If you do not come from an EU country, you shouldn’t plan to travel to Germany before September 2020 due to ongoing restrictions. Exceptions are possible, but must be carefully considered and confirmed in advance by the responsible authorities. In any case, please check very carefully with the German embassy or consulates in your home country whether you can enter Germany. The following information has been compiled to the best of our knowledge and belief and is for your orientation only. We are happy about every participant whom we can welcome again personally at IIK, but we do not take any responsibility that you will be able to enter Gemany.
1. General Entry Restriction
Currently, the following restriction applies to persons from “third countries” (= non-EU): You must have good reasons for travelling:
“There are no entry restrictions for German citizens, they may enter Germany in any case. Moreover, travellers without German nationality may only enter Germany if there is a good reason for doing so… If there is no urgent reason for entry, third-country nationals will be refused entry at the border.”
The “good reasons” include education/school and probably also certain language courses. However, appropriate certificates or proofs must be carried along and forms must be filled in. If you enter the country for the purpose of training, you may attend a language course before entering:
“It is also possible to enter the country for a language course that prepares for vocational training, provided that proof is furnished upon entry that the vocational training will start directly after the language course (no return home with subsequent re-entry for the actual start of the vocational training).”
Attending a short summer course (1-2 months) probably does not entitle you to enter the country. It looks better if you want to or must also take an exam in Germany.
2. Quarantine
There is currently no general quarantine obligation when entering from another country (exceptions see below). BUT: When entering from a country or region declared as a “risk area”, you must go into a two-week self quarantine. Those who do not comply with the quarantine can be punished.
Which country or region is considered a risk area can change any time. The continuously updated list of official risk areas can be found here:
https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_n eu.html
It should be noted that the federal states may apply their own interpretations of these regulations, especially with regard to quarantine.
3. Visa
Those who want to come have another difficulty at the moment: Consulates and visa departments are currently not open or only issue visas very restrictively.
The information on the page of the German embassy in Tunisia, for example, states:
“Due to the existing entry restrictions for all non-essential travel from third countries to the Federal Republic of Germany for further containment of COVID-19, the Embassy Tunis does not accept new visa applications in principle at the moment. Acceptance will only be granted in exceptional cases if the applicant can demonstrate that compelling reasons exist that justify one of the envisaged exceptions to the entry restrictions. The Embassy of Tunis will inform the applicant immediately if any changes occur in this situation”.
https://tunis.diplo.de/tn-de/service/05-VisaEinreise
The following information, which you will probably find on the websites of the German embassies worldwide, may be relevant for many applicants:
“The existing entry restrictions for all non-essential travel from third countries to the Federal Republic of Germany for further containment of COVID-19 may, under certain circumstances, mean that it is not possible to use the national visa issued by the Tunis embassy within the period of validity. As soon as re-entry is possible, it is intended to provide for a re-entry procedure as quickly and easily as possible for all applicants who are affected by this. The prerequisite for this will be that only the date of travel has changed, but not the purpose and place of travel. The Tunis embassy will inform you about the further procedure as soon as entry is possible again.”
This should also apply in other countries for visas whose validity expired due to Corona before the journey could even begin.
CONCLUSION
Entry from third countries remains an uncertain risk and cannot be recommended at present and probably not before the end of August.
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