Risk level

Safety and security

Crime

Petty crime

Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and bag snatching, occurs.

Organized groups of pickpockets often use distraction techniques and are particularly active in:

• major cities
• transportation hubs
• Christmas markets
• tourist attractions

Ensure that your belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times.

Violent crime

Violent crime is uncommon, but does occur.

Crimes committed by far-right extremists against individuals belonging to ethnic, religious or political minorities occur.

While tourists are not specifically targeted, you could find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Always be vigilant and aware of your surroundings.

Cybercrime

Cybercrime occurs. Perpetrators may compromise public Wi-Fi networks to steal credit card or personal information.

• Avoid using unsecured public Wi-Fi networks
• Avoid making purchases on unencrypted websites
• Be cautious when posting information on social media
• Be particularly vigilant when contacting or meeting individuals known over the internet

More about overseas fraud

Terrorism

There is a threat of terrorism in Europe. Terrorists have carried out attacks in several European cities. Terrorist attacks could occur at any time.

Targets could include:

• government buildings, including schools
• places of worship
• airports and other transportation hubs and networks
• public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, Christmas markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners

The Government of Germany maintains a public alert system on terrorism. Alert level changes are communicated through local media.

• Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places
• Be particularly vigilant if attending sporting events and during religious holidays and other public celebrations, as terrorists have used such occasions to mount attacks

More information about public security - Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community

Demonstrations

Demonstrations take place regularly. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation.

• Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
• Follow the instructions of local authorities
• Monitor local media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Mountain activities

If you intend to go hiking, mountaineering or skiing:

• never do so alone and always hire an experienced guide from a reputable company
• buy travel insurance that includes helicopter rescue and medical evacuation
• ensure that your physical condition is good enough to meet the challenges of your activity
• ensure that you are properly equipped and well informed about weather and other conditions that may pose a hazard
• inform a family member or friend of your itinerary, including when you expect to be back
• obtain detailed information on trekking routes or ski slopes before setting out and do not venture off marked trails or slopes

Road safety

Roads conditions and road safety are excellent throughout the country.

Pedestrians should exercise caution when crossing dedicated bicycle paths, as bicycles have right of way.

Air travel

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

General information about foreign domestic airlines

Entry and exit requirements

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the German authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Schengen area

Canadian citizens do not need a visa for travel to countries within the Schengen area. However, visa-free travel only applies to stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Stays are cumulative and include visits to any Schengen area country.

If you plan to stay in the Schengen area for a longer period of time, you will need a visa. You must contact the high commission or embassy of the country or countries you are travelling to and obtain the appropriate visa(s) prior to travel.

Useful links

• Schengen area
• Foreign Representatives in Canada

Temporary border controls

The German government has reintroduced internal border controls at certain border crossings. You may be required to pass through immigration controls when entering Germany, even if arriving from another Schengen area country.

Passport

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the date you expect to leave the Schengen area.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Visas

Tourist visa: not required for stays up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Business visa: not required for stays up to 90 days
Student visa: required

Extension of stay

As a tourist, you can’t stay in Germany longer than 90 days. If you wish to stay beyond this 90-day limit, you must apply for a residence permit and provide a valid reason.

If you unexpectedly have to stay beyond the 90-day limit, contact the Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) in the district you are staying in to regularize your extended stay.

Registration

If you intend to reside in Germany for more than 3 months, you must register at the local Residents‘ Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt), usually within 7 days of your entry into the country.

If you don’t, you may be fined.

Other entry requirements

Customs officials may ask you to show them a return or onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay.

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Children and travel

Learn about travel with children.

Health

Routine Vaccines

Be sure that your routine vaccines, as per your province or territory, are up-to-date regardless of your travel destination.

Some of these vaccines include: measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines are right for you.  

Food and Water-borne Diseases

Travellers to any destination in the world can develop travellers' diarrhea from consuming contaminated water or food.

Practise safe food and water precautions while travelling in Western Europe. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!

Insects and Illness

In some areas in Western Europe, certain insects carry and spread diseases like Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, and West Nile virus.

Travellers are advised to take precautions against bites.

Animals and Illness

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats. Certain infections found in some areas in Western Europe, like rabies, can be shared between humans and animals.

Person-to-Person Infections

Crowded conditions can increase your risk of certain illnesses. Remember to wash your hands often and practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette to avoid colds, the flu and other illnesses.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV are spread through blood and bodily fluids; practise safer sex.

Medical services and facilities

Health care is excellent. Service is available throughout the country.

Private healthcare is expensive. Care providers usually require upfront payment. If you need a detailed breakdown of expenses for a Canadian insurance claim, make sure you clearly request it, as German hospitals don’t usually provide one.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit, especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

Laws and culture

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad.

Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons

Canada and Germany are signatories to the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. This enables a Canadian imprisoned in Germany to request a transfer to a Canadian prison to complete a sentence. The transfer requires the agreement of both Canadian and German authorities. This process can take a long time, and there is no guarantee that the transfer will be approved by either or both sides.

Identification

Local police may ask to see your identification at any time.

• Carry adequate identification at all times, such as your passport or residence permit
• Keep a photocopy of your passport in a safe place, in case it is lost or stolen

Drugs

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences or heavy fines.

Useful links

• Alcohol, drugs and travel
• Cannabis and international travel

Illegal activities

There are strict laws regarding the diffusion of propaganda material and the use of symbols from the Nazi party or other organizations linked to fascism and the Third Reich.

Illegal activities may include:

• diffusing or sharing propaganda, including online
• producing, importing or exporting memorabilia
• publicly wearing, using or display symbols and greetings related to these organizations

Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences or fines.

Dual citizenship

Germany legally recognizes dual citizenship in certain cases.

If you are a Canadian citizen, but also a citizen of Germany, our ability to offer you consular services may be limited while you're there. You may also be subject to different entry/exit requirements.

General information for travellers with dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. The convention applies between Canada and Germany.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Germany, and if the applicable conditions are met, you may apply for the return of your child to the German court.

If you are in this situation:

• act as quickly as you can
• contact the Central Authority for your province or territory of residence for information on starting an application under The Hague Convention
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in Germany to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country’s judicial affairs.

Useful links

• List of Canadian Central Authorities for the Hague Convention
• International Child Abduction: A Guidebook for Left-Behind Parents
• Travelling with children
• The Hague Convention - Hague Conference on Private International Law
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Emergency Watch and Response Centre

Driving

You must be at least 18 years old to drive a vehicle in Germany.

You can use your valid Canadian driver’s licence for up to 6 months. After 6 months, you must exchange your Canadian licence for a German one. Allow up to 6 weeks for German authorities to exchange your licence.

You must always carry written permission from the registered owner of the vehicle if the vehicle doesn’t belong to you.

Winter tires are mandatory during icy conditions.

Speed limits

Speed limits vary considerably in Germany. On the highway network (autobahn), limits are generally much higher than the ones in Canada. On certain sections, there are no speed limits.

• Drive carefully
• Be mindful of speed regulations

Low-emission zones

Certain cities have put in place low-emission zones (Umweltzone) to reduce air pollution.

Access to these zones is restricted. You may need to obtain a permit to prove that your vehicle responds to environmental standards.

Personal light electric vehicles

Drivers of light electric vehicles, such as electric scooters and e-skateboards, must follow the rules of the road. Insurance is mandatory.

To drive such vehicles, your blood alcohol limit must not exceed 0.05%. New drivers and individuals under 21 years of age must not have any alcohol in their system. Convicted offenders can face heavy fines and have their licence confiscated on the spot. Authorities may ask for the fine to be paid right away.

You cannot drive on pedestrian walkways and in pedestrian zones.

Useful links

• More about driving in Germany - European Commission
• Low-emission zones in Germany - German Environment Agency
• Personal Light Electric Vehicles - Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure

Money

The currency of Germany is the euro (EUR).

If you are carrying €10,000 or more, or the equivalent in other currencies, you must make a declaration to customs when you enter or leave the European Union. It includes sums in:

• banknotes and coins
• bearer negotiable instruments such as cheques, travellers’ cheques, promissory notes and money orders
• bonds, shares
• gold coins with a gold content of at least 90 %
• gold bars, nuggets or clumps with a gold content of at least 99.5 %
• any other convertible asset

This does not apply if you are travelling within the European Union or in transit to a non-EU country.

EU cash controls - European Commission

Natural disasters and climate

Flooding and landslides

Heavy rains, particularly in spring and summer, can cause severe flooding and landslides. Roads may become impassable and infrastructure damaged.

• Exercise caution, particularly in areas around major rivers
• Stay informed of the latest regional weather forecasts
• Download the Nina warning app to receive important alerts from German authorities
• Follow the advice of local authorities, including evacuation orders

Useful links

• Emergency preparation - Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (in German)
• Nina warning app - Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (in German)

Wildfires

Forest fires may occur, particularly during summer months.

The air quality in areas near active fires may deteriorate due to heavy smoke.

In case of a major fire:

• stay away from affected areas, particularly if you suffer from respiratory ailments
• monitor local media for up-to-date information on the situation
• follow the advice of local authorities

Avalanches

There is a risk of avalanches in mountainous regions, especially following heavy snowfalls. Some have resulted in deaths.

Be particularly careful in the alpine areas of Bavaria.

Avalanche forecasting and warnings - European Avalanche Warning Services (EAWS)