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Travel Advisory Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution Travel Advisory Level 2: Exercise increased caution in Germany due to terrorism. Read More...
COVID-19 Information
Germany Specific Information
COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Exit and Entry Requirements
Movement Restrictions
Quarantine Information
Transportation Options
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27 MINUTE READ
May 18, 2022

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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions on visa issues related to COVID-19

All nonimmigrant, non-citizen air travelers to the United States are required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to the United States.

All travelers, regardless of citizenship, will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test one (1) calendar day before their flight’s departure. Both nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), such as a PCR test, and antigen tests qualify.  The test must be administered no more than one calendar day before the date of the international flight to the United States.  So, if a traveler is departing for the United States at 10 PM on January 19, they would have to present a negative test result for a test that was taken any time after 12:01 AM on January 18.

If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

Air passengers will also be required to confirm in the form of an attestation that the information they present is true.

Exemptions will be considered on an extremely limited basis. Please contact your nearest embassy or consulate to apply for an exemption. Please visit the CDC webpages for more information about vaccination exemptions  and the requirement for proof of negative COVID-19 test or recovery from COVID-19 for all air passengers arriving in the United States .

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Country-Specific Information

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COVID-19 Testing

  • Are PCR and/or antigen tests available for U.S. citizens in Germany? Yes
  • If so, are test results reliably available within 24 hours? Yes
    • You can find the most up-to-date information on COVID testing in Germany on the federal government’s website (in German). Travelers may incur charges for COVID-19 tests, although these vary by location.
    • U.S. citizens in Germany can obtain a COVID-19 test by visiting this website (in German) to book an appointment, or by calling 116 117 to be connected to the local health authorities who will explain testing options.

 

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COVID-19 Vaccine Information

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Entry and Exit Requirements

  • Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes. Travelers from non-European Union countries can enter Germany if they are fully vaccinated. Those who are not fully  vaccinated will need to demonstrate an important need to demonstrate an important need to travel.
      • Please refer to the detailed information on German entry restrictions on the German Foreign Ministry’s website
      • Until 30 September 2022, you qualify as fully vaccinated if you have had at least two (2) vaccinations, each of which is authorized by the European Union. Starting October 1, 2022, you will need to have three (3) vaccinations to qualify as fully vaccinated, with the last vaccination carried out at least three months after the second vaccination. There are several exceptions. Please verify that you qualify as fully vaccinated before attempting to enter Germany, as the definition of fully vaccinated in Germany is different from in the United States. 
      • If accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent, children under 12 who are not fully-vaccinated can enter with a negative COVID-19 test (see more info below); children under 6 do not require a test to enter.
  • Digital Registration on Entry: Persons entering Germany who have spent time in an RKI-designated high-risk or virus-variant area in the 10 days prior to entry are required to submit a digital registration on entry. As of February 20, 2022 the United States is neither a high-risk nor a virus-variant area.
  • Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry?
    • All travelers ages 12 and older must submit proof of vaccination in order to enter Germany by air, land, or sea. Children under the age of 12 who are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent should provide proof of vaccination or proof of recovery from COVID-19 in the last 6 months or a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen taken within 48 hours of arrival). Children under the age of 6 do not need a test to enter Germany.
    • Travelers who have been in a virus-variant area in the last 10 days must present a negative PCR test, regardless of vaccination or recovery status. A rapid antigen test is not accepted in this case.
    • Please visit the website of the German Mission in the United States for more details.
  • Are health screening procedures in place at airports and other ports of entry? Yes

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Movement Restrictions

  • Is a curfew in place? No.
  • Are there restrictions on intercity or interstate travel? No.

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Quarantine Information

  • Are U.S. citizens required to quarantine? It depends on where they are traveling from and their vaccination status.
    • All travelers coming from a virus-variant area must quarantine for 14 days, even if they have been vaccinated. There is no possibility of ending quarantine early.
    • All travelers from high-risk areas who have not submitted proof of vaccination or proof of recovery from COVID-19 in the last 6 months, must quarantine for 10 days. The quarantine can be ended with a negative test taken after 5 days.
      • Children under the age of 6 do not need to quarantine.
      • Children between the ages of 6 and 12 have to quarantine for 5 days, unless they submit proof of vaccination OR proof of recovery OR proof of a negative COVID-19 test result before the 5 days have expired.
    • Please see the German Federal Ministry of Health’s website for more details.

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Transportation Options

  • Are commercial flights operating? There may be bans on flights coming from countries designated as virus variant areas.
  • Is public transportation operating? Yes
    • Medical grade masks (surgical masks, or masks meeting the N95, KN95, or FFP-2 standards) are required on all public transportation. No passengers may sit in the front seat of taxis.

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Fines for Non-Compliance

  • According to the Ministry of Health, violations of quarantine may be prosecuted as an administrative offense, punishable with a fine of up to 25,000 Euros.

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Consular Operations

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Local Resources

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Other Links

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