June 26th: Due to the widespread use of the delta variant of the corona virus, the federal government is restricting entry Portugal and Russia massive one. The Robert Koch Institute announced on Friday that the two countries as Virus variant areas get ranked. This classification results in an extensive transport ban for airlines, bus and train companies. You are only allowed to bring German citizens and foreigners residing in Germany across the border. For those who are allowed to enter, there is a strict 14-day quarantine obligation, which cannot be shortened by a test and also applies to those who have been completely vaccinated and recovered.
With Portugal, for the first time in weeks, an EU country has been classified in the highest risk category. The classification of Portugal as a virus variant area initially applies for two weeks. An extension is possible.
The decision should also be made by numerous German tourists who are either already on vacation in Portugal or have planned a trip there. The particularly popular coastal region of the Algarve is currently not even classified in the lowest risk category.
15th June: So far, every three days had to be tested to see who was vacationing in a hotel in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. That is now changing: in future, a test that is no longer than 24 hours old will only have to be presented to enter the northeast, and the obligation to test during the stay will no longer apply, announced Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD). A comparable rule already applies to holiday apartments. Completely vaccinated and recovered are completely liberated. For certain services such as indoor catering, the obligation to test should initially remain in place. Hotel guests are allowed to eat in a restaurant in their accommodation without a test.
Traveling in the EU should become easier
14th June: The EU countries want to relax Corona travel restrictions in a coordinated and gradual manner in the future. “With the beginning of summer, it will be easier for citizens to travel – with only limited and proportionate travel restrictions, if at all,” said EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders. Fully vaccinated and recovered people should be allowed to travel without tests and quarantine, as well as residents of regions with few infections.
Currently in Germany only Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is such a green area by the standards of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). A test could be required of travelers from orange areas, and quarantine from red areas, it says in the communication from the EU Commission. The ECDC division of the areas into the colors green, orange, red and dark red is based on the number of cases and the positive rate of tests.
Morocco waives testing for vaccinated people
14th June: From June 15, the North African country wants to let tourists re-enter. Contrary to the original announcement, vaccinated persons are now dispensed with a negative PCR test, as the Moroccan tourist office announced. Air and ferry traffic to Europe will initially only be started to a limited extent. Public life in Morocco continues to be restricted, the Foreign Office warns against unnecessary tourist trips. The country is classified as a risk area.
Federal government lifts travel warning for risk areas
June 11th: Foreign Minister Heike Maas (SPD) promises more normality, “also for travel”: On July 1, after more than a year, the federal government will lift the travel warning for tourist trips to corona risk areas. According to the current status, this applies in whole or in part to almost 100 countries worldwide, including the neighboring countries France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium.
This also has consequences in terms of travel law: A package tour can usually be canceled if a travel warning is issued – and this was not foreseeable at the time of booking. And some overseas health insurances will not pay if there is a travel warning.
From tourist trips in “simple” risk areas with a seven-day incidence above 50 and below 200, it is only “advised against” in future. When traveling to countries and regions of the EU that are not classified as a risk area, as well as to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, in view of the ongoing pandemic, only “special caution” is requested.
US citizens are allowed to travel to Germany again
June 9th: At Neuschwanstein Castle, under the Brandenburg Gate and at Obersee near Berchtesgaden – all popular travel destinations for Americans – guests from overseas should soon be welcomed again. So far, the authorities in Washington had warned US citizens against traveling to Germany. Now the Foreign Ministry has downgraded several countries on the warning list: in addition to Germany, France, Italy, Mexico and Canada. Germany is now on level three of the warning system. That means US citizens should reconsider their travel plans. Previously, the highest level was four, which remains in place for several other EU countries such as Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland.
However, German citizens can still not enter the USA. The reassessment does not change anything about the ban on entry into the USA for foreigners imposed because of the pandemic – for example from the European Schengen area, Great Britain, India or China. Entry from these states is still generally only possible with a special permit. For its part, the Federal Foreign Office has also warned German citizens against tourist trips to the USA.
Free corona tests for vacationers in Austria
May 18th: From next week, Austria will also be offering free corona tests for foreign guests in order to stimulate tourism. This possibility will exist in public test streets, pharmacies or directly in hotels or inns, said Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) in Vienna. Every host, every hotel, every business can offer self-tests for guests. This should also enable spontaneous restaurant visits – in this case an on-site test only applies for the duration of the stay in the restaurant.
“It is up to the local operator to decide whether to offer these tests,” said Köstinger. The system of entry tests and other security requirements have proven to be very effective. According to scientific studies, there has not been a single case of infection in the model region of Vorarlberg, in which the gastronomy has been open with access tests since March, according to the minister. As in the previous year, employees in the catering and hotel industries were given access to free PCR tests to ensure the safety of guests.
In Austria, after seven months of lockdown, gastronomy, hotels, culture and many sports facilities will open on May 19. At the same time, many countries – including Germany – do not require quarantine when entering the country. However, those entering must be tested, vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19. For guests from regions with virus variants and for high incidence areas, stricter rules apply. If a test cannot be presented, it must be taken in Austria within 24 hours. Electronic registration is also required before each entry. The seven-day incidence in Austria is currently 65 – and thus below that of Germany with 79.