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Updated January 2023

A negative Covid-19 test is required for most destinations before the commencement of travel. Regardless of which risk area they are travelling from, every individual has to undergo PCR test measures before travelling to Germany. Travellers who do not submit a test certificate or offer invalid data will be refrained from entering the country.

Here, we’ve put together a handy checklist concerning Germany PCR test entry requirements

PCR testing requirements in Germany

The Robert Koch Institute and the German government have adopted guidelines for travellers from non-risk areas, high-risk areas and virus variant areas.

Depending on the place departure, travellers will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination certificate and comply with quarantine regulations.

The following are the entry and testing guidelines for travellers from each category.

Travellers from non-risk areas

Germany permits restriction-free entry to a number of epidemiologically safe third countries. These countries are as follows.

Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Hongkong, Jordan, Canada, Qatar, Colombia, Kuwait, Macau, Namibia, New Zealand, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Uruguay, United Arab Emirates and China (currently subject to reciprocity).

Travellers from the countries mentioned above may enter Germany as long as they’re able to present valid proof of vaccination against the COVID-19 disease. Travellers should prove that they are fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines recognized in Germany and at least 14 days have elapsed since the second dose of the vaccine.

Following are the guidelines for those travelling from non-risk areas:

  • arriving travellers who are 12 years or older must present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before departure
  • those who have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior and have recently recovered from the infection need not take a pre-departure PCR test
  • unvaccinated travellers from non-risk areas will need to take a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure. Unvaccinated travellers can still travel from non-risk countries provided that they follow the testing rules and the purpose of their entry falls into the exemption list
  • travellers in transit are also affected by the COVIID-19 test obligation
  • children under 12, even if they have not yet been vaccinated, are allowed to travel with at least one fully vaccinated parent

Travellers from high-risk areas

All unvaccinated travellers from Belgium, Greece, Ireland, and the Netherlands will need to follow additional entry rules upon arrival in Germany as these countries have been placed on the high-risk list.

The following are some of the guidelines for those coming from high-risk countries:

  • undertake a PCR test within 72 hours before departure. You can also opt for an antigen test (48 hours before departure)
  • fill in a digital entry form and carry the completion confirmation
  • quarantine for ten days upon arrival in Germany. The quarantine period can be ended earlier by presenting a negative COVID-19 test result on or after the fifth quarantine
  • fully vaccinated travellers (with Germany approved vaccines) can skip the quarantine measures.
  • travellers who have recently recovered from the virus during the last six months are also eligible to skip quarantine measures
  • fully vaccinated, recovered persons and children up to and including 12 years of age are exempt from compulsory testing but not from compulsory digital entry application. Any exemptions that apply to you must be proven and confirmed in writing at the check-in desk

Travellers from the virus variant areas

Areas of variants of concern are those countries with the widespread occurrence of a virus variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and are believed to pose a particular risk. Following are the guidelines for travellers coming from virus variant areas:

  • undertake a PCR test within 72 hours before departure. You can also opt for an antigen test (48 hours before departure)
  • children up to 12 years of age are exempt from compulsory testing, but not from the digital entry application
  • fill in a digital entry form and carry the completion confirmation
  • quarantine for fourteen days upon arrival in Germany

What about testing at the airport?

Travellers without symptoms can get themselves tested at the airport. COVID-19 testing at Frankfurt Airport are available exclusively to arriving or departing passengers with all tests subject to a fee.

You can find COVID-19 all the available test centres at German airports here.

Testing in quarantine

Travellers from high-risk areas should quarantine themselves for 10 days. If they wish to end their quarantine earlier, they must wait for at least five days after arriving and present a negative PCR test. Fully vaccinated individuals can complete their quarantine earlier.

Travellers from virus variant areas will need to quarantine for fourteen days and then present a negative PCR test.

Exemptions

Exemptions from the requirement of COVID-19 testing apply to:

  • transport personnel
  • transit travellers with a destination outside Germany who do not leave the airport’s international transit area do not need to present a negative test before departure to Germany.
  • individuals who are fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from Covid-19 and children under twelve years of age are exempt from compulsory COVID-19 testing.

The following categories of people are exempt from the quarantine requirement:

  • those who travelled through high risk or high incidence areas without making any stopovers
  • those travelling using the territory of Germany as a transit country
  • persons who have stayed in a risk area for less than 24 hours or who leave Germany within 24 hours of entry

Travellers should note that restrictions in individual states of Germany differ from one another and may change at any time. For additional information on COVID-19 entry regulations to Germany, please visit the website of the Robert Koch Institute or the Federal Ministry of Health website.