Travelling from Spain to Germany during Covid-19 for a Non-EU citizen.
Recently, Germany lowered their border restrictions despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and it seems many people are taking this opportunity to fly back to Germany or via Germany to their official place of residence. I scoured the internet hoping to find a personal recount, preferably from a non-EU citizen’s perspective. So this is the article I wish I could have read before travelling, as it would have saved me SO much stress and anxiety.
If you’re travelling anytime soon, then this article will help provide some valuable insight as to what it’s like to travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. I’m going to share with you my travel story (as a non-EU citizen) from Seville to Frankfurt and my tips for you if you’re thinking of travelling soon. I’ll also share some of the most important information you need to know and the documents you need to have prepared before you travel.
CONTENT:
Our Backstory: Reasons for travelling to Germany during Covid-19
Booking flights from Madrid to Frankfurt during Covid-19
Taking the train from Seville to Madrid during Covid-19
Madrid Airport Check-in Control and Covid-19 Restrictions
Flying with Lufthansa during Covid-19
Arriving in Germany: Covid-19 Border Restrictions at Frankfurt Airport
Post-Travel Quarantine: Is it Mandatory in Germany?
Important Information and Documents for Travelling during Covid-19
1. Our Backstory: Reasons for travelling to Germany during Covid-19
On May 14th, my boyfriend and I travelled from Sevilla, Spain to Frankfurt, Germany. He is a German citizen returning home and I am a non-EU citizen (from New Zealand) who plans on working and living in Germany - but here’s the catch… due to Covid-19 lockdown, I haven’t had the chance to apply for a Visa yet. Knowing how strict border restrictions are during this time, we were all asking the same question… do I even have a chance of getting into Germany?
Firstly, I think it’s important to note that we are not travelling for fun - although that would be nice. It’s actually for personal and urgent family reasons, as one of my boyfriend’s family members is not feeling so stellar in his old age and so we wanted to be there as soon as possible.
You can’t imagine the stress and headache being a non-EU citizen has caused me leading up to our travel day. My typical optimistic self thought it would be no problem because I usually manage to talk my way through hiccups. But the more ‘research’ I did, the more I realised that I should probably have some backup plans and supporting documents.
I had to make SO many phone calls to various Embassies, border controls, state police, flight centres, etc. because I didn’t want to spend all that money on flights just to get to Germany and have them tell me “nope, sorry you can’t enter Germany”.
Anyways, bless my boyfriends family and their family friends in Germany, without who, I would probably not have gotten into the country so hassle-free. They managed to digitally send me my Meldebescheinigung (try saying that :P ), which showed proof that I have a residential address in Germany and that is officially where I live.
Side note: Yes, you can officially register for an address in Germany without a visa - in fact, you actually need an Meldebescheinigung (official residency papers) in order to apply for a visa. I’ll touch more on this at the end.
Rothenburg an der Tauber by Roman Kraft
2. Booking flights from Madrid to Frankfurt during Covid-19
We originally planned to fly out May 8th and booked a flight with Ryan Air. But within a few days, we were told that the flight was cancelled. So we re-booked for free (thank you Covid-19 policy) to May 22nd. Again, we were told within a few days that it was cancelled.
Since we couldn’t afford the time to gamble on Ryanair again, we cancelled our flight and applied for a refund. This then led us to finding flights from Madrid to Frankfurt with Lufthansa. The earliest and most affordable option was Thursday May 14th - so we booked our flights on Monday May 11th and gave ourselves just 3 days to pack and prepare for our spontaneous journey home.
Side note: there were no flights going from Seville at all. The only options to fly back to Germany (namely Frankfurt), was via Madrid or Barcelona. Since Madrid is only a 2.5hrs train ride away (on a speed train), we decided to fly out from Madrid.
3. Taking the train from Seville to Madrid during Covid-19
The time gap between the train’s arrival and the check-in cut off time for our flight was a gambled risk that we decided to take. Fingers crossed that there would be no delays or train cancellation on the day, we packed our bags and headed for the main station in Seville - Estación de Santa Justa.
Train tickets cost 80€ one way with the speed train (2.5hrs) from Seville to Madrid. The other only cheaper option would have been a 50€ ticket that took 8.5hrs and would’ve meant we had to stay the night in Madrid… so we ruled that one out.
I tried to buy my ticket on the official (Spanish Railway) Renfe website, but the user interface was so awful and confusing, that I eventually bought my train ticket on Trainline - even though I paid an extra 3€ for their services, I was happy to do so for the extra security of mind.
Trainline has a policy where you can get a 95% refund of your ticket up to 5 mins before the trip. I just felt that if the train was to be cancelled, I would imagine the refund process to go much more smoothly with Trainline than with Renfe.
When we got to the station, there was hardly anybody. It was mandatory to wear masks on the train, so I had to suck it up and put one on for the first time ever. Why is it so hard to breathe through these things?! Literally suffocating.
Security wasn’t anything extreme. There were two ticket control points and large luggages had to go through a quick security screening. Oh and seats were randomly designated so as to maximise space between each person.
