Important travel documents

Personal travel documents include an identity card, passport and, in the case of children, a child’s identity card or, if applicable, a visa for the country of destination. Passengers can find out which documents are required on the website of the Federal Foreign Office. 

Proof of vaccination: 

• Passengers should find out well in advance which vaccines are recognised in the respective destination country and whether additional proof of testing may be required. For travel within the EU, all vaccines approved by the EMA are generally recognised. However, passengers should also find out in advance whether double or triple vaccination or possibly additional proof is required. 
• Upon re-entry to Germany, travellers are considered fully vaccinated if the last required vaccination was at least 14 days ago. The vaccination must be carried out with one or more vaccine(s) named by the Paul Ehrlich Institute. Proof of vaccination must be presented in embodied or digital form in German, English, French, Italian or Spanish. 

Proof of recovery: 

• Travellers who have successfully overcome their COVID-19 infection are considered recovered and will be issued with a proof of recovery with limited validity. It varies somewhat as to when and for how long proof of recovery is recognised in the respective destination country. Passengers are therefore advised to inform themselves about the respective regulations. 
• Travellers entering Germany are considered to have recovered if their COVID-19 infection occurred at least 28 days up to a maximum of 90 days ago. The test to prove recovery must be carried out as a laboratory diagnosis using nucleic acid detection (PCR, PoC-PCR or other methods of nucleic acid amplification technology). Proof of recovery must be submitted in embodied or digital form in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish.

Proof of negative test: 

• Travellers without proof of recovery or vaccination must present a current negative test result to the airline at check-in, depending on the applicable entry regulations. Whether PCR or antigen rapid test and with which validity depends on the respective entry regulations of the destination country. 
• When (re)entering Germany, the following tests are accepted as proof of testing:
  o   From non-risk areas and high-risk areas Antigen test (PCR or PoC-PCR test (not older than 48 hours before entry)
  o   From virus variant areas: PCR or PoC-PCR test (not older than 48 hours before entry)

Self-tests, i.e. e.g. rapid tests that can be carried out independently at home, are not accepted. Persons who have not reached the age of 6 are exempt from the testing obligation.

• Many countries usually require an entry declaration before (or occasionally at) entry. The country-specific forms are also known as Passenger Locator Forms. The forms vary depending on the destination country. Each country also has its own rules on who has to fill in the entry form (each person or only one member of the family). However, it is important that the forms are completed in good time and in full and that the confirmation of the entry application is printed out or carried digitally (depending on the destination country). 
• The following applies to (re-)entry into Germany: Travellers who have stayed in a high-risk area and/or virus variant area up to ten days before entry must complete the entry registration (https://einreiseanmeldung.de/) of the Federal Republic of Germany. The passenger must carry a PDF confirmation of the entry registration. The airline is obliged to check this, and if it is not presented, the passenger will be refused carriage by the airline.