Coronavirus and Germany

• Entry restrictions - who can enter Germany?
• Requirements when entering Germany

Entry restrictions - who can enter Germany?

Entry to Germany is generally permitted for all travel purposes. This means that travelers may enter Germany for any valid purpose, e.g. business trips, tourism or for family visits provided that they meet the general requirements of residence law. For information on visa and entry regulations please refer to our Investment Guide.

However, for reasons of reciprocity, persons residing in the People's Republic of China must provide a valid reason to enter Germany. 

Requirements when entering Germany

For entry into Germany, proof of vaccination, proof of convalescence or proof of testing is generally no longer required.

Extended regulations still apply to people entering from virus variant areas, but there are currently no states designated as such. For further information on this situation please refer to the dedicated website of the Federal Foreign Office.

As of January 7, 2023, a new category has been introduced "area of variants of concern in which a variant of particular concern threatens to emerge." From January 9, 2023,  the People’s Republic of China (excluding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) is classified as such an area.

Travellers  from such an area must upon entry to Germany  present at least a negative antigen test no older than 48 hours measured at the time of entry. A proof of recovery or proof of vaccination is not sufficient. For detailed information please refer to the information provided by the Robert Koch Institute.

• Basic protection
• Workplace rules
• Covid-19 testing

The Infection Protection Act contains nationwide basic measures such as the wearing of protective masks in hospitals and care facilities. It also makes provision for additional precautions in the event that the coronavirus incidence rate situation comes to a head in individual regions.

Basic protection

Basic protective measures - such as the mandatory wearing of masks and testing - remain in  place in nursing homes, outpatient care facilities and hospitals. Additionally, patients are required to wear masks in all kind of medical practices.

The requirement to wear a mask in long-distance buses and trains have been suspended from February 2, 2023. All federal states have decided to suspend the mask requirement on local public transport from around the beginning of February. This means that the wearing of masks is voluntary on commercial flights as well as on all public transport.

Workplace rules

The Covid-19 specific occupational health and safety regulations have also been suspended from February 2, 2023 due to stable infection levels.

Covid-19 testing

Rapid antigen tests for asymptomatic persons are not free of charge for most citizens in Germany. Exceptions apply, for instance, to the following groups:

• Persons who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons
• Visitors in hospitals or residential care facilities.

The special information website for the Corona virus provided by the Federal Ministry of Health provides useful further information.