Once we arrived in Madrid, our next mission was to get to the airport. Well, that was surprisingly easy! We were totally expecting to pay 3-5 € for a 30min train ride to the airport, but it ended up being free!
I’m not sure if it’s always like that or if it’s just special circumstances? Anyway, all we had to do was scan our train ticket at a machine (for the Seville-Madrid Journey) and out popped a ticket! We were good to go!
How often are the trains running from Madrid Estación de Atocha (Train Station) to the Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport?
surprisingly pretty often. We only waited 15 mins for the next train.
just walk all the way down to platform at the end where you see the Airport sign and it’ll be either the C1 or C10 line that will take you to the airport.
the train to the airport took around 30mins and it takes you all the way to Terminal 4
My little confession: I actually started writing this blog post whilst sitting on the train to Madrid and wrote it from a point of view where I had already arrived in Germany and saw myself finishing this article all cozied up in our new place. How’s that for manifestation ay?
Train Terminal by Barthelemy de Mazenod
4. Madrid Airport Check-in Control and Covid-19 Restrictions
This was the most nerve-wracking part of the entire day. Will they let me board the flight to Germany or turn me away? I had all the necessary and official documents in hand, recited my ‘story’, and even prepared some backup stories just in case!
Nico and I saw a family in front of us (with a baby in a pram), who were having trouble at the check-in point. It seemed like they weren’t going to get on because the father wasn’t a resident or living in Germany, but the mother was. This made me extremely nervous because not even having a child was enough of an excuse to get him through … I was praying to the universe for a miracle.
Honestly, I was extremely lucky because I got checked in by what seemed like the ONLY nice and chill person working there. I had watched intently for about 15mins as the other 4 staff members hassled passenger after passenger about their rights to fly back to Germany - occasionally denying the odd unfortunate person their boarding pass. I breathed a sigh of relief when the nice guy waved us over, and at that moment, I knew I would get through.
As I was preparing my speech about why I was going back to Germany and why I should be eligible to do so - he asked for some proof that I lived in Germany. I showed him my official Meldebescheinigung (as a pdf on my iphone) and he said those magical two syllables “O.K.” and proceeded to print off our boarding passes!!
Heck, I had a minor freak out when my baggage weighed-in at 25.9kgs, but he just seemed amused and said in German “let’s just move that before anyone sees eh?”. I am just SO freaking grateful for all the kind workers out there supporting people instead of causing them more stress. Thank you lovely human!
In the end, I saw the mother board the plane with their baby, but couldn’t see the father anywhere. While it breaks my heart to see a family separated, I learnt an important lesson, which I can now pass on to you.
My stories wouldn’t have worked, because it doesn’t matter what your relationship status is or what excuses you have up your sleeve. But apparently what does matter is proof that you live in that country (ie. have an official document stating so) or are a citizen of that country. Otherwise you run a huge risk of being turned away.
5. Flying with Lufthansa during Covid-19
After the check-in screening process, the atmosphere was a little more chill. It was mandatory to wear your masks during boarding and on the plane - although you were allowed to take it off for drinking and eating, of course.
Originally, the middle seats were meant to be kept free for safety precautions - not gonna lie, I was looking forward to some extra room! But then they announced that the entire flight was FULL and by full they meant every seat, including all the middle seats!
So, my takeaway from this would be that there is a HUGE demand for people travelling to or via Frankfurt (at least from Madrid). And my tip for you (if you’re planning to travel any time soon), is to not leave buying tickets to the last minute as prices might go up due to demand.
Oh talking about prices, we paid 138€ each for the flight from Madrid to Frankfurt with Lufthansa. This included 1x 23kg Checked-in bag and 1x 8kg carry-on (+ a laptop bag). And we booked 3 days in advance.
What I didn’t quite understand was that they gave out snacks and drinks to people, which would then of course incentivise everyone to take off their masks. But apart from that, everyone kept their masks on religiously.
6. Arriving in Germany: Covid-19 Border Restrictions at Frankfurt Airport
Once we arrived in Germany, everyone was subject to another border control check. Always so intimidating because IF I was met with a grouchy officer, then I’d end up like Tom Hanks in that movie (The Terminal) where he gets stuck at the airport! - You won’t believe how many people had already cracked that joke on me!
This time, we were separated by German Passport holders and non-German passport holders (regardless of whether you’re travelling together with a German passport holder). So, Nico wished me good luck as he passed like a breeze, while I stood nervously in line, practising my German phrases.
As luck would have it, I was waved over by a kind-looking female officer and again, I knew I would be just fine. She looked at my NZ passport, I told her I have an official address in Germany, showed her my Meldebescheinigung and answered a few questions.
If you’re a non-EU citizen (like me), then you will most likely be asked something like: your 90 days in the Schengan zone is almost up, are you planning to stay in this country? What kind of visa will you be applying for? and what kind of work would you be doing?
