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EXPLAINED: The documents Americans need for travel to Germany

Germany opened its borders to Americans in June. Here's a look at what paperwork you need to get here - and what else you should be aware of.

Published: 9 July 2021 12:38 CEST
Updated: 11 July 2021 10:18 CEST
EXPLAINED: The documents Americans need for travel to Germany
Travellers in Chicago's O'Hare International on July 1st. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/AP | Shafkat Anowar

Can Americans entry Germany for a tourist trip?

Yes! The German Government lifted travel restrictions for people coming from the United States on June 20th this year. It came following a recommendation from the EU commission to remove the entry restrictions for all arrivals from US and some other countries. 

It means that travel to Germany from the US for all purposes, including tourism, is allowed again. Non-essential travel from the US to Europe was essentially banned in March 2020 when the pandemic hit. 

Germany’s hotels and tourist spots are looking forward to the return of US visitors: around 2.2 million Americans visit the Bundesrepublik each year, making it the fourth most popular destination in Europe for them. 

If you’re planning on taking a trip around Europe, check out the requirements for each country before travel.

READ ALSO:

What’s the risk status of the US in Germany?

Germany has a three-tiered warning system in place for countries and regions across the world, ranging from a basic ‘risk’ zone, to a ‘high incidence’ area – and the highest risk category is ‘virus variant area of concern’.

Different rules are required for arrivals from countries around the world depending on their risk status. As of June 13th, the US is not on any risk list. That means people arriving from the US do not have to register online before travel. 

The 7-day incidence stands at around 33 infections per 100,000 people in the US. If the infection rate rises above 50 cases per 100,000, the US will move to the ‘risk’ category, meaning people will have to register online before travel and upload evidence of a negative Covid-19 test, proof of vaccination or proof of recovery of Covid within the last six months.

Keep in mind that countries are moved to the ‘high incidence’ list if they clock up more than 200 cases per 100,000 people. If variants of concern that aren’t already in Germany at a high level become widespread in a country, it can be moved to the ‘virus variant of concern’ category where travel is essentially banned. Those who are allowed in – like German residents and citizens – have to quarantine for 14 days and submit a negative Covid test before travel even if fully vaccinated. 

Keep an eye on the RKI list of risk countries here as the situation can change quickly.

READ ALSO:

Can I travel from the US to Germany even if I’m unvaccinated?

Unlike the rule for other non-EU countries where the focus is on allowing vaccinated passengers to enter, Germany is allowing unvaccinated people from the US to enter the country. But you will need to bring certain documents with you.

All unvaccinated air travellers aged six or older coming from the US must show a negative Covid test result before boarding the flight. 

Both PCR tests and rapid antigen tests are accepted. PCR tests must be taken within 72 hours of arrival in Germany and antigen tests that meet the requirements must be taken 48 hours before entry. 

READ ALSO: How can tourists and visitors in Germany get a Covid-19 test? 

What about if I’m vaccinated?

If you can show proof of vaccination, you do not have to provide a negative Covid test before travel to Germany. That’s also the case if you can show proof of recovery from Covid (if you contracted the infection at least 28 days ago and no more than six months ago).

People are considered fully vaccinated on the 15th day after the last vaccine dose was administered. It must be a vaccine approved by the EMA. So that’s currently Pfzier/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson.

On entry to Germany, you need to show proof that you have been fully vaccinated on an official document issued by a recognised health authority in your country of residence.

It can be in written form (for example a CDC card) or digital form. The government says that a photo taken on a phone is not sufficient. 

If you weren’t vaccinated in the US but are travelling form the US, these are the requirements:

The German government says the EU digital Covid pass or comparable proof of vaccination in German, English, French, Italian or Spanish must be presented upon entry to Germany.  This certificate must include the following information:

  • The personal data of the vaccinated person (at least first and last name plus your date of birth)
  • The date/s of vaccination and number of vaccination doses
  • The name of the vaccine (must be EMA-approved)
  • The name of the disease against which the person was vaccinated
  • The name and address of the person or institution responsible for vaccinating the person
  • Confirmation in written or electronic form with the qualified electronic signature or qualified electronic seal of the person who carried out the vaccination; if for administrative reasons this is not possible, a suitable format such as a stamp or state symbols should be used to clearly identify the responsible person or institution.

