The Corona crisis has given couples and families in the border region to Austria difficult weeks. Relief has been in effect since Saturday (May 16).
- Since the beginning of the Coronavirus * crisis in Bavaria and Austria *, the border between the two countries has been tight.
- But from May there will be first easing, also for visiting relatives.
- An overview of what is allowed and what is not when visiting parents or life partners in Austria.
Update from 4:31 p.m .: Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer and Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (both CSU) are sticking to the plans for a gradual opening of the borders - but want to pull the emergency brake at any time in an emergency. The aim is to completely dispense with border controls after June 15, Seehofer confirmed on Monday at a joint appointment with Söder at the German-Austrian border in Freilassing near Salzburg. However, prerequisites are further improvements in the infection process as well as discipline and caution.
Seehofer emphasized that one would now look closely at how the easing of the anti-corona measures in Austria and Bavaria had an effect on the actual infection. And they will continue to respond "always situation and risk-based," said the minister.
Söder also said that if the corona numbers remained stable until June 15th, controls would be further reduced. But if the numbers in a country jump up again, you need an emergency mechanism , an "emergency brake" also at the borders. You will be able to react again at any time.
Corona in Bavaria - relaxation on the border with Austria: Söder and Seehofer get an idea on the spot
Update from May 18, 10.55 a.m .: Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer today, Monday (2.30 p.m.), together with Prime Minister Markus Söder and Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, is getting an idea of the current situation at the border crossing in Freilassing . In the direct border area in particular, the anti-pandemic controls that had been in place for weeks had angered people very much. Commuters and entrepreneurs face severe disabilities and waiting times, even if more border crossings have been opened again recently.
There are still official controls on the border with Austria until mid-June, but these should only be carried out on a random basis since the weekend. However, Seehofer had said in the past few days that a withdrawal of loosening at the borders cannot be ruled out if the corona infections increase sharply.
The topic at the meeting is also likely to be the relaxation of the current quarantine regulation for those arriving in Germany from neighboring countries. Currently, in many federal states, everyone who enters Germany from a neighboring European country must go to quarantine for 14 days. Seehofer had recommended that the federal states loosen the quarantine rules that had previously applied and only apply to people who had previously been in third countries. For example, no longer for Germans arriving from France or from the Netherlands.
On Friday, the Ministry of Health in Bavaria, at the request of the dpa, declared that it would promptly relax the quarantine rules imposed on corona for returnees and arrivals from EU and Schengen countries as well as from Great Britain. Exactly when, however, remained unclear.
Is summer vacation in Europe possible due to the Corona crisis? Markus Söder contradicts Heiko Maas and brings financial support for citizens into play.
Coronavirus in Bavaria: Border opening for certain groups of people
Update from May 16, 8:40 p.m .: The border to Bavaria is open again for privileged groups of people , soon the general border opening to Germany will follow.
A Covid-19 scandal involving post centers in the federal capital of Vienna shows that Austria is still struggling with the coronavirus pandemic .
Specifically: Corona outbreaks with numerous new infections occurred in two Swiss Post logistics centers in Eastern Austria.
Corona loosening of the border between Bavaria and Austria: few violations
Update of May 16, 1:24 pm: After the restrictions were relaxed , the Federal Police Rosenheim registered only a few violations in cross-border traffic between Austria and Germany on Saturday.
"There are isolated cases in which we refused entry," said a police spokesman, who was watching the events at the checkpoint on Autobahn 93 (Inntal Ost).
Drivers were found during the random checks, for example, who could not provide a valid reason for entering Germany, but only wanted to shop or hike, for example.
This is still not allowed, the spokesman said. At the Federal Police in Munich , nothing was known about problems in border traffic at first.
Since May 16: Corona loosening on the border with Austria
Update from May 16, 10.33: The corona crisis has given couples and families in the German border regions a hard week. Traffic and therefore personal contact was extremely limited. There will be relief from this weekend .
Germany, Austria and Switzerland have relaxed the rules for cross-border traffic. Since midnight , entry in both directions has been possible again if you want to visit your life partner or relatives or if you want to take part in important family events. This also applies to owners of self-used properties and allotment gardens as well as agricultural, hunting or forest areas, as the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Berlin announced on Friday evening. People who have to look after animals may also enter the country.
Corona crisis in Bavaria: five border crossings to Austria reopened
Update of May 13, 11.35 a.m .: On Wednesday, the Federal Police reopened five border crossings between Austria and Bavaria that were closed due to the Corona crisis. "We have extended the opening hours at two other control points or adjusted them as needed," said Karl-Heinz Blümel, President of the Munich Federal Police Directorate, on Wednesday. As of now, eleven border crossings are again passable for farmers and foresters.
Regardless of this, checks at the German border should be relaxed cautiously from this Saturday onwards. As Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (CSU) announced in a press conference on Wednesday, the Federal Ministry of the Interior is only aiming for a complete end to the controls introduced at all border sections due to the corona pandemic on June 15.
Corona restrictions for entry into Austria: bang suggests great hope
Update from May 13, 10:10 a.m .: Good news for families who could not see each other due to the border closure between Austria and Germany: The border, closed due to the corona pandemic, is to be fully reopened on June 15. This was confirmed by the Austrian chancellery of the Austrian news agency APA on Wednesday. Accordingly, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz discussed this on Tuesday (May 12).
Kurz had announced in the Austrian program "10 to 10" on Tuesday (May 12) that both Germany and Switzerland are considering opening the borders again in June. The tourism industry can probably breathe a sigh of relief for now. According to the report, family visits between the border will soon be possible again.
Corona Border Closure: German-Austrian Border Will Open Again Soon?
Update of May 8 : Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is convinced that the opening of the border between Germany and Austria is getting closer. The infection rate is currently lower in Austria than in the Federal Republic. "Therefore, I also assume that the border to Germany will open before the summer," said Kurz at a video conference with representatives of the hospitality industry on Friday in Vienna.
The Austrian government is in almost daily exchange with the German partners. Opening the border is not only important from a tourist point of view, but also for many families who are currently separated by border controls. The same applies to commuters and all those who simply have to travel for professional reasons. On vacation! Bavaria wants to overturn the quarantine rule - Read here which countries open when. *
Corona restrictions for entry into Austria: when can I visit my parents or my partner?
First report from May 5th
Munich / Salzburg - Markus Söder announces far-reaching easing of the corona rules in Bavaria. * Austria opens up a part of the catering trade earlier and promises other freedoms. The signs point to relaxation. At least within the two countries. There is still a state of emergency on the Bavaria-Austria border.
Many border crossings are completely closed. German federal police and the respective Austrian state police control the few open checkpoints in a gigantic administrative and personnel expenditure. If the German federal police were a little better prepared due to the controls that have been going on since the refugee crisis, Austria had to start from scratch at the German border.
Entry into Austria: police describe mood at border crossing Walserberg (A8 Munich-Salzburg)
“All systems have been dismantled for decades. The infrastructure is no longer designed for controls at all, ”Armin Wochermayer describes, for example, the location at the Walserberg border crossing on the A8 between Salzburg and Munich . Wochermayr is co-responsible for the newly created border section of the Salzburg State Police.
Entry to Austria for family visits: long waiting times
The controls are carried out on one track. "It's all pretty cramped there." And, that's the first important information for everyone who wants to enter Austria: bring your time. Waiting times of 45 minutes to an hour are not uncommon at the Walserberg.
The police officers and the Austrian Armed Forces support the officers in order to meet the personnel costs.
And all inspectors have to be on the ball. The regulations for entering Austria are currently changing regularly. "There are more and more exceptions that officials all have to know," Wochermayr says. Commuters and delivery traffic have been allowed to operate for quite some time.
New entry rules for Austria from May 1st - family and partners can be visited, but ...
The most recent change has been in effect since May 1st . It presents the officials with new challenges. Because the paragraph reads anything but clear. The inspectors have to make individual decisions, a lot is a matter of interpretation.
For people in Bavaria and Germany with relatives or life partners in Austria, however, this change also opens up new opportunities. Specifically, it is about paragraph 4 of the "entire legal regulation for measures when entering from neighboring countries."
Normally you only get across the border with a corona-free medical certificate or 14-day quarantine, and only as an Austrian citizen. Paragraph 4, however, mentions various exceptions, more recently "in the family circle for reasons worthy of special consideration" . These reasons, it can be read there, are “to be made credible at the border”. Incidentally, the exception applies to both Austrian and German citizens.
Neither the spokesman for the Austrian Ministry of the Interior nor that of the Ministry of Health reveals exactly how this works. We learn that the wording was intentionally kept relatively open.
Visiting parents or partners in Austria - exception is apparently interpreted broadly
After we have gathered the previous experiences of our readers and the information from the various Austrian authorities, at least a current mood can be given. And that's pretty positive. Even if there are also negative experiences at the border, like here from a Freisinger-Salzburg couple. *
That family circle also explicitly includes life partners, i.e. the girlfriend or boyfriend. Anyway, this includes close relatives, such as parents, siblings, grandparents. The “reasons worthy of consideration” also appear to be interpreted quite broadly.
Entering Austria to visit family and partners - you should have this with you
You should also bring this with you to make the decision as easy as possible for the stressed border official:
- A written invitation from the person or persons you want to visit, with reasons why your personal visit is necessary.
- Attached is a copy of the person's registration certificate.
- The Salzburger Land also offers a form. Bringing this filled in is certainly not a bad idea.
This should at least make things easier for the border official. And the chance of entry is higher. However, it is not guaranteed due to the very open wording of the paragraph.
And how many will be sent back? Border manager Wochermayr can give a few exciting numbers. At the Walserberg border crossing alone, 2321 people were checked between midnight and midnight on Sunday (3 May). 39 people had to turn around again.
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Return trip to Germany from Austria during the Corona period
There remains the return trip to Germany : This is not a problem because you can show a place of residence in Germany. So come in. Important: You should not stay in Austria for longer than 48 hours, otherwise the federal police can give you a 14-day quarantine via the health department.
With so much unusual freedom, one thing is also clear: these are exceptions that can be granted. The border is still closed for normal public traffic. Wochermayr from the Salzburg State Police makes it clear: “Many believe that they can just cross the border again. That is not the case. ”People who want to go on an excursion , for example , are returned without exception .
As of today, there has been an important relaxation of corona measures in Bavaria. Meanwhile, the State Office for Statistics publishes violent figures for the tourism industry.
The cultural sector is suffering from the corona crisis. How is it going for artists, for cinemas and theaters? Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder comments.
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.