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Hello,
The European Commission has finalized and adopted the new regulations regarding A1 applications.
When can we expect these regulations to be implemented?
The European Commission adopted the new regulations in October 2026. The new regulations will be passed on to the member states, which will incorporate them into their national regulations. A period of 24 months is allotted for this. The new regulations for applying for the A1 certificate are expected to be implemented in Germany in November 2028. Until then, there will be no changes to the current application process for the A1 certificate.
What was decided?
Business trips that are not for the purpose of providing services or delivering goods are exempt from the requirement to apply for an A1 certificate. These include, for example, internal meetings, workshops, and conference attendance. Proof of this exemption must be provided.
All other business trips are subject to the three-day rule:
e.g., consulting and client meetings, internal and external project meetings, technical assignments, service calls
No A1 application is required for up to three consecutive workdays within a rolling 30-day period
Proof of the exemption must be kept on hand.
The construction industry is excluded from the new regulation. Companies in the construction industry will still be required to apply for an A1 certificate before the start of the business trip and to keep it on hand during the trip.
What other changes have been decided?
The A1 certificate must be applied for before the start of the business trip. This restricts the provision allowing for retroactive applications.
EU and EFTA countries are urged to enforce stricter checks on the possession of the A1 certificate.
What changes take effect immediately?
Currently, nothing is changing for companies. An A1 certificate must still be requested for every business trip. DVKG will inform you once the new regulation has been implemented and takes effect. Using an intuitive process, we will inform your travelers whether an A1 certificate is required. At the same time, we will check whether an EU declaration or a visa may also be required.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Your DVKG Team
Starting November 3, 2026, a new regulation for entry into the U.S. will take effect: All travelers must submit a mandatory health declaration before departure—regardless of nationality or departure location. Failure to comply may result in denial of boarding.
Airlines recommend filling this out before boarding.
Your DVKG / GCS Team
Hello,
We would like to inform you that the DVKG websites are not affected by the currently known security vulnerability.
Best regards
Your DVKG Team
Hello,
DVKG received two awards in 2026:
This success is primarily attributable to all DVKG employees. They are distinguished by their exceptional quality of service. Our constant goal is to answer questions, listen to suggestions, and incorporate them into the improvement of our processes and services. I would like to explicitly thank all employees!
I would also like to thank you as our customers, network partners, and collaboration partners. We focus on the “Moment of Truth”—the moment when the user comes into contact with DVKG. The moment when the customer decides to return and recommend DVKG. I would like to thank you for your trust, your ideas, and your suggestions.
We look forward to the year 2027 with optimism. We will invest heavily in innovative approaches, complementary services, and global expansion, and we will pursue our goal with focus: to tangibly simplify your needs regarding consular services and business travel compliance through state-of-the-art technological solutions and processes of the highest quality.
Best regards
Dr. Julius Heintz
CEO / Managing Director
Hello,
First of all: You must still apply for an A1 certificate for every business trip.
On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Strasbourg, the European Parliament decided to change the requirements for applying for the A1 certificate. The requirement to apply for the A1 certificate will not be abolished. The change results in a new regulation governing the requirements for applying for the A1 certificate:
The new regulation currently applies to trade show and customer visits, but not to sectors within the construction industry.
The new regulation applies regardless of the EU & EFTA destination.
The new regulation is defined as follows:
An A1 certificate is not required for business trips lasting a maximum of three consecutive days, but only once within a 30-day period.
What does this mean in practice:
It must be verified whether a business trip has been taken or is planned within the past 30 days or the next 30 days. If a business trip has been taken or is scheduled during either of these periods and an exemption from the A1 certificate requirement has already been selected for that trip, A1 certificates must be applied for regarding any subsequent business trips.
What happens next:
In the next step, the new regulation will be submitted to the EU and EFTA member states. These countries will then have two years to transpose the regulation into national law. Only then will the new regulation governing the application process for the A1 certificate take effect.
Recommendation:
Currently, an A1 certificate must still be applied for each business trip.
The process will become more complex. The “rolling 30 days” period means that a total period of 60 days must be reviewed: 30 days in the past and 30 days in the future. It will be necessary to verify whether the exemption from submitting an A1 certificate has already been utilized, regardless of the travel destination within the EU and EFTA countries. Subsequently, a decision must be made regarding the time period for which the A1 certificate should be requested.
DVKG can handle this complexity by automating the verification process and informing the applicant whether an A1 certificate needs to be requested.
DVKG offers this solution, which meets the necessary technical requirements. DVKG already uses this technical solution for other compliance-related matters.
IMPORTANT, all other social security certificates that must be applied for in connection with business trips outside the EU and EFTA countries remain unaffected by the new regulation. Social security certificates must still be requested for every business trip outside the EU and EFTA countries.
Please feel free to contact our sales team with any further questions or for guidance on how to proceed.
Best regards
Your DVKG Team
Deutsche Visa und Konsular Gesellschaft