Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on travel and stays abroad

Last update: 20 July 2020

As a rule, work-related travel, whether domestic or international, should be replaced with digital communication. In particular, you may not take part in large-scale events (e.g., conferences, congresses, lectures) in Germany or abroad due to the high risk of infection.

Outside of these cases, other work-related travel may be undertaken. Work-related travel requests and notifications must be submitted to your supervisors or resource manager to confirm there is a compelling reason. Staff members of the University Administration or central facilities of the University must present confirmation from their departmental or staff unit manager or from the head of the central facility. As before, professors only need to notify the University of their work-related travel before departure.

You must observe the general protective and hygiene measures while traveling. Work-related travel to countries for which the Federal Foreign Office has issued a travel warning or listed as high-risk regions by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on the intended date of departure cannot take place.

The current travel warnings mean that any consequences arising from private travel abroad (e.g., self-quarantine at home) is the responsibility of the employee.

Last update: 18 March 2020

Check if your travel can be canceled. Contact the Travel Management Team(reisemanagement"AT"verw.uni-hamburg.de) regarding a possible refund.

Last update: 28 July 2020

Students who are planning to study abroad or are already staying abroad should keep themselves informed of the situation at their destination and/or in their host country. Register with Elefand, the Federal Foreign Office’s electronic record of Germans abroad. Be aware, however, that the Federal Republic of Germany is not considering any further repatriation campaigns. Before they travel, international students should contact their local registration office for foreigners.

As a rule, students are strongly discouraged from studying in countries for which the Federal Foreign Office has issued a warning and/or that the Robert Koch Institute has designated as a high-risk area. The decision should be based on the country’s status on the date of departure. In these countries, mobility will not be funded by the University’s exchange and funding programs.

Last update: 15 July 2020

Field trips may only be conducted where specifically required. Field trips must not be conducted to countries for which the Federal Foreign Office has issued a travel warning or which are on the list of high-risk areas issued by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) at the intended time of departure to the country.

See Instructions No. 8, Appendix 5 for protective and hygiene measures for field trips and field training.

Last update: 22 July 2020

People returning from abroad must inform themselves about the current quarantine provisions in their federal state upon their return. Employees and students returning from work-related travel or private trips to high-risk areas are instructed not to enter any of the University’s facilities at any of its locations for 14 days after their return.  The human resources department has further instructed that the same rules apply to everyone who lives in the same household as someone who spent time in high-risk areas in the last 14 days (e.g., their partner, child(ren), parent(s), housemates). Due to the unusually high risk of contagion, supervisors are entitled to ask employees whether they have spent any period of time abroad and when.

This prohibition does not apply to anyone with a medical certificate in German or in English confirming there are no grounds to suspect infection with the coronavirus. This must be presented to the supervisor without delay. The medical certificate specified in the first sentence must be based on molecular testing for the presence of a coronavirus infection, conducted in a member state of the EU or other state as published by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) no more than 48 hours prior to arriving in the Federal Republic of Germany.

In case of travel warnings, any consequences arising from private travel abroad (e.g., self-quarantine at home) are the responsibility of the employee. This means that if working from home is not possible due to self-quarantine measures, vacation days or accumulated overtime must be taken to cover the working hours not completed. Those who are self-quarantined at home must contact the Department of Human Resources and their supervisor immediately.

See the RKI website for the current list of high-risk areas. Due to the unusually high risk of contagion, supervisors are entitled to ask employees whether they have spent any period of time abroad and when.

Last update: 4 August 2020

Visits from guests or delegations from areas designated as high risk by the RKI are not permitted. Guests or delegations from areas not ranked as high-risk areas may visit under compliance with the hygiene regulations. Potential guests and delegations must be informed by the office issuing the invitation / receiving them that their planned stay may be canceled at short notice depending on the list of high-risk areas current at the time of travel. They must also observe the quarantine restrictions imposed by the City of Hamburg at the time of travel.

Researchers arriving from non-EU countries require confirmation from the hosting university indicating the necessity for their stay. The German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) have provided a template for confirmation documents. This should facilitate Visa procedures and border crossings. The hosting professor may issue the confirmation (make sure you adhere to any further regulations set forth by the respective faculty). Hosting professors can find the confirmation documents they need in both German and English online (under Visa/Residence permit and in the respective download area).

Guests of the University are subject to the same rules that apply to staff members regarding travel and stays.

Last update: 18 March 2020

Universität Hamburg staff members who are unable to return due to travel restrictions may work remotely (home office) from abroad.

Last update: 28 July 2020

Compelling reasons have not been required to enter Germany since internal border controls ended on 15 June 2020. Anyone who has been in a high-risk area (see the list maintained by the Robert Koch Institute) at any time in the 14 days prior to entering Germany must self-quarantine for 14 days following entry into Germany and inform the local health authorities. If you can provide a doctor’s note in German or English attesting to the fact that you tested negative for the coronavirus SARS CoV-2 within 48 hours before entering Germany, you do not have to heed quarantine measures. If any symptoms appear within 14 days after you enter Germany, you must notify the local health authorities immediately.

The Robert Koch Institute has published a list of quality-controlled tests recognized in Germany.

You can find your local health authority on the Robert Koch Institute pages.

Last update: 28 July 2020

A compelling reason is required to enter Germany (for in-person studies). All international first semester students can find the necessary paperwork in STiNE. Exchange students receive these documents along with their invitation letter. Equally, students must demonstrate when they enter Germany that they have appropriate housing or they should be able to provide a valid doctor’s note attesting to the fact that they are not infected with the coronavirus SARS CoV-2. Barring this, they will be denied entry.

Anyone who has been in a high-risk area (see the list maintained by the Robert Koch Institute) at any time in the 14 days prior to entering Germany must self-quarantine for 14 days following entry into Germany and inform the local health authorities. If you can provide a doctor’s note in German or English attesting to the fact that you tested negative for the coronavirus SARS CoV-2 within 48 hours before entering Germany, you do not have to heed quarantine measures. If any symptoms appear within 14 days after you enter Germany, you must notify the local health authorities immediately.

The Robert Koch Institute has published a list of quality-controlled tests recognized in Germany.

You can find your local health authority on the Robert Koch Institute pages.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many student jobs have disappeared. International students especially should check whether they can finance their studies in Hamburg even without a part-time job. Contact the Campus Center if you have more questions. In urgent cases contact Mr. Petermeier(immanuel.petermeier"AT"uni-hamburg.de) directly.

Last update: 9 April 2020

Apply by email to extend your permit before it lapses! Contact your local registration office for foreigners.

Your permit remains valid until the registration office makes a decision on your application (fiction of law pursuant to Section 81 subsection 4 of the Act on the Residence, Economic Activity and Integration of Foreigners in the Federal Territory (Residence Act)). N.B.: in the current situation, probationary certificates cannot be issued in paper form. You can apply to your local registration office for foreigners for an informal document to present to employers. If you leave the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, you cannot return without further ado.

Please check online for the latest information.

Contact the Campus Center if you have any questions. In very urgent cases, contact Mr Petermeier(immanuel.petermeier"AT"uni-hamburg.de) directly.