For U.S. travelers, the German Mission of the United States announces the date of reopening as June 20, 2021: “The German Government is lifting all travel restrictions for persons residing in the United States, effective Sunday, June 20, 2021. So starting Sunday, travel to Germany for all purposes will be permitted again. However, a proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from COVID-19, or negative test result is still required for entry via air travel.”
All air travelers six years and older who are entering the Federal Republic of Germany must either show that they are fully vaccinated or fully recovered or have tested negative prior to departure.
Travelers who received all the required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine cited on the website of the Paul Ehrlich Institute are considered fully vaccinated. It must be at least 14 days since the last vaccine dose was administered.
On entry, travelers must have proof of vaccination in written (e.g. CDC card) or digital form (a cellphone photo is not sufficient).
Vaccinated travelers must additionally show no relevant symptoms. Travelers who can prove they were previously infected with COVID through a positive PCR test, taken at least 28 days but no more than six months prior, and who show no relevant symptoms are considered to be fully recovered.
Travelers who are neither fully vaccinated nor fully recovered must continue to present a negative COVID test prior to departure. Both PCR tests and rapid antigen tests are accepted.
A list of approved rapid antigen tests that meet the requirements of the Robert Koch Institute for entry can be found here. The PCR test must be taken no more than 72 hours prior to entering Germany the rapid antigen test, no more than 48 hours.
Transit travelers with a destination outside the Schengen area who do not leave the international transit area of the airport do not need to present a negative test prior to departure.
The United States is no longer categorized as a risk area according to the Robert Koch Institute. Thus, travelers are no longer required to register digitally for entry or quarantine on arrival in Germany.
Regulations for other countries outside of the EU
From June 25, 2021, the Federal Government will allow entry of fully vaccinated travelers from countries outside of the European Union. Fourteen days after they received their last required vaccine dose, they may enter Germany for any valid purpose – e.g. as a tourist or to visit family and friends – provided that they meet the general requirements of residence law.
However, travelers need to have been vaccinated with one of the vaccines listed on the website of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut to benefit from the eased restrictions.
Currently, only vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are recognized (https://www.pei.de/
Entering Germany from virus variant areas of concern is still not permitted. The rules of the Ordinance on Coronavirus Entry Regulations (Coronavirus-
By allowing entry of travelers who have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival, the Federal Government is implementing the amended Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 of the Council of the European Union.
More information, in particular about the requirements for proof of vaccination, is available on the BMI website.
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