14 to limit the spread of the coronavirus and prevent German tourists once again becoming stranded overseas.
Travellers from China; South Korea; Japan; Italy and Iran (28/02/2020) - 15/05/2020 the border controls from neighbouring countries will gradullay stop and will end entirely 16/06.