What I think really helped me:
answering her with confidence and not rambling
being prepared to answer all kinds of questions and scenarios
speaking German (since I’m planning to stay here long term)
The female-officer let me go after just 2 questions and even complimented me on my German! So kind of her! But, yes I truly do think that being able to speak German (well) plays a large (albeit invisible) role in the border control officer to see your case favourably. In the end, it all comes down to the individual officer - so it helps to be as charming as you possibly can.
Also, if you’re planning to work in Germany, then being able to speak German means that you’re going to have a higher chance of being employed. So yes, brush up on your German and learn some practical phrases coz it will make your life so much easier!
Cochem an der Mosel by Kai Pilger
7. Post-Travel Quaratine: Is it Mandatory in Germany?
Wow, this article is getting long. If you’re still here with me - YOU ROCK! Hope this has been insightful so far! Now we’re getting into a rather controversial topic: Quarantine after travelling - do you have to do it? Or rather now, should you do it at all?
If you haven’t heard yet, various parts of Germany have lifted the 2-week mandatory Quarantine (self-isolation) period for post-travellers. Funnily enough, it was lifted in our region of Reinland-Pfalz the morning after we arrived!
Originally, you had to call up the Gesundheitsamt (Regional Health Council) and tell them that you’ve just arrived, from where, and what address you’ll be self-isolating. Well, Nico just called them up this morning (Friday May 15th) and the guy was so chill about it - “ah what the heck, just go outside!”, he said!
While I’m happy about the fact that at least we can go for walks in the forest, Nico and I have decided that we’re still going to ‘self-isolate’ for a week, maybe longer. We will see friends and family of course, but at a safe distance and with our masks on. It sucks because I just want to hug everyone!
Realistically though, we did just come from a plane full of people, so there is a chance someone on the plane had it. And I could never forgive myself if someone I knew fell seriously ill with the virus because I was too selfish and careless. Now that it’s no longer mandatory, it’s become more of a moral obligation. Better safe than sorry, especially when it comes to health.
8. Important Information and Documents for Travelling during Covid-19
Disclaimer: Now, before I share with you the information in this section, I just want to fly a quick disclaimer past you: my words are simply a summary of my experiences and what has been said to me. They do not hold as legal advice in any way, so please do your own research before you travel, as the regulations and rules are constantly being updated every day - and they are different for every country. This information here is applicable for those travelling from Spain to Germany and supported through my own travel experience. Furthermore, I am not endorsing anyone to travel during these times unless you need to or have an important reason.
Ok, so let’s break this up into various categories:
German Passport holders and permanent residents: no problem at all and no reason needed to be given either. You’re simply going home. If you have a work Visa, then you need to show them your German ID card - that’s your ticket in!
EU citizen not living in Germany: all good if you’re passing through en route to your actual country of residence. But not ok if you don’t actually live in Germany it seems. By this I mean have an official document showing your address (ie. Meldebescheinigung)
Non-EU Citizen, not living in Germany: not a chance or a very slim chance. Find a way to get yourself a registered address in Germany first.
Non-EU Citizen, living in Germany: make sure you have proof of address or a photo/pdf file of your Meldebescheinigung showing that you have an official place of residence in Germany.
For me, it all came down to whether or not I had my Meldebescheinigung, because that is the most official proof you could have stating that you have an officially registered address in Germany. I feel like the Germans are very black and white about this, you either officially live in Germany or you don’t. They won’t take any bs stories or excuses.
You’re probably thinking: “but Em, you just came from Spain and before that you came from Australia? How the heck did you manage to pull that one off?” Good question and this might help any of you non-EU peeps who desperately need to get back into Germany (or another country).
I am extremely fortunate (and grateful) that Nico’s family were able to help me out here. Combined with the fact that I used to officially live in Germany (in the same village) and had a work Visa - this put me in a favourable position with the registration official, who still remembered me. We had to prepare and sign a rental agreement, then someone had to present the documents on my behalf and voila - I now officially live in Germany and have official proof to show it.
If you haven’t lived in Germany before but are planning to, then perhaps you know someone who could help you from the inside? Or perhaps if you’re already renting a place in Germany, then you could get your flatmates or landlord to go in on your behalf? I mean, if you’re planning on living there but just haven’t gotten around to officially registering yourself, then it should be ok?
Again, bureaucracy is always super fickly and forever changing! This is just my perspective and I could be wrong. Please take what I say with a grain of salt and do your own research. I called up so many officials before I could get an idea of what official documents I actually needed to get back into Germany.
Little Epilogue:
Feeling extremely grateful to wake up this morning with a golden sunrise and inhaling the crisp, fresh countryside in Germany. The birds sang in orchestra and it was the only noise I could hear. No cars, no loud humming building ventilators, no construction noises. Just nature. A morning of journalling, reflection, and writing in the quiet countryside is nourishment to my soul.
Sunrise in the Countryside - Toomas Tartes
I am so happy to be back home and I wish the same for you. Good luck to those travelling soon, sending you positive energy! And as always, if you have any questions or personal experiences that you’d like to add, drop a comment below or slide into my DMs @emilypeilan
