Austria's High-Risk Covid Status: What You Need To Know

Germany has designated Austria as a COVID-19 high-risk area. This means that people travelling from Austria must enter quarantine upon arrival in Germany unless they have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19.

Germany has classified Austria as a COVID-19 high-risk area

The decision was announced by Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on 12 November 2021. The move came after an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Austria.

Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz talked about the start of the "second wave" in the country, highlighting that "hard months lie ahead".

Austria's corona traffic light system assigns each district one of five categories: green (very low risk), yellow-green (low risk), yellow (medium risk), orange (high risk) and red (very high risk)

The traffic light system is used to indicate the risk of COVID-19 infection in each district. The system is based on current knowledge of infection risk factors and is designed to curb the number of cases.

The traffic light system is updated regularly to reflect the changing situation in each district. The latest update was on 10 February 2021.

Austria's COVID-19 entry regulation does not apply to persons entering the country to maintain the movement of goods and persons

Austria has implemented new COVID-19-related rules for those entering the country. These rules were published in the Federal Official Journal (Bundesgesetzblatt) on 15 October 2020 and took effect on 17 October 2020. They were set to remain in force until 31 March 2021. However, as of 27 October 2024, Austria's COVID-19 entry regulation does not apply to those entering the country to maintain the movement of goods and persons. This exemption includes those who commute to their place of work in Austria, provided they work for the "maintenance of goods and passenger traffic".

The COVID-19 entry regulation also does not apply to persons in transit without a stopover. It is recommended that those entering Austria to maintain the movement of goods and persons carry a Green Lane Certificate. This exemption also applies to persons entering Austria from countries listed in Annex A of the COVID-19 entry regulation.

As of 25 November 2024, Austria has lifted its COVID-19 travel entry restrictions. Travellers entering Austria are not required to provide proof of vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or a negative test result. This applies to travellers from both EU Member States and non-EU Member States. However, travellers entering Austria from countries or areas with a high epidemiological risk are still required to provide proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test, as well as complete a pre-travel clearance form and self-isolate for 10 days. The self-isolation period can be shortened with a negative test taken after 5 days at the earliest. It is important to note that, as of 25 November 2024, no countries or areas are listed as having a high epidemiological risk.

Despite the lifting of travel restrictions, Austria introduced a new COVID lockdown from midnight on Sunday, 27 October 2024. Additionally, Germany classified Austria as a COVID-19 high-risk area starting Sunday, 12 November 2021. This classification means that people travelling from Austria to Germany must enter quarantine upon arrival unless they have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19.

Austria's COVID-19 entry regulation does not apply to persons who are fully vaccinated, have recovered from COVID-19 or have a negative test result

As of 20 December 2021, entry into Austria is only possible for fully vaccinated persons or those who have recovered from COVID-19. This restriction does not apply to Ukrainian citizens with valid residence permits in Austria and the EU, who are exempt from these requirements.

For all tourists arriving in the country from outside the European Union, a negative PCR test result is required, valid for 72 hours. A negative test result, along with a vaccination or recovery certificate, will allow you to cross the Austrian border without prior registration and quarantine.

The country has approved all vaccines used in Ukraine for entry, but Covishield, Sinopharm and Sinovac (CoronaVac) are not accepted as proof of immunisation for entering hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, entertainment centres, gyms, cultural institutions, cable cars/ski lifts, etc.

If you are travelling with a certificate of recovery or vaccination but no test, you must complete online travel registration and quarantine upon arrival. Self-isolation can be terminated early, subject to the passage of a negative PCR test.

For Ukrainian citizens with valid residence permits in Austria, as well as contraindications to vaccination, it is allowed to enter without a certificate of full vaccination or confirmation of recovery from COVID-19, subject to online registration and with a negative PCR test (not older than 72 hours) followed by a mandatory 10-day quarantine after entry. The quarantine can be stopped upon presentation of a negative test result, but not earlier than 5 days after entry.

Austria's COVID-19 entry regulation does not apply to persons who are entering from countries or areas with a high epidemiological risk

As of October 27, 2024, Austria's COVID-19 entry regulations do not apply to travellers entering from countries or areas with a high epidemiological risk. This means that travellers are not required to provide proof of vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or a negative test result when entering Austria, regardless of their country of origin or previous travel history.

However, it is important to note that this exemption only applies to the COVID-19 entry regulations specifically. Travellers entering Austria from countries or areas with a high epidemiological risk may still be subject to other border crossing restrictions or requirements that are unrelated to COVID-19. These may include, but are not limited to, passport and visa controls, customs regulations, and standard immigration procedures. As such, it is always advisable to review and adhere to all relevant border crossing protocols when travelling to Austria or any other international destination.

Additionally, while Austria has lifted its COVID-19 entry restrictions for all travellers, the country still identifies and categorises certain nations as "countries and areas with a high epidemiological risk." As of November 25, 2024, no countries or areas were listed in this category. However, travellers entering Austria from these designated high-risk areas are required to comply with additional COVID-19-related protocols. These protocols include providing proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test result, completing a pre-travel clearance form, and self-isolating for 10 days upon arrival. The self-isolation period can be shortened if a negative test is presented on or after the fifth day of quarantine.

It is worth noting that the COVID-19-related rules for entering Austria have been subject to change and updates. The regulations mentioned above, which were published in the Federal Official Journal (Bundesgesetzblatt) on October 15, 2020, by the Minister of Social Affairs, Health, and Consumer Protection, were in force from October 17, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Therefore, travellers planning to visit Austria should stay informed about the latest guidelines and requirements, as they may change at any time in response to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Frequently asked questions