Neighboring country is high incidence area What you need to know now about traveling to the Netherlands
The Hague · Since Tuesday, the Netherlands is considered a high incidence area. What rules now apply for entry from the neighboring country? Which tests are required, and who has to go into quarantine? An overview.
The seven-day incidence in the Netherlands is currently more than 500, so the federal government classifies the neighboring country as a high-incidence area. For people who have planned a trip from or to the Netherlands in the coming days, questions now arise.
■ What do I have to bear in mind if I want to enter NRW from the Netherlands from Tuesday? When entering Germany, a negative Corona test must be presented that is not older than 48 hours. In addition to the test obligation, there is a registration obligation for those entering from the Netherlands. The registration must be done before arrival on www.einreiseanmeldung.de. Transients and stays of less than 24 hours are exempt from the registration requirement.
■ How does it work with quarantine after entry? An overview of coronavirus from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia states, "A quarantine that must initially be observed due to lack of entry testing can be terminated at any time by a negative test."
■ What are the rules for commuters? For commuters who need to cross the border regularly because of their job, studies or training, a negative test is valid for 72 hours instead of 48. So commuters must get tested up to twice in a work week, according to a statement from the NRW State Chancellery. The same applies to anyone who regularly visits close first-degree family members on the other side of the border several times a week, it said.
■ What form of test do I need to cross the border? Acceptable tests include both PCR tests and rapid antigen tests from an authorized medical provider, as well as self-testing under the supervision of competent personnel. Proof of testing can be presented at the border on paper or in digital form, such as on a smartphone.
■ At what point do I need to be tested? The proof of testing must always be carried on entry to the Netherlands and must not be older than 48 hours. Border commuters are permitted to take the test immediately after entering the country - for example, immediately after arriving at their place of work.
■ How are the tests checked at the border? Compliance with the testing obligation will be checked by spot checks by the police. The border between North Rhine-Westphalia and the Netherlands is 400 kilometers long.
■ When will the new entry rules for NRW apply and for how long? The rules came into force immediately after Easter, on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at midnight. Anyone who entered NRW from the Netherlands before then was still subject to the rules of a risk area, not a high-incidence area. This means that those entering the country did not have to show a negative test until 48 hours after crossing the border - not before. According to the NRW Ministry of Health, the regulation will initially apply until May 2, 2021.
■ Who is exempt from the testing requirement? The obligation to take the Corona test does not apply to employees of security authorities, fire departments, rescue services and civil protection, provided they are currently on duty. In addition, it is permitted to bring or pick up your children in the car across the border to school without having to show a negative test. The prerequisite is that the adult does not leave the car during this time and returns to his or her residence in Germany immediately afterwards.
(Original text: Merle Sievers / Translation: Mareike Graepel)
