Entering Germany

Current regulations for entry into the Federal Republic of Germany

In connection with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and the infectious disease Covid-19, extended regulations apply for entry into Germany.

  • All passengers aged six years and older entering Germany on flights from high-risk, high-variant and non-risk areas since 00:00 on Tuesday, March 30, must present a negative Covid-19 test upon departure. The testing obligations also apply to passengers with a connecting flight in Frankfurt or Munich.
  • There are no exceptions to the testing obligation for transit passengers - even if they do not leave the transit area in Frankfurt or Munich.
  • A Covid-19 test must be taken no more than 48 hours before arrival in Germany and is checked by the airlines, for example Lufthansa, before departure.
  • Carriage is not possible without negative proof of testing.

Classification of virus variant areas

The regulations refer to regions classified by the Robert Koch Institute as risk areas, high-risk areas and virus variant areas. The Robert Koch Institute divides the risk areas into three risk levels, for which different obligations apply.

You can find out about the current classification of all countries and regions at any time on the website of the Robert Koch Institute.

Classification and overview of risk areas (Robert Koch Institute)

Entry regulations according to risk levels

Non-risk areas Level 1: risk areas Level 2: high risk areas Level 3: virus variant areas

Entry from non-risk areas

All passengers aged six years and older who enter Germany on flights from non-risk areas or travel as transit passengers via Germany since 00:00 on Tuesday, 30 March, must already present a negative Covid 19 test upon departure. There is no exemption from the testing requirement for transit passengers coming from a non-Schengen state and travelling on to a non-Schengen state - even if they do not leave the transit area in Frankfurt or Munich.

A Covid-19 test must be taken no more than 48 hours before arrival in Germany and is checked by the airlines, for example Lufthansa, before departure.

Without negative proof of testing, carriage is not possible.

Testing capacities at the international airports may be limited. We recommend that you find out in good time about the testing possibilities at your point of departure and ask you to allow sufficient time for your test.

You can find information on the test centres at your departure airport here after entering your departure and destination airports.

To the entry regulations and test centres

Entry from risk areas

All travellers from a foreign risk area to Germany must present a negative Covid 19 test upon departure. This regulation also applies to transit travellers travelling via Germany. A Covid-19 test must be taken no more than 48 hours before arrival in Germany and is checked by the airlines, for example Lufthansa, before departure.

The ten-day ​quarantine requirement, and the ​Digital Entry Application (DEA) or a replacement application remain mandatory for all entrants from risk areas, high-risk areas and virus variant areas.

Certain groups of persons are exempt from the registration and proof requirement. These include:

  • Persons entering the Federal Republic of Germany for transit purposes only.
  • Persons who have only stayed in a risk area for 24 hours or who will stay in the Federal Republic of Germany for a maximum of 24 hours.
  • Children up to and including 6 years of age are exempt from the obligation to provide proof of testing but not from the obligation to register.

The quarantine regulations are the responsibility of the individual federal states (entry quarantine regulations, e.g. ​Hesse, ​Bavaria, ​North Rhine-Westphalia, etc. – German only). Please enquire independently how the quarantine regulations are specifically applied in your federal state.

To the entry quarantine regulations of the federal states (German only)

Entry from high risk areas

All travellers to Germany from a high-risk area must present a negative Covid 19 test upon departure. This regulation also applies to transit travellers travelling via Germany. A Covid-19 test must be taken no more than 48 hours before arrival in Germany and is checked by the airlines, for example Lufthansa, before departure.

Certain groups of persons are exempt from the obligation to register and provide proof. These include:

  • Persons entering the Federal Republic of Germany for transit purposes only.
  • Children up to and including 6 years of age are exempt from the testing requirement but not from the registration requirement

Important note for cross-border commuters and business travellers: For entries from high-risk areas (RKI level 2), the exemption for border commuters and business travellers no longer applies. Since 14 January, they have also been subject to the obligation to register and provide proof.

The quarantine regulations are the responsibility of the individual federal states (entry quarantine regulations, e.g. ​Hesse, ​Bavaria, ​North Rhine-Westphalia, etc. – German only). Please enquire independently how the quarantine regulations are specifically applied in your federal state.

To the entry quarantine regulations of the federal states (German only)

In the absence of a negative test result, all transport companies are subject to an official transport ban.

Entry from risk areas with occurring virus mutations

Due to the stricter entry and transport regulations that currently apply for travellers from risk areas with occurring virus mutations to the Federal Republic of Germany, only passengers with German citizenship, a residence in Germany and right of abode in Germany or passengers transferring in a transit area of a commercial airport and do not leave this area may be transported.

All passengers and transit passengers who enter Germany from a level 3 risk area (region with virus mutation) or change planes in Germany must have a negative Covid 19 test upon departure. A Covid-19 test must be taken no more than 48 hours before arrival in Germany and is checked by the airlines, for example Lufthansa, before departure.

Children up to and including 6 years of age are exempt from the obligation to provide proof of testing, but not from the obligation to register.