Note that all travellers coming to Germany must also not have any Covid symptoms, regardless of whether they’re vaccinated or not.

What other documents do I need?

You will likely be asked to show photo ID with the proof of vaccination, recovery or test (as is the case for people in Germany when showing proof of inoculation or tests).

Keep in mind that the airline you’re travelling with may require certain information or documents (e.g. an additional Covid test even if you’re vaccinated) so check with the airline for the requirements before your trip. 

What does the US say about travel to Germany?

This is also something that Americans really need to consider. 

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues travel advisories for each country, with most countries in Europe ranked level 3, meaning travel isn’t advised, or level 4 such as Sweden, where Americans are advised not to travel at all.

Germany is ranked at level 3 for the moment so US citizens are not advised to travel here. We’ve no idea at the moment when that will change. 

Are Europeans allowed into the US?

Currently the US is not reciprocating the offer of travel for Europeans coming the other way. Residents of the whole of Europe’s Schengen Area – 29 countries, city-states and micro-states, including Germany of course – as well as those in the UK and Ireland are still barred from traveling to the United States.

You are allowed to travel if you are a US citizen, or you spend 14 days before arrival in a country that is not on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s prohibited list. Certain family members are also exempt.

However, there are requirements and recommendations for people returning to the US from abroad, including citizens. So make sure if you do travel you’re aware of the US or state specific advice or rules. 

Do I need to obtain Germany’s digital Covid pass for travel in the EU?

No, you don’t need it. 

At the moment there is no formal agreement between EU countries and the US (or any other non-EU countries) for fully jabbed people to receive a digital vaccination certificate.

Anecdotally we’ve heard that some people who have been vaccinated in the US can receive a digital vaccine certificate from a pharmacy in Germany – but this is at the discretion of the pharmacist and probably does not apply to tourists – only German residents.  

READ ALSO: How I got Germany’s new digital CovPass with my US vaccination certificate

Are flights operating from the US?

Yes, but they could be more quiet than usual so the schedule may be reduced. Flights are more likely to be cancelled if there is an entry ban in force, such as from ‘virus variant areas’ (such as Brazil among others).

READ ALSO: Will it be possible to travel to Germany this summer?

You can find more information on the US Embassy in Germany site.

What’s going on in Germany at the moment? Are people worried about the Delta variant pushing up cases?

Yes – the 7-day incidence rate in Germany is just over 5 cases per 100,000 people right now so it’s still very low. But experts fear that the number of cases will be pushed up dramatically as we’ve seen in other countries including the UK. 

It means that the race to vaccinate before the Delta variant manages to make its presence even more felt is on. 

Aside from that though, German states have been relaxing Covid restrictions dramatically over the past month, with many events allowed again. 

Masks are still mandatory, however, when travelling on public transport and in shops, and people are urged to keep distance from others at social events. 

READ ALSO: ‘Stage zero’: North Rhine-Westphalia to scrap all contact restrictions from Friday

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EES PASSPORT CHECKS

How will the new app for Europe’s EES border system work?

With Europe set to introduce its new Entry/Exit biometric border system (EES) in the autumn there has been much talk about the importance of a new app designed to help avoid delays. But how will it work and when will it be ready?

Published: 7 May 2024 10:29 CEST
How will the new app for Europe's EES border system work?

When it comes into force the EU’s new digital border system known as EES will register the millions of annual entries and exits of non-EU citizens travelling to the EU/Schengen area, which will cover 29 European countries.

Under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), non-EU residents who do not require a visa will have to register their biometric data in a database that will also capture each time they cross an external Schengen border.

Passports will no longer be manually stamped, but will be scanned. However, biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images will have to be registered in front of a guard when the non-EU traveller first crosses in to the EU/Schengen area.

Naturally there are concerns the extra time needed for this initial registration will cause long queues and tailbacks at the border.

To help alleviate those likely queues and prevent the subsequent frustration felt by travellers the EU is developing a new smartphone app.

READ ALSO: What will the EES passport system mean for foreigners living in Europe?

The importance of having a working app was summed up by Uku Särekanno, Deputy Executive Director of the EU border agency Frontex in a recent interview.

“Initially, the challenge with the EES will come down to the fact that travellers arriving in Europe will have to have their biographic and biometric data registered in the system – border guards will have to register four of their fingerprints and their facial image. This process will take time, and every second really matters at border crossing points – nobody wants to be stuck in a lengthy queue after a long trip.”

But there is confusion around what the app will actually be able to do, if it will help avoid delays and importantly when will it be available?

So here’s what we know so far.

Who is developing the app?

The EU border agency Frontex is currently developing the app. More precisely, Frontex is developing the back-end part of the app, which will be made available to Schengen countries.

“Frontex is currently developing a prototype of an app that will help speed up this process and allow travellers to share some of the information in advance. This is something we are working on to support the member states, although there is no legal requirement for us to do so,” Uku Särekanno said in the interview.

Will the 29 EES countries be forced to use the app?

No, it is understood that Frontex will make the app available on a voluntary basis. Each government will then decide if, when and where to use it, and develop the front-end part based on its own needs.

This point emerged at a meeting of the House of Commons European scrutiny committee, which is carrying out an inquiry on how EES will impact the UK.

What data will be registered via the app?

The Local asked the European Commission about this. A spokesperson however, said the Commission was not “in a position to disclose further information at this stage” but that travellers’ personal data “will be processed in compliance with the high data security and data protection standards set by EU legislation.”

According to the blog by Matthias Monroy, editor of the German civil rights journal Bürgerrechte & Polizei/CILIP the Frontex app will collect passengers’ name, date of birth, passport number, planned destination and length of stay, reason for travelling, the amount of cash they carry, the availability of a credit card and of a travel health insurance. The app could also allow to take facial images. It will then generate a QR code that travellers can present at border control.

This, however, does not change the fact that fingerprints and facial images will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing into the Schengen area.

So given the need to register finger prints and facial images with a border guard, the question is how and if the app will help avoid those border queues?

When is the app going to be available?

The answer to perhaps the most important question is still unclear.

The Commissions spokesperson told The Local that the app “will be made available for Schengen countries as from the Entry/Exit System start of operations.” The planned launch date is currently October 6th, but there have been several delays in the past and may be another one.

The UK parliamentary committee heard that the prototype of the app should have been ready for EU member states in spring. Guy Opperman, Under-Secretary of State at the UK Department for Transport, said the app will not be available for testing until August “at best” and that the app will not be ready in time for October. The committee previously stated that the app might even be delayed until summer 2025.

Frontex’s Särekanno said in his interview: “Our aim is to have it ready by the end of the summer, so it can then be gradually integrated into national systems starting from early autumn”.

READ ALSO: How do the EES passport checks affect the 90-day rule?

Can the system be launched if the app is not ready?

Yes. The European Commission told The Local that “the availability of the mobile application is not a condition for the Entry/Exit System entry into operation or functioning of the system. The app is only a tool for pre-registration of certain types of data and the system can operate without this pre-registration.”

In addition, “the integration of this app at national level is to be decided by each Schengen country on a voluntary basis – as there is no legal obligation to make use of the app.”

And the UK’s transport under secretary Guy Opperman sounded a note of caution saying the app “is not going to be a panacea to fix all problems”.

When the app will be in use, will it be mandatory for travellers?

There is no indication that the app will become mandatory for those non-EU travellers who need to register for EES. But there will probably be advantages in using it, such as getting access to faster lanes.

As a reminder, non-EU citizens who are resident in the EU are excluded from the EES, as are those with dual nationality for a country using EES. Irish nationals are also exempt even though Ireland will not be using EES because it is not in the Schengen area.

Has the app been tested anywhere yet?

Frontex says the prototype of the app will be tested at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, in Sweden. Matthias Monroy’s website said it was tested last year at Munich Airport in Germany, as well as in Bulgaria and Gibraltar.

According to the German Federal Police, the blog reports, passengers were satisfied and felt “prepared for border control”.

This article is published in cooperation with Europe Street News.

 
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