Current news

Good afternoon,

The Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has published information on the subject of "Handling the A1 certificate" in the context of short-term and short-term cross-border activities.

The information deals with the question of whether an A1 certificate is required for short-term and short-term cross-border activities and whether it must be applied for in advance. It should be noted that the BMAS does not issue any recommendations on how to apply for an A1. The following should be noted:

• The decisive factor as to whether an A1 certificate is required is based on the legal understanding of the destination to which the person is traveling. From the operational experience of the DVKG, the A1 certificate must be presented in all of Germany's neighboring countries, including Italy, the UK and Spain.
• Because of the short-term and short-term cross-border activities and a possible delay in issuing the A1 certificate by the relevant authorities (usually health insurance companies), Germany has concluded an agreement with France and Austria that proof of application for the A1 certificate is also sufficient and protects against an initial sanction. Other destinations have not opposed this agreement.
• The information provided by the BMAS does not indicate that there is any fundamental logic to the question raised regarding the dispensability (of the advance application) of the A1 certificate. On the contrary, there are explicit references to this in several places in the BMAS communication, which speak in favor of applying for the A1 certificate in advance, even for short-term and short-term cross-border activities.
Experience reports of sanction cases also show unpleasant consequences for the person traveling. Due to a missing A1 certificate, the social security contribution for the period of the stay was confiscated locally. The social security authorities reported the change to the foreign social security system to the German social security authorities. They noted the interruption accordingly, which led to a pension gap in the case of pension cover.
• IMPORTANT: In the event of an accident / need for medical care abroad, a subsequent application for the A1 certificate and all other social insurance certificates is not permitted by the social insurance institutions (accident insurance / employers' liability insurance association).

It is up to the company to decide how to handle the application for the A1 certificate. Based on a lot of feedback from inspections, we recommend applying for the A1 certificate in good time and carrying it with you, or at least being able to prove that you have applied for it in advance.

Your DVKG team

Good afternoon,

Current communication informs us that the current 15-day visa-free entry to the People's Republic of China for nationals until the end of 2025

• of the French Republic,
• the Federal Republic of Germany,
• the Italian Republic,
• the Kingdom of the Netherlands,
• the Kingdom of Spain
• of Malaysia
• of Austria,
• of Switzerland,
• of Ireland,
• of Hungary,
• of Belgium and
• of Luxembourg
• of Poland
• from Australia and
• from New Zealand

from October 15, 2024 (initially until the end of 2025) also for citizens

• of Portugal
• of Greece
• of Cyprus
• of Slovenia

is planned. The exemption from the visa requirement is to be valid exclusively for the following purposes and provisions:

• Tourist - single entry - maximum stay of up to 15 days
• Business - single entry - maximum stay of up to 15 days
• Family visits - single entry - maximum stay of up to 15 days
• Transit

The exemption shall NOT apply for the following purposes:

• A stay of more than 15 days
• Multiple entries
• Holders of Austrian service passports
• All other categories not mentioned above (e.g. work visa, conference visa, etc.)

As soon as we have more detailed information, we will of course inform you again.

If you have any questions, the DVKG consular advisors are available at any time.

Your DVKG team

Good afternoon,

Please note that from September 28 - October 03, 2024, the Chinese Embassy and Chinese Consulates in Germany will be closed due to Chinese national holidays.

Please take this into account when applying for your visa.

Best regards

Your DVKG team

Good afternoon,

The European Union will introduce the EES and ETIAS systems. Below you will find an explanation and further information:

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) - launch date in 2025 not yet defined:

• Purpose:
  • ETIAS serves to pre-authorize travel to the Schengen area for citizens of countries that currently do not require a visa for short stays (up to 90 days). It is a system for security screening travelers before they even enter the Schengen area.
• Function:
  • Travelers from visa-free countries must apply online for an ETIAS authorization before entering the country. The system checks the traveler's information in various databases (e.g. Interpol, Europol, EES, etc.) to identify potential security risks, such as criminal activity or terrorism. The authorization is usually granted within a few minutes and remains valid for three years or until the passport expires.
• Target group:
  • Citizens from visa-free third countries (e.g. USA, Canada, Australia) who wish to travel to the Schengen area.
• Next steps:
  • An ETIAS application is submitted before the trip.
  • The DVKG will provide a tangibly simple application process in good time.

EES (Entry-Exit System) - introduction currently planned for Nov. 10, 24:

• Purpose:
  • The EES records and stores information on the entry and exit of third-country nationals in the Schengen area. It replaces the manual stamping of passports at border crossings with an electronic system that stores both entry and exit data.
• Function:
  • The EES registers biometric data (fingerprints, facial recognition) and stores the length of stay in the Schengen area. It is intended to help prevent overstaying (usually 90 days within 180 days) and improve the tracing of illegal entries. It also supports the border authorities in better controlling and managing the external borders.
• Target group:
  • All third-country nationals entering the Schengen area, both those who require a visa and those from visa-free countries.
• Next steps:
  • No further preparatory steps necessary for the traveler.

All consular advisors will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Best regards

Your DVKG team

The Chinese embassy and the Chinese consulate in Germany announced that a system change will take place on August 26, 2024 and there will be a new visa application.

ATTENTION: From August 26, 2024, old visa applications will no longer be accepted. However, the new visa applications can only be created from August 26, 2024. Please expect temporarily longer processing times in the week starting August 26, 2024.

If you have any questions, the DVKG consular advisors are available to you at any time.

Your DVKG team