Important note for cross-border commuters and business travellers: For entries from regions with a virus mutation (RKI level 3), the exemption for border commuters and business travellers no longer applies. Since 14 January, they have also been subject to the obligation to register and provide proof.

The quarantine regulations are the responsibility of the individual federal states (entry quarantine regulations, e.g. ​Hesse, ​Bavaria, ​North Rhine-Westphalia, etc. – German only). Please enquire independently how the quarantine regulations are specifically applied in your federal state.

To the entry quarantine regulations of the federal states (German only)

In the absence of a negative test result, all transport companies are subject to an official transport ban.

Overview of entry regulations for passengers arriving in Germany

  Level 1:
risk areas		 Level 2:
high risk areas		 Level 3:
virus variant areas
Countries concerned ​Classification and overview of risk areas (Robert Koch Institute) ​​Classification and overview of risk areas (Robert Koch Institute) ​​Classification and overview of risk areas (Robert Koch Institute)
​Digital Entry Application (DEA) or substitute message necessary
 Yes Yes Yes
Compulsory testing for passengers Yes, max. 48 hours before entry Yes, max. 48 hours before entry Yes, max. 48 hours before entry
Prohibition of carriage for the airline Without valid test certificate Without valid test certificate Without valid test certificate
Transit / Transfer in Germany (Schengen/Non-Schengen) Only possible with test max. 48 hours before entry in risk area, without DEA Only possible with test max. 48 hours before entry in risk area, without DEA
 Only possible with test max. 48 hours before entry in risk area, with DEA
Children up to 6 years of age DEA obligation; exempt from testing obligation DEA obligation; exempt from testing obligation DEA obligation; exempt from testing obligation
Cross-border commuters/ Border crossers Cross-border commuters: DEA obligation; exception from testing obligation
Border crossers (up to 24h): exemption from test and DEA obligation		 No exemption from DEA/testing obligation No exemption from DEA/testing obligation
Quarantine obligation* 10 days quarantine with possibility of shortening from day 5; further known exceptions according to national law 10 days quarantine with possibility of shortening from day 5; further known exceptions according to national law 14 days quarantine without the possibility of shortening; further known exceptions according to national law.

* The quarantine regulations are the responsibility of the individual federal states (entry quarantine regulations, e.g. ​Hesse, ​Bavaria, ​North Rhine-Westphalia etc. – German only). Please enquire independently how the quarantine regulations are specifically applied in your federal state.

To the entry quarantine regulations of the federal states (German only)

Information on the quarantine obligation

As a general rule, persons entering or returning from a risk area (levels 1 to 3) within the last ten days before entry are obliged to enter a ten-day quarantine immediately after entry.

  • A ten-day quarantine is obligatory, when entering from a risk area of levels 1 and 2.  From the fifth day after entry, it is possible to be tested again for COVID-19 and to end the quarantine prematurely if the test result is negative. This also applies if a negative test result was already available at or before entry (two-test strategy).
  • A 14-day quarantine is obligatory, when entering from a level 3 risk area (virus variant areas). The possibility to end the quarantine early explicitly does not apply to return journeys from virus variant areas due to the longer duration of infection by virus variants.

Important note for exemptions from the quarantine obligation

In the Federal Republic of Germany, the regulations regarding the quarantine obligation (e.g. shortening or exceptions) are the responsibility of the federal states. There may be different regulations and measures in the individual federal states (entry quarantine regulations, e.g. ​Hesse, ​Bavaria, ​North Rhine-Westphalia, etc. – German only).

Please check the website of the federal state in which you reside or will be accommodated to find out how the quarantine regulations are actually implemented there.

To the entry quarantine regulations of the federal states (German only)

Complete and valid Covid-19-related entry documents

The obligation to be tested for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus before entry and/or after arrival (depending on the risk area visited) does not only apply in Germany for those entering or returning from foreign risk areas. Almost all destinations have stipulated requirements for Covid-19-related entry documents in their entry regulations. Make sure that yours are correct and complete.   

Example: For entering Germany the following specifications have to be met:

  • The test result has to be available as a printout or in electronic form.
  • The certificate needs to be personalised (including name, address, date of birth of the person tested).
  • It has to be available in the German, English or French language.
  • The proof must include the test method and the test result.
  • The test result needs to be validated by a physician or a recognised laboratory.
To the CENTOGENE test sample

Please note: Depending on your destination, the requirements, specifications and contents of the entry documents will vary. Please inform yourself about the current entry regulations before your trip.

To the entry regulations
More Information on the recognition of diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2

At many international airports you'll have the option of getting tested for Covid-19. You can find information on the test centres at your departure airport here after entering your departure and destination airports.

To the entry regulations and test centres

Please note

If, despite a negative test result, the typical symptoms of an infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, such as fever, dry cough and loss of the sense of taste or smell, occur within ten days of entry, you are obliged in any case to inform your competent authority.

All information without guarantee. The applicable ordinance of the federal state in which the traveller is domiciled or in which the traveller is staying in Germany is decisive.

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