Entry/Exit Requirements

Germany is a party to the Schengen Agreement. Your U.S. passport should be valid at least three months beyond the planned date of departure from the Schengen zone.  This regulation is strictly enforced in Germany.  Travelers whose passports do not meet this requirement may have their travel disrupted and may even be denied entry into Germany.  As a U.S. citizen, you may enter Germany for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. Your entry into any Schengen country begins the 90-day limit for the entire Schengen area. For further details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen fact sheet. You may also contact the German Embassy in Washington, or German consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, or San Francisco to obtain the most current visa information.

If you are transiting Germany en route to other countries, make sure you know all of the entry and exit requirements for your final destination. If you don’t have the right documentation, you might be denied boarding to your connecting flight. For example, some countries (e.g., South Africa) require a certain number of blank visa pages, or more than six months validity remaining on your passport.

We are unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to, or foreign residents of Germany.

You can find information about dual nationality or the prevention of international parental child abduction on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.