Germany Advises Against Non-Essential Travel to Spain
Germany Changes Travel Advice: Germany Advises Against Non-Essential Travel to Spain

German authorities have decided to add Spain, excluding the Canary Islands, to its high-risk countries list, after a spike in the number of COVID-19 infections in Spain.

The Federal Interior and Health Ministers agreed that a surge in cases in Spain could cause another wave of infections in Germany.

Travellers arriving from high-risk countries must undergo PCR testing or self-isolate for two-weeks.



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Germany Advises Against Non-Essential Travel to Spain
Germany Changes Travel Advice: Germany Advises Against Non-Essential Travel to Spain

“The at-risk label is not a closing of borders and is not a travel ban,” Germany’s Health Ministry has announced.


Germany’s authorities had previously advised its citizens to avoid
non-essential travel to Aragon, Navarra and Catalunya.

Currently, only Poland, Luxembourg, Romania, Portugal and Sweden have not advised avoiding travel to Spain.

On the other hand, Germany recently added 11 parts of Romania to its list of high-risk countries, after Romania reported a surge in the number of infections.

travellers who come from high-risk countries may be exempted from mandatory quarantine if they transit through Germany to go to their home nations or provide negative test results or get tested upon their arrival to Germany.

Germany’s Ministry of Health had previously suggested to the government to make compulsory tests for citizens arriving from high-risk countries.

According to the decision of the health ministers, travellers from non-risk areas should be offered voluntary tests within 72 hours, but not directly at the airport.

Regardless of the place of departure, the tests will be free of charge.

For details, travellers should contact the Ministry of Health, their airport and the relevant state authorities — the Ministry

- List of countries or areas classified as "high-risk"

Germany's list of countries or areas considered as "high-risk" are:

Belgium: Province of Antwerp (since 5/8/20)
Bulgaria: Districts ("oblasts") of Blagoevgrad, Dobrich, Varna (since 7/8/20)
Luxembourg (since 14/7/20)
Romania:
Districts of Argeș, Bihor, Buzău, Neamt, Ialomita, Mehedinti, Timis (since 7/8/20). Districts of Bacu, Brsila, Brasov, D'mbovica, Galai, Gorj, Ilfov, Prahova, Vaslui, Vrancea and Bucharest (since 12/8/20)
Spain:
Autonomous communities of Aragón, Catalonia, Navarre (since 31/7/20) - Basque Country and Madrid
(since 11/8/20)


Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also published a statement on the rules of entry, for persons eligible to enter Germany, who come from non-EU/EEA countries, particularly those coming from high-risk areas.

- Third-countries allowed without restrictions
Australia, Canada
Georgia, New Zealand
Thailand, Tunisia
Uruguay

For China, Japan and South Korea a lifting of entry restrictions are subject to confirmation of reciprocity.

This list of countries is to be regularly updated. The question of whether travel to Germany is permitted depends on where the person travelling has previously been staying, not on their nationality.

What are your thoughts on Germany's current travel restrictions? Comment below.

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