Important Travel Documents

The information published on this page is current as of the date of publication or update.

In order to be able to travel safely and relaxed under the current Corona conditions, all passengers should make good preparations in good time prior to their flights. It is particularly important to inform oneself as to the current entry regulations in one’s destination country and to have all necessary travel documents, both at the airport and during the entire journey, completely filled out and close at hand at all times.

1. Personal travel documents (personal ID, passport, child’s ID)
2. 3G-certificate (vaccinated, recovered or tested with QR-Code, preferably in digital form) 
3. Entry documents for the respective destination country (digital entry registration)

Your personal travel documents include your personal ID, passport and, in the case of children, the child’s ID. Passengers can inform themselves which documents are required by consulting the website of the German Foreign Office.

All travellers, both at home and abroad, are obliged to have with them a certificate to show that, at the time of starting their journey, they are not infected with the Corona virus SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, in order to embark upon their journey, passengers must present a certificate proving they have been vaccinated, are recovered or have been tested. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from this obligation. 

Vaccination Certificate:

• Passengers should inform themselves in good time prior to embarking upon their journeys as to which vaccines are recognised in the respective destination country and whether an additional 3G certificate is required or not. As a general rule, all vaccines approved by the EMA are recognised for journeys within the EU. However, passengers should, also in such cases, inform themselves beforehand as to whether a double or triple jab or possibly other additional proofs are necessary. 
• When re-entering Germany, travellers are deemed to have been fully vaccinated if the last required vaccination has taken place at least 14 days previously. Vaccination must have been with one or more vaccine(s) named by the Paul-Ehrlich Institute. Proof of vaccination is to be presented in the German, English, French, Italian or Spanish language in either physical or digital form. 

Proof of Recovery:

• Travellers who have successfully overcome a Corona infection are deemed recovered and shall receive a “Recovered Person’s Certificate” with limited validity. From what time onwards and for how long such a Recovered Person’s Certificate is recognised is something that varies depending upon the respective destination country. Passengers are therefore required to inform themselves as to the respective rules and regulations.
• Travellers re-entering Germany are deemed recovered if their Corona infection was at least 28 days and at most 6 months in the past. Testing for a Recovered Person’s Certificate must take the form of laboratory diagnostics by means of a nucleic acid proof (PCR, PoC-PCR or other methods of nucleic acid amplification technology). Proof of recovery is to be presented in the German, English, French, Italian or Spanish language in either physical or digital form.

Proof of a Negative Test Result:

• Traveller’s who do not possess either a Recovered Person’s Certificate or a Vaccination Certificate must present an up-to-date negative test result to the airline at the check-in. Whether this should take the form or a PCR or of a rapid antigen test and with what validity is dependent upon the respective entry regulations of the destination country.
• The following tests are accepted as proofs upon (re-)entering Germany:
  • If returning from non-risk areas and high risk areas: an antigen test (no more than 48 hours prior to entry), a PCR or PoC-PCR test (no more than 72 hours prior to entry)
  • From virus variant areas: an antigen test (no more than 24 hours prior to entry), a PCR- or PoC-PCR test (no more than 72 hours prior to entry)
    
    Self-tests, i.e., for example, rapid tests that may be performed by oneself at home, will not be accepted.
    
    Exempt from this test obligation are persons who have not yet attained the age of 6.

• Many countries require entry registration, usually prior to (but occasionally upon) entering the country. The country-specific forms are also known as Passenger Locator Forms. The forms vary depending upon the respective destination country. Also, each country has its own regulations as to who is required to fill out the entry form (every single person or only one member of the family). It is important, however, that the forms should be filled out in good time and completely and that the confirmation of the entry registration is carried with one, either in physical or digital form (depending upon the destination country). 
• The following applies when (re)entering Germany: travellers who have been in either a high risk area and/or virus variant area within a period of up to ten days prior to entry must complete the entry registration form of the Federal Republic (https://einreiseanmeldung.de/) prior to their departure. The passenger shall be required to have with them a PDF-confirmation of the entry registration. The airline is subject to an obligation to check this; should no such confirmation be presented, the airline must refuse to take the passenger on board.

• Passengers may obtain information about and links to the required travel documents from their airline or travel agent. It is imperative to read this information in good time.
• A good, if not legally watertight, overview of travel documents and other travel tips about the destination country, are available at the following websites:

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php

https://reopen.europa.eu/de

Service at the Airport

Travellers who require assistance with completing the country-specific entry forms (Passenger Locator Forms) may avail themselves of such on the spot at BER. From Monday to Sunday between the hours of 04.30 a.m. and 04.00 p.m., the company Beyer Sprachdienste offers assistance with completing and printing out of the forms in return for a fee of 15 Euros per person. This service is available in the check-in hall.