Schengen 90/180 on a passport issued within the last 10 years. Since 10 April 2026 the Bundespolizei registers non-EU arrivals biometrically in EES instead of stamping. Carrying EUR 10,000 or more in cash must be declared in writing.
- 90 days in any 180 across the whole Schengen area, so time already spent in Austria or Italy eats into your German allowance.
- Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid 3 months beyond departure, though airlines often apply a 6-month rule at check-in.
- EES biometrics replaced the stamp on 10 April 2026 - face and fingerprints at your first crossing, overstays computed automatically. Expect longer non-EU queues at Frankfurt and Munich.
- Cash of EUR 10,000 or more must be declared in writing at the red customs channel arriving from outside the EU, and the fine for not declaring reaches EUR 1,000,000.
- Overstaying is a criminal offence here, not an administrative slip: prosecution, a fine, removal at your own cost and a Schengen-wide ban of 1 to 5 years.
How your entry route is decided
Germany is a full Schengen member and the Bundespolizei enforces the Schengen rules, not German ones.
- EU / EEA / Swiss citizens have freedom of movement. A valid national identity card is enough - no visa, no proof of funds, no registration.
- Visa-exempt third-country nationals (the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and others) get 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism or business. Those days are counted across the whole Schengen area, so time already spent in Austria or Italy eats into your German allowance.
- Everyone else needs a Schengen type visa from a German mission before departure. Germany issues no visa on arrival and no e-visa for tourism. The fee is EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 12.
Passport rule: issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months beyond the day you leave Schengen. Airlines often apply a 6-month rule at check-in.
What the officer can ask for
Visa-exempt non-EU travellers should be ready to show:
- A return or onward ticket - flight, rail or coach.
- Proof of accommodation: a hotel booking, a rental confirmation, or a formal invitation (Verpflichtungserklaerung) issued by your host.
- Evidence of funds, assessed at roughly EUR 45 to EUR 50 per day of the planned stay.
- Travel health insurance covering at least EUR 30,000 including repatriation. It is mandatory for visa holders and routinely asked of others.
Formalities that apply to everyone
- EES biometrics replaced the stamp. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System is fully operational at German borders: face and fingerprints are captured at your first crossing, and overstays are computed automatically. Expect longer queues at the non-EU desks at Frankfurt and Munich on busy mornings.
- ETIAS is not live. The fee is set at EUR 20 with under-18s and over-70s exempt, but as of August 2026 no launch date has been announced and applications are not open. Any website selling ETIAS today is fraudulent.
- Cash of EUR 10,000 or more in notes, bearer instruments or physical gold must be declared in writing on form 040001 at the red customs channel when arriving from outside the EU. Arriving from another EU state, you must declare it verbally if asked. The fine for not declaring reaches EUR 1,000,000.
- No health or arrival form of any kind is required.
Overstaying is a criminal offence under section 95 of the Residence Act, not an administrative slip: prosecution, a fine, removal at your own cost, and a Schengen-wide entry ban of 1 to 5 years logged in the Schengen Information System.
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