National Regulations and Crisis Management

• Entry Regulations, Border Controls, Travel Restrictions
• National Guidelines to Slow the Spread of Coronavirus
• National Corona Warning App and European Platform

Entry Regulations, Border Controls, Travel Restrictions

Germany’s Federal Foreign Office has prepared important information relating to entry and travel restrictions, behavior when in Germany, and transit through other countries.

Following the identification of a new variant of the virus, the German Federal Ministry of Health has imposed a transport ban for travelers from Great Britain, Northern Ireland and South Africa effective from December 22, 2020 until  January 20, 2021. For further information, please refer to the website of the Federal Ministry of Health (in German).

In order to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus, Germany  has implemented general travel restrictions for entry from outside the Schengen area. However, in line with the recommendations of the European Council, unrestricted entry to Germany is allowed from specific third countries with low infection rates. For up-to-date information and a list of all relevant countries, please refer to the dedicated website of the German Federal Ministry of Interior.

Travel to Germany from other third countries is also permitted in specific cases including for example:

• nationals from EU countries and associated Schengen countries
• third country nationals with a valid residence permit for Germany,
• foreign experts and highly qualified personnel whose work is necessary from an economic point of view and which cannot be postponed or carried out abroad,
• third country nationals with specific essentials functions or needs.

The possibility to enter Germany depends on the place of departure and not the person’s nationality. 

Regardless of the possibility to enter the country, Germany has has a quarantine requirement in place for those returning to and entering Germany from regions designated by the Robert Koch Institute as being international risk areas within the last 10 days prior to entry. All travelers to Germany from international risk areas must register online prior to their entry. Travelers must present proof of the registration when entering Germany. 

From January 14, 2021 travelers from international risk areas must additionally be tested within 48 hours and provide negative evidence to the relevant authority on request.

Furthermore, travelers from high-risk areas (areas where mutations of the virus have been identified or where the incidence rate is particularly high) must provide evidence of a negative test result before leaving on their journey to Germany and upon entry into Germany. 

The mandatory quarantine period imposed by the individual federal states on travelers entering Germany from risk areas remains in place.

• After arriving at their destination in Germany, the respective individuals must self-isolate at home for 10 days.
• If no other grounds for exception apply, these individuals may only be released from the obligation to self-isolate at home – no earlier than 5 days after entering Germany – if they provide proof of a negative test result. 

For details about the quarantine and testing requirements please refer to the dedicated website of the Federal Ministry of Health. 

The EU web platform ”Re-open EU”  provides up-to date information on borders, practical information on travel restrictions, and public health and safety measures for the EU member states.

National Guidelines to Slow the Spread of Coronavirus 

To protect individuals from infection, a minimum distance requirement of 1.5 meters and the use of masks in public spaces - especially in shops and on public transport - will remain in place until further notice.

In reponse to rising infection rates in Germany, the German federal government and the 16 federal states have decided  to extend the current restrictions until at least January 31, 2021. Further additional rules were introduced as of January 11, 2021.   

• Social distancing and reducing contact to the absolute minimum necessary remain the most important measures.
• Non-essential shops  and services must close. Food retailers, shops selling essential goods, banks and pharmacies are some of the categories that will remain open. 
• Schools will switch to homeschooling. Kindergartens will close as well.  Emergency daycare, however, will be provided.
• Non-essential travel remains prohibited and hotels forbidden from accommodating tourists.
• Restaurants, cafés and bars are restricted to take-away service only. Consumption of alcoholic beverages in public is banned.

Under the new restrictions, residents of corona hotspots (areas with a 7-day incidence rate above 200 infections per 100,000 residents) are restricted from traveling outside a 15 km radius from their home without a valid reason. Day trips are specifically ruled out. Furthermore, private meetings are limited to just one other person not living in the same household. 

Urgent business travel is still  permitted and Germany's borders remain open.

For details of the extended restrictions, please refer to the dedicated website of the German federal government.

For additional information on local restrictions, please check the rules that apply in the different federal states. For an overview of links to the federal states, please refer to the website of the federal government (in German only). Additionally, the special information website for the Corona virus provided by the Federal Ministry of Health offers useful information.

National Corona Warning App and European Platform

The official Corona “Warning” App of the federal government has been available since June 16. The free app has been designed to enable contact tracing of infected persons in order to shorten the potential chain of infection. Use of the app is entirely voluntary, with the government promoting its broad use and promising a high level of data protection. 

As of October 2020, European Union (EU) member states have launched a cross-border coronavirus tracing network using a shared platform that links different member state tracking apps.  

• Corona Crisis and Germany