Germany mandates vaccination for American travelers - Dinogo

Germany has introduced new vaccination requirements mandating proof of vaccination in specific indoor venues starting August 23.

Known as the "3G rule," certain establishments and recreational venues now require proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test for patrons, according to the German government. This includes areas like gyms, hotels, cafes, and restaurants.

According to the mandate, "Individuals who are not fully vaccinated or have not recovered from COVID-19 must provide a rapid antigen test taken within the last 24 hours or a PCR test taken within the last 48 hours to participate in any indoor activities." Testing will thus be compulsory for visits to hospitals, nursing homes, indoor cafes and restaurants, as well as for celebrations, events, and personal care services such as hairdressers or beauty salons. The same requirement applies to indoor sports and overnight stays in hotels and guesthouses.

This poses a potential challenge for American visitors, as non-EU citizens cannot obtain the EU's Digital COVID Certificate, and currently, there is no digital version of the vaccination card issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We have inquired for clarification on whether the CDC vaccination card will be accepted as valid proof for this requirement.

On August 15, Germany announced that Americans must be fully vaccinated to enter the country or they will face a mandatory 10-day quarantine if arriving from "high-risk" nations without proof of full vaccination or prior recovery from COVID-19.

Visitors may end their quarantine early by obtaining a negative test result on the fifth day.

The United States, Turkey, and Israel were designated as "high risk" on Friday as part of Germany's weekly review of travel restrictions.

As reported by TPG, Germany reopened to American tourists in June, even though the U.S. still has restrictions against visitors from Germany.

The European Union decided to reopen its borders to American tourists on June 16, with Germany following suit on June 20 after some initial confusion.

The new regulations may lead to some visitors needing to adjust their plans, as most unvaccinated travelers are likely to avoid quarantine.

All unvaccinated travelers must provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours or an antigen test taken within 48 hours prior to arrival.

As stated by the U.S. Embassy in Germany, the testing requirement is lifted for fully vaccinated individuals (14 days after the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or the first dose of a single-dose vaccine) and those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, except when coming from a virus-variant area of concern.

For the latest travel updates, click here. Risk area updates are provided by the Robert Koch Institute.