Important information for travellers In order to contain the corona epidemic the Hessian state government has introduced regulations which include restrictions in various areas of life. These rules are binding for all persons residing in Hessen. Further information is available at www.hessen.de

The following regulations applicable from 09 January 2021 onwards concern all persons entering Hessen from a risk area:

1. If you are entering Germany from a risk area you are obliged to undergo testing for infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus no more than 48 hours before or immediately after entering the Federal Republic of Germany. You can take the test at the test centre in the AiRail – Check In at Frankfurt Airport. You must keep the test result on paper or in an electronic document in German, English or French for at least 10 days after entry in order to be able to comply with any verification check required by the responsible health authority. the basic test must meet the requirements of the Robert Koch Institute (https://www.rki.de/covid-19-tests).
2. Furthermore, if you enter Hessen from abroad and have stayed in a risk area in the 10 days prior to your entry, you must immediately go home or to your accommodation by the most direct route. There you must go into quarantine for 10 days. This means that you are not allowed to leave your home / accommodation during this time. The same rule applies if you enter Hesse via another federal state. Risk areas are designated by the Robert Koch Institute: https://www.rki.de/covid-19-risikogebiete.
3. If you enter the country from a risk area you are obliged to inform your responsible health authority immediately. You can do this by registering your entry online in advance at https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de. Carry the saved and/or printed confirmation with you so that you can present it to the carrier or the border authority. If digital registration is not possible, you must complete a written substitute registration in exceptional cases (sample: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Transport/Ersatzmitteilu ng_Covid_Tab.html) and hand it in to the carrier or the border authority or send it to the health authority immediately after your entry. You can find your responsible health authority on the Internet at https://tools.rki.de/plztool/.
4. Your quarantine will end on the fifth day after entry at the earliest. For this you need a negative test result. The test must be taken no earlier than five days after entry. You are exempt from quarantine while taking the test. For testing, you can visit a private test centre or use another testing facility (test centres in Hesse: https://www.kvhessen.de/coronatests/) .
5. You must remain in quarantine at home or in your accommodation until you receive the test result. The obligation for further quarantine does not apply if your test for infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is negative and you do not show any typical symptoms of COVID-19 disease. If typical symptoms such as fever, dry cough or loss of smell or taste occur after entry you are obliged to inform your health authority immediately even if the test result is negative.

Violations of these regulations can be punished with a fine of up to €25,000.

Risk areas

Hessisches Ministerium für Soziales und Integration

Exceptions to quarantine regulations and to the testing requirement apply if … you belong to one of the listed groups of people and do not have any symptoms: Transit Persons only entering the Federal Republic of Germany for transit purposes; these persons must leave Hessen immediately (no overnight stays or visits). A rest stop (e.g. to eat or refuel) is permitted.

Cross-border traffic Persons who have stayed in a risk area for less than 24 hours in the context of cross-border traffic with neighbouring states or who enter the state of Hesse for up to 24 hours.

Persons with appropriate vaccination Persons who have vaccination documentation in accordance with the requirements of the Infection Protection Act for a vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus completed at least 14 days prior to entry.

People with a COVID-19-related pre-existing condition Persons who have a medical certificate of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus confirmed by nucleic acid detection at least 21 days and not more than 6 months ago at the time of entry.

Private visits  Persons entering Hesse to visit relatives or first-degree in-laws, spouses not living in the same household, life partners, cohabiting partners or to exercise shared custody or rights of access (a negative test result is required for visits by relatives or second-degree in-laws and for stays of more than 72 hours).  Persons entering for the purpose of urgent medical treatment (negative test result required).  Persons providing assistance / care to persons in need of protection or assistance (negative test result required).

Professional activity, training, studies Exemptions also apply to persons who have been in a risk area for less than 72 hours and have complied with the appropriate protection and hygiene concepts:  whose activity is urgently required for safeguarding the health service (to be certified by the employer/client),  who transport persons, goods or merchandise across borders by road, rail, ship or air for professional reasons (a negative test result is required for stays of more than 72 hours),  who are high-ranking members of the diplomatic and consular service, of people’s representations and governments, who have spent time in a risk area on an absolutely necessary and urgent professional basis due to their training/studies.

Please note: Such absolute necessity must be certified by the employer, client or educational institution. If your stay in a risk area lasts up to 5 days, a negative test result is also required.

Cross-border commuters and cross-border travellers Exceptions for cross-border commuters and cross-border travellers who regularly (at least weekly) return to their place of residence. The employer, client or educational institution must certify the urgent necessity in addition to compliance with the appropriate protection and hygiene concepts.

Further exceptions for persons whose professional activity is necessary for maintenance of or functioning of the health system or public order and the state and its administration.

International sporting events Persons who are accredited by the relevant organising committee for the preparation, participation, implementation and follow-up of international sports events or who are invited by a national sports federation to participate in training and course measures (negative test result required).

Returning holidaymakers Exceptions apply to holidaymakers returning from a risk area in which special epidemiological precautions (protection and hygiene concepts) have been taken for a holiday in this area and for which there is no travel warning (see Federal Foreign Office & RKI), as long as the infection situation in the relevant risk area does not prevent this (negative test result required).

Floor plan Test centre in the AiRail – Check In at Frankfurt Airport

If exemption from quarantine requires a negative test result with regard to an infection with the SARSCoV-2 virus, the underlying test must have been carried out not less than 48 hours before entry or immediately after entry (keep proof of entry notification!). The test on which the test result is based must comply with the requirements of the Robert Koch Institute (https://www.rki.de/covid-19-tests). The responsible health authority may issue different instructions