The federal government has opted to extend its travel warning for more than 160 countries until the end of August.

Germany’s warning for non-EU countries in place until August 31

In a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the federal government decided that its travel warning would continue to apply until August 31, 2020 for all countries worldwide except EU member states, Schengen countries and the United Kingdom. The warning, which has been in effect since March 17, was due to expire on June 15. 

“Unlike our European neighbours, for the rest of the world we do not yet have the common, reliable databases, criteria and coordination processes that make unrestricted travel possible again without incalculable risks,” emphasised Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. "We cannot and will not risk Germans becoming stranded all over the world this summer or those returning from holiday bringing the virus back to Germany."  

Travel warning lifted in Europe

As was announced last week, the travel warning for EU member states, the United Kingdom and Schengen countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland will be lifted on June 15. The Federal Foreign Office will replace it with country-specific travel advice. Spain and Norway, however, still have entry bans in place.

Maas said that the travel warning would continue to be examined and re-examined before September. He emphasised that only in countries where “the overall package of positive pandemic development, a stable health system, coherent security measures for tourism and reliable outbound and inbound travel options” would the travel warning be lifted in favour of travel advice. 

Likewise, the government reserves the right to reimpose the warning on EU countries that experience a spike in coronavirus cases.