German association for the trade fair industry, AUMA has issued an update on the various entry requirements for trade fair participants from abroad
Around 60% of the approximately 180,000 exhibitors each year at German trade fairs come from abroad, a third of them from countries outside Europe. Almost 30% of the 10 million visitors also come from abroad, a major reason AUMA is advocating open borders for trade fair participants.
“Open borders and the smoothest possible international travel are therefore essential for German trade fairs,” AUMA says, noting that with international travel partially restricted due to the pandemic, trade fair participants from abroad should carefully inform themselves about entry requirements before their trip.
AUMA advises keeping the following questions top of mind when planning to enter Germany:
- Is an entry possible at all?
- Do trade fair participants need a visa?
- Is a Covid-19 test necessary?
- Do trade fair participants have to undergo quarantine after arriving in Germany?
Firstly, it is generally possible for trade fair participants from abroad to enter Germany and no travel restrictions apply for travellers from countries that are not designated as international risk area (see List of risk areas and country search on https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de).
Trade fair participants from risk areas and high incidence areas can also enter Germany, as they are considered business travellers with an urgent need to travel.
Trade fair participants must then provide proof of their participation in the trade fair when applying for a visa or respectively when entering Germany and employees of exhibiting companies must present a confirmation of their participation in the fair from the organiser.
Visitors to the trade fair must present their entry ticket to the trade fair and additionally provide proof of an appointment for a business meeting with at least one exhibitor at the trade fair
Entry Requirements for Trade Fair Participants at a Glance:
A digital registration on entry is to be filled out by all persons entering Germany who spent time in the 10 days prior to entry in a risk area or an area associated with particularly high risk. The application can be reached via the https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de website.
All travellers entering Germany from a risk area, a high risk area or an area of variant of concern, or by plane must provide a negative test result upon departure. The test must be taken no more than 48 hours before arrival in Germany and is checked by the airlines before departure.
Proof of vaccination or recovery can replace a negative test. This does not apply in the case of a previous stay in an area of variant of concern. A list of vaccines and necessary number of vaccine doses leading to a vaccinated status is available here.
In general the requirement to quarantine applies to arrivals from risk areas until proof of full vaccination, recovery from an infection or a negative test result is submitted via the entry portal of the Federal Republic of Germany (www.einreiseanmeldung.de), although there are exceptions .
Further information on travel regulations are also available at https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus/2317268.
AUMA stresses that trade fair participants should always inform themselves about the regulations currently applicable to them specifically before starting their journey and says its information is only intended to provide initial advice and therefore does not claim to be complete.
