Germany reopens for South African travellers

South Africans can once again enter Germany without the need to undergo quarantine requirements.

Germany’s decision to ease restrictions on South African travellers from Tuesday 4 January follows its reclassification of South Africa from a “virus variant area” to a “high-risk area”.

The classification of several southern African states as virus variant areas, came after scientists at South Africa’s Network for Genomic Surveillance announced the detection of the Omicron variant in the country in November 2021.

GERMANY IMPOSES ENTRY BAN

The German government acted by imposing an entry ban on nationals from numerous states in southern Africa.

This ban was the second time Germany imposed hard restrictions on South Africa since the onset of the pandemic. Entry to Germany from a number of southern African states was restricted to German nationals, legal residents and immediate family members.

ALSO READ: Maldives welcomes South African travellers again

SOUTHERN AFRICAN STATES RECLASSIFIED

Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the organisation responsible for disease control and prevention in Germany, recently reclassified states on its list.

South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe have been reclassified as high-risk areas, which effectively means that nationals of these countries may enter Germany again.

GERMANY EASES RESTRICTIONS

Countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and Denmark have recently eased restrictions they placed on South Africa as a result of the Omicron variant and have scrapped the flight and entry bans they imposed on the country. 

Germany is the latest country to ease the restrictions it imposed on Southern Africa. Travellers who have been fully vaccinated as well as those who are not vaccinated but who have recovered from Covid-19 infections prior to visiting Germany will not need to quarantine.

GERMAN ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Travellers from southern Africa are able to enter Germany from 4 January, subject to these requirements :

• A negative PCR test result must be obtained 72 hours before arriving in Germany.
• Visitors are required to complete a digital entry registration which records personal details including the individual’s vaccination status, negative COVID-19 test result, flight details and itinerary.
• All travellers over the age of six need to carry proof of their COVID-19 status when entering Germany. This proof includes a negative PCR test result, proof of vaccination, or proof of recovery.
• A positive PCR test result that was carried out at least 28 days before travel, but no more than six months previously may be used as proof of recovery from COVID-19.
• Proof of vaccination – physical or digital – must  include personal details of the  vaccinated individual, the passport or ID number, date and number of vaccinations, and name of the vaccine used.
• Travellers are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after their final dose of a vaccine.

Business Insider states that failure to provide evidence of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19, will result in travellers having to quarantine for 10 days, which can be ended after 5 days upon receipt of negative Covid-19 test result, taken in Germany.

By: Lorne Philpot