Officer of the German Federal Police Christian Grosse-Oonnebrink, who performs border control functions at Cologne Bonn Airport and is responsible for media communication, answered questions from Deutsche Welle about what Ukrainians can expect when the visa-free regime comes into effect.
– Mr. Grosse-Oonnebrink, the EU visa-free regime for Ukrainians will soon come into effect. How is the federal police at Cologne Bonn Airport preparing for Ukrainians to travel without visas?
– The duties of police officers at Cologne Bonn Airport include border control. We have extensive experience in border checks of citizens entering Germany without visas. Regarding the conditions of the visa-free regime for specific countries, police officers undergo appropriate training, so our staff are always ready for innovations.
– The rules for crossing the German border for Ukrainian citizens, which will be applied by the police at Cologne Bonn Airport, which receives direct flights from Kyiv, are they common to all border checkpoints in Germany?
– Yes, these rules are valid not only in Germany but throughout the Schengen area, meaning they are mandatory for all Schengen states at their external borders.
General requirements
– What are these rules? What documents must Ukrainians have who will be able to enter Germany without visas issued by the German embassy?
– The first requirement is a biometric passport. This document must be presented by the traveler. Other documents that certify the legality of stay in Germany, in particular confirming its purpose, are also important and must be presented when crossing the border. These include, for example, a return ticket, hotel booking confirmation, an invitation from the person being visited, health insurance policy, or, say, tickets to an exhibition the tourist intends to visit. That is, these documents confirm the purpose of stay.
– Regarding the biometric passport, must every person have one? Does this also apply to children, especially infants?
– Yes, every person crossing the border must have a biometric passport. This includes infants, although I understand that sometimes there are problems with photographing a small child.
– What if a tourist has an old-style passport with a valid visa?
– A valid visa in a non-biometric passport legitimizes the right to enter. However, if a person is traveling with a tourist visa, they must also comply with other requirements for visa-free travel. That is, at the border we will check the entire package.
– How important is it to present a return ticket?
– Return tickets confirm how long a person will stay in Germany. As you know, a person cannot stay in the Schengen area for more than 90 days within a 180-day period. So if during the border interview the traveler says they intend to spend a two-week vacation in Germany or another EU country, the return ticket confirms that for us.
Invitation nuances
– The traveler must also present an invitation. What are the requirements for this document?
– An invitation is a document that confirms the purpose of the trip. There are no formal requirements for invitations, whether from private individuals or companies. But they must contain data that reliably determines the purpose of the trip of the person crossing the border. For example, if a tourist shows us an invitation to a wedding or some celebration, the purpose of their trip will be clear and reliably confirmed.
If the invitation is sent by relatives or friends, it is desirable that we see who the inviting party is. At the same time, I emphasize that financial obligations stated in such a private invitation are not valid and cannot serve as proof of financial support. The document by which private individuals can confirm that they will cover the traveler's expenses is called a "financial obligation" and is official. It is requested and issued in Germany by the Foreigners' Office.
– If it is an invitation from a private individual, is it sufficient on its own? Or is it necessary to present copies of that person's identification documents?
– Essentially, the rule is: the more credible, the better. If a person is flying to a wedding, the invitation to the event itself already indicates the purpose of stay. If a person is flying to relatives, then an invitation with a copy of the inviting party's identification document will certainly be more credible. But – I emphasize – this is not a mandatory requirement.
In this sense, just imagine – if you were a border guard, on what basis would you believe a person who tells you the purpose of their stay, that they really are who they say they are?
– Can a person present an invitation sent by email, i.e., without a wet signature from the inviting party?
– Since there are no formal requirements for invitations, yes – a printout of an email also serves as an invitation. However, the police officer must verify the authenticity of such a document. Again, the rule applies: the more credible, the better. Of course, a signature or stamp from a company or institution only enhances the credibility of the invitation.
– By the way, if a person is traveling on business, i.e., at the invitation of partner companies, what should the invitation be like?
– There are no formal requirements for invitations from companies either, but large companies that invite partners know how to formulate them. They immediately provide their contact details, through which we can, if necessary, contact representatives in Germany for clarification. So with official invitations, we usually have fewer problems.
Finances and health insurance
– One of the requirements for visa-free travel is that the traveler has sufficient funds for their stay in the EU and for returning home. How does a border guard check this aspect?
– The simplest method is to ask the person undergoing passport control to show a sufficient amount of cash. However, we understand that it is not always possible or safe to carry large amounts of cash, so we also accept the presentation of bank cards, including credit cards. It should be noted, however, that we must be certain that the card has sufficient funds or that the credit card has a sufficient spending limit. And if doubts arise, for example, regarding other documents as well, we can accompany the person to an ATM and ask them to withdraw a certain amount to see that they can access cash during the trip. So such a situation can occur, and one must be prepared for it.
– Are traveler's checks accepted as proof?
– They are not as popular as before, but of course, they are accepted.
– If a Ukrainian does not have enough cash in euros and does not have a bank card, but their stay in, say, Germany is financially covered by the inviting party – for example, a friend or relative. Would the proof of this be the financial obligation you mentioned, which can be obtained from the foreigners' office?
– Exactly. In this case, a financial obligation from the inviting party is presented.
– Regarding cash, a person must confirm they have 45 euros per day for Germany. Other countries require different amounts, such as the Netherlands – 34 euros per day, Latvia – 14 euros per day. If an adult travels with children, do they need to show the corresponding amount for them as well? Including for infants?
– The amounts you mention are approximate. Since small children can often stay in hotels for free and require fewer expenses during travel than adults, deviations from these amounts are possible. In general, regarding the assessment of financial means for the trip, the rule is that the available funds must undoubtedly guarantee the support of the entire family during the journey.
– Will travelers' fingerprints be taken? What is the purpose of this?
– At present, fingerprinting is associated with visa issuance. It is done to verify that the person undergoing passport control is the same person to whom the visa was issued. During visa-free travel, fingerprinting is not foreseen. However, there is no need to fear this procedure in any case!
– Does a tourist have to present a health insurance policy?
– As you understand, it is always a problem if a person entering the EU falls ill and has to visit a medical facility. In such a scenario, there is a risk that the funds intended for the trip may not be sufficient. That is why we must be convinced that if a person needs medical assistance, they will be, so to speak, liquid enough to pay the doctor's or hospital's bill. Therefore, a health insurance policy for international travel is important.
Such a policy can be obtained in Ukraine as well; we do not require a health insurance contract to be concluded in Germany.
90 days within 180 days. Otherwise – sanctions
– Staying in the Schengen Area without a visa will be allowed for no more than 90 days within any 180-day period. How does this work? How does a border guard calculate these 90 days?
– If Ukrainians are now planning to visit a Schengen country for the first time and spend, for example, three weeks on vacation, and then do not plan to travel further, they need not worry about this issue. However, if they intend to visit Schengen countries quite frequently, for example, Germany, they should study this matter more closely, as it is not entirely simple if one does not deal with it daily as we do.
To get a rough idea, one can count back 180 days from the date of crossing the border of a Schengen country. During this period, the allowed 90 days of stay must not be exceeded. The days of entry and exit are counted towards these 90 days.
– Where exactly does this principle apply? Does it apply to stay in any Schengen country or only one country?
– This principle applies to the entire Schengen Area, i.e., throughout the zone in Europe where Ukrainians can travel visa-free. For example, a person who has spent 80 days in Italy and then goes to Germany can only stay here for the remaining 10 days.
– Are there any sanctions for violating this rule? When can they be applied – upon entry to the EU or during passport control upon exit?
– If, when crossing the border upon entry, it is established that the traveler has exceeded the 90-day stay within a 180-day period, entry will be denied.
If the violation of this rule is discovered when the person is leaving the country of last stay, for example, Germany, the federal police must initiate proceedings, which will be forwarded to the prosecutor's office. As a result, criminal proceedings may be initiated and considered by a court.
– So, by exceeding the 90-day stay, a person commits a crime? And what if the violation is literally by a day or two?
– In any case, it is about committing a criminal offense. So you must definitely take this into account! If such a fact is established, the police officer has the right to collect so-called security, i.e., cash that will later cover the costs of the process and a possible fine.
Visa-free trips are not for employment
– During visa-free travel, a person is prohibited from working in the EU. Does the police officer performing border functions also check this aspect?
– If during the interview at the border crossing it is established that the traveler intends to carry out work activities in the EU, then for us this means that he does not confirm the tourist purpose of stay. That is, in this way he does not fulfill one of the conditions of visa-free travel. Such a person will have to return to Ukraine.
That is, the interview at the border is precisely conducted to verify the tourist purpose of stay.
– What should tourists generally take into account if they cannot confirm certain data regarding one or another aspect of the trip?
– The more implausible the purpose of stay appears, the more detailed and thorough the interview with the border police officer is. That is why it is important that documents such as an invitation, a financial commitment from the inviting party, or a return ticket are with the person or in their hand luggage and they present them independently during border control.
If they say that the documents exist but they forgot them at home or put them in a suitcase, they will have to be interviewed in the service room. That is, if the border police officer has doubts that require a detailed interview to dispel, the interview at the window ends and the person is invited to the service room. An official interpreter is also invited there, and the detailed interview begins again. The police officer can contact the hotel where the traveler supposedly was to stay and ask whether the person actually booked a room and whether they canceled the reservation. So we recommend having all necessary documents with you and presenting them directly at the border checkpoint.
– And what happens to those people who are denied crossing the border?
– Such persons are sent back. That is, if the plane on which the person arrived, for example from Ukraine, is still there and has free seats, the person is returned immediately on that plane. Alternatively, the person can stay in the transit zone and be sent at the first opportunity to the country to which they have the right to enter and in which they can stay.
– How do police officers communicate with tourists who do not know not only German but even English?
– Of course, it is good when communication happens when the person at least understands us a little and can answer our questions in a few words. However, we make efforts to reach an understanding in any case, sometimes even using sign language. Language is indeed a barrier, but we must overcome it if necessary.
If the tourist is prepared for border control, already knows on their own what documents we need to see to verify the purpose and duration of their stay, financial support, and perhaps has a note with them describing their plan of stay in Germany, and even in German, then that is great. Otherwise, we still have to ask the person about everything and, in case of doubts, as I already mentioned, we invite them to the service room, where we wait for an interpreter. Of course, this takes time. So it is better for both the traveler and us when all issues are clarified during control.
– To conclude the conversation: do you have any special recommendations?
– Border control is a police control measure. You need to remember this and prepare for it. But you should not be afraid of passport checks or the questions that police officers ask at all! We, the employees of the German Federal Police who carry out passport control, are very friendly people!