Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on travel and stays abroad

Last update: 29 September 2020

As a rule, work-related travel, whether domestic or international, should be replaced with digital communication. 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) are not authorized. Of relevance is the start date of the work-related travel. This regulation still applies.

Work-related travel to non-high-risk regions is permitted. 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.

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: 14 August 2020

People returning from abroad must inform themselves about the current testing requirements and quarantine provisions in their federal state upon their return. From 8 August 2020, those arriving from high-risk areas must be tested for the coronavirus. Should you test positive, you must observe all quarantine provisions and are not permitted to enter any of the University’s facilities at any of its locations.

Employees and students who returned from work-related travel or private trips to high-risk areas before 8 August 2020 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). 

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: 29 September 2020

Visits from guests, including visiting scholars and scientists, or delegations from areas designated as high risk by the RKI are not permitted. There are a few exceptions:

• a stay requires the visitor in question to be present at a University location

AND

• the visitor in question plans to stay longer than 2 months

AND

• planned use of the University’s infrastructure cannot be postponed (e.g., trade fairs in Science City Bahrenfeld).

These exceptions must be documented by the hosting party and reported to the office of the dean responsible. No special authorization from the university leadership is required.

Those arriving from high-risk areas must be tested for the coronavirus. Until you are able to provide the hosting party or the office of the dean responsible with a negative result, you must observe all quarantine provisions and are not permitted to enter any of the University’s facilities at any of its locations.

The test result or the doctor’s note must confirm in German or English that there are no indications of an infection with the coronavirus. Results must be based on molecular testing for the presence of a coronavirus infection and have been conducted in an EU member state or a state as published by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) no more than 48 hours prior to arriving in the Federal Republic of Germany

Guests, including visiting scholars and scientists, or delegations from areas not ranked as high-risk areas may visit under compliance with the hygiene regulations.

Visiting scholars arriving from countries outside of the EU, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, or Lichtenstein require the host higher education institution to provide confirmation of the necessity of their stay for the purpose of visa applications and/or border crossings. This confirmation can be issued by the host (if necessary, additional regulations set forth by the faculty must be observed).

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).

Potential guests and delegations must be informed by the hosting office that their planned stay may be canceled at short notice depending on the RKI list of high-risk areas current at the time of travel. Furthermore, the hosting office must inform guests of all test and quarantine provisions. Guests must also observe the quarantine restrictions imposed by the City of Hamburg at the time of travel.

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: 30 October 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 be tested for the coronavirus, self-quarantine for 14 days following entry into Germany, and inform the local health authorities. You can use this form to notify the local health authorities. You can find your local health authority on the Robert Koch Institute website. The Robert Koch Institute has published a list of quality-controlled tests recognized in Germany.

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

See also the information for entering the Federal State of Hamburg.

Last update: 30 October 2020

Compelling reasons have not been required to enter Germany (confirmation of the necessity to be present in Germany) since 11 September 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 be tested for the coronavirus, self-quarantine for 14 days following entry into Germany, and inform the local health authorities. You can use this form to notify the local health authorities. You can find your local health authority on the Robert Koch Institute website. The Robert Koch Institute has published a list of quality-controlled tests recognized in Germany.

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.

See also the information for entering the Federal State of Hamburg.

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, email the advising service for international students(international.student.support.uhh"AT"uni-hamburg.de) directly.

Last update: 30 October 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 (presumption 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]). Probationary certificates in paper form are now being issued again. If you leave the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany without a valid residence permit or probationary certificate, you may not simply return.

Please check any recent changes online.

Contact the Campus Center if you have more questions. In urgent cases, email the advising service for international students(international.student.support.uhh"AT"uni-hamburg.de) directly.

Last update: 30 October 2020

In principle, it is possible to begin in-person studies at a later date. Ask your academic office about delayed entry to the country, and arrange an individual study plan. In Winter Semester 2020/21, many courses are being conducted online. If it appears that you will not be able to enter Germany before the end of November 2020, contact the Campus Center.