The German government has announced that it will drop all COVID-related entry restrictions, making it easier - and cheaper - for people from non-EU countries to travel to the federal republic. 

Germany relaxes COVID entry rules for non-EU travellers

The Federal Foreign Office announced that, as of Saturday, June 11, 2022, all entry restrictions imposed in Germany since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic will be provisionally lifted. This means that travellers from all over the world will once again be able to enter Germany for all kinds of travel purposes, including for tourism, leisure and to visit friends and family. 

However, there is one major exception: travellers from the People’s Republic of China still need an important reason to enter Germany, due to the lack of a reciprocity agreement between the governments of Germany and China. This does not apply to people with German citizenship. 

The change in rules will make it easier and cheaper for people to come to Germany from outside of the EU, especially families. Up until now, people coming from most non-EU countries had to be either fully vaccinated or have a special reason to enter Germany. Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 were allowed to enter with at least one fully vaccinated parent and a negative COVID test. 

3G no longer applies, and more vaccines recognised

The change follows the German government’s decision at the beginning of the month to temporarily suspend 3G entry rules for travel, meaning arrivals in Germany no longer have to present proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test at the airport when entering the country. 

The stricter rules regarding virus variant areas remain in place - including a blanket travel ban and, for German citizens and residents, a mandatory test, digital registration, and 14-day quarantine period - but currently, no country is designated a virus variant area. 

Germany also now recognises all vaccines approved by the WHO as proof of vaccination, rather than just those approved by the EMA. This includes the CoronaVac, Sinopharm BIBP and Covaxin shots.