Citizens of most EU
countries (and of Norway
and Iceland) need only a
valid national identity
card to enter Germany.
Since Britain has no
identity card system,
however, British
citizens do have to take
a passport.
US, Canadian,
Australian and New
Zealand passport holders
can also enter the
country for ninety days
(in any one year) for a
tourist visit without a
visa. However, you're
strongly advised, if you
know your stay will be
longer than this, to
apply for an extension
visa from the local
German embassy before
you go. In order to
extend a stay once in
the country, all
visitors should contact
the Ausländeramt
(Alien Authorities) in
the nearest large town:
addresses are in the
phone books.
EU nationals are also
entitled to work in
Germany , but anyone
else has to have secured
a job before
arrival in order to get
a work permit, for which
they should apply to
their local German
consulate or embassy.
For casual labour jobs
during harvests or in
the hotel and catering
trades, nobody is going
to ask too many
questions, but wages are
accordingly low and the
work tough.
Customs
EU nationals can
take goods for personal
consumption across EU
borders without
incurring duty, as long
as they've paid the
local tax at the place
of purchase.
Duty-free
shopping no longer
exists. However, there
are still personal
allowance limits on what
were once duty-free
goods - alcohol, tobacco
and perfume - bought in
EU countries. Each
person is allowed up to
800 cigarettes, 400
cigarillos, 200 cigars,
1kg of smoking tobacco,
90 litres of wine (no
more than 60 litres of
which can be sparkling
wine), 10 litres of
spirits, 20 litres of
fortified wine and 110
litres of beer.
Residents of the
US and Canada can
take up to 200
cigarettes and one litre
of spirits home, as can
Australian
citizens, while New
Zealanders must
confine themselves to
200 cigarettes, 4.5
litres of beer or wine
and just over one litre
of spirits.
German embassies
abroad