- Your airline
- The German Embassy in your country of origin
- The Federal Police on +49 69 690 78578 (citizen hotline) or the free service hotline +49 800 6888000.
At border control, the authorities check your travel documents and ensure that you are permitted to enter the country. Whether and how you are checked depends on your nationality and whether you are leaving or entering the Schengen area.
Travel within the Schengen area
When traveling from one Schengen country to another, there are usually no border controls. After passing through security, you can proceed directly to the gate.
Schengen countries (as of 2025):
Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland
Travel outside the Schengen area
If you are entering or leaving from a country outside the Schengen area, you must pass through border control. There are two different procedures:
- Citizens of the EU, the EEA, and Switzerland, as well as persons with a German residence permit, use EasyPASS.
- Non-EU citizens (third-country nationals) will go through the Entry-Exit System (EES) from October 29, 2025.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Check entry requirements
Before traveling, find out about the necessary entry documents from the embassy of your destination country or the State Department. Always carry valid identification documents (e.g., child's passport, ID card, passport) with you and check their validity in good time.
Please note that some countries require a passport and sometimes require it to be valid for at least six months beyond the duration of your stay. Border officials may also require additional documentation such as letters of invitation, accommodation or return tickets.
Entry-Exit-System
Procedure
Please take advantage of the opportunity to enter your data in advance at the self-service kiosk to reduce waiting times. Alternatively, you can go directly to the border control counter, but this may take longer.
At the self-service kiosk
Please note that EES is being introduced at Frankfurt Airport in stages. Not every border control point will have a self-service kiosk available immediately. In this case, please contact a border control officer.
If you have a biometric passport, you can register at a self-service kiosk. The entire process is self-explanatory and is carried out step by step directly at the kiosk:
- Scan your passport.
- Have your photo and fingerprints taken.
- Then go to the border control desk, where your data will be briefly checked and your fingerprints scanned again.
At the border control counter
If you do not have a biometric passport, are under 12 years of age, or require assistance:
- Registration is carried out directly at the counter by the border official.
- Your passport will be scanned, a photo of your face will be taken, and your fingerprints will be recorded.
- Please allow a little more time for this.
Further information can be found here.
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