Covid – Travel information

Travel within the Schengen Area “The Schengen Area is a zone comprised of 29 European states which have officially abolished passports and other types of border control at their mutual borders. Countries in the Schengen area can temporarily reinstate border controls at internal borders — for security reasons, to manage migration pressure, during major events, or in other emergencies. That’s fully legal and happens sometimes.For visitors, it effectively means that the Schengen Area acts as a singular country, i.e. once you enter one Schengen country, you have entered them all.”  See the ETIAS Visa for more information.Not all EU countries are in Schengen, and some non-EU countries (like Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland) are part of Schengen. A full list of countries that make up the Schengen Area can be found on the SchengenVisaInfo Website. Schengen visa A Schengen visa is a short-term visa that allows non-EU citizens to stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period, typically for tourism or business. Aufenthaltstitel An Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit) is a general term for a legal residence status in Germany, granted for work, study, or family reunification. Aufenthaltserlaubnis A Residence Permit for Germany (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) is a temporary residence permit tied to specific conditions, such as employment or studies Niederlassungserlaubnis A Niederlassungserlaubnis is a permanent settlement permit that grants unrestricted residence and work rights in Germany, with no expiry date. Travel on a Residence permit If you hold a South African passport along with a valid Schengen residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis or Niederlassungserlaubnis), you can travel freely within the Schengen Area for as long as your permit remains valid. However, be sure to check for any specific restrictions, such as whether your residence permit is limited to Germany. For official details, refer to Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament, available on EUR-Lex. Travel with a Schengen Visa Single-entry visa A single-entry Schengen visa allows you to enter the Schengen Area only once during the visa’s validity period. Once you leave the Schengen Area, your visa is considered used, and you cannot re-enter, even if you still have unused days remaining on your visa. Important: A single-entry visa refers to the number of times you can enter the Schengen Area, not the number of Schengen countries you can visit. Multiple-entry visa A multiple-entry Schengen visa allows you to enter and leave the Schengen Area multiple times during the visa’s validity period. As long as your visa remains valid and you comply with the 90/180-day rule (or the conditions stated on your visa), you may travel in and out of the Schengen Area without needing to apply for a new visa each time. Important: A multiple-entry visa does not allow you to stay in the Schengen Area indefinitely. You must still follow the maximum number of days you are permitted to spend in the Schengen Area during any 180-day period. Types of Schengen Visas ✈️ Type A Airport transit 🚗Type B Land Transit 🧳 Type C Short staysUp to  90 days in 180 days 🏡Type D Long StaysMore than 90 days Based on how frequently you travel to the Schengen zone, you may apply and obtain one of the following multiple-entry visa types: 1-year multiple-entry visa 3-year multiple-entry visa 5-year multiple-entry visa A Visa with Limited Territorial Validity (LTV) is a special type of Schengen visa that only allows travel to specific Schengen countries, rather than the entire Schengen Area. Unlike a standard Schengen visa, which permits movement across all member states, an LTV visa restricts travel to only the country or countries explicitly mentioned on the visa sticker. Source: SchengenVisaInfo If your visa is valid only for Germany and is single-entry, you are not allowed to return to Germany on the same visa. If your visa is valid for the “Schengen-Staaten” and single entry, you are allowed to travel within the Schengen area, but once you leave the Schengen area, you cannot return on the same visa If your visa is valid for the “Schengen-Staaten” and is multiple-entry, you can leave and re-enter the Schengen area for as long as your visa is valid, keeping  the 90/180 rule in mind. How to check your visa: Gültig für/Valid for – Is it valid only for Germany (Limited Territory) or valid for the Schengen states Remarks –  for example the reason for your visit and any restrictions.  Number of entries – MULT (Multiple) double, or Single entry Schengen Area, EU and Euro Zone Schengen Area Travel without routine border checks The Schengen Area is a group of European countries that have abolished routine passport checks at their shared borders. This allows people to travel freely between member countries as if travelling within one country. Although border checks are uncommon, you should still carry valid identification and travel documents. Examples: Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Norway, Switzerland Interesting factSwitzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are part of the Schengen Area but are not members of the European Union or the Euro Zone. Each country uses its own national currency (except Liechtenstein, which uses the Swiss Franc). SchengenVisaInfo European Union (EU) A political and economic partnership The European Union (EU) is a partnership of European countries that work together on trade, laws, consumer protection, environmental policies, security, and the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. EU membership does not automatically mean a country is part of the Schengen Area or uses the Euro. Examples: Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Ireland Interesting factIreland and Cyprus are members of the European Union but are not currently part of the Schengen Area, so travellers may still encounter passport or border checks. EU Countries Euro Zone Countries that use the Euro (€) The Euro Zone (Euro Area) consists of European Union countries that have adopted the Euro (€) as their official currency. While most Eurozone countries are also in the Schengen Area, not every EU country uses the Euro. Examples: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands Interesting factPoland, Sweden, Denmark, Czechia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria are in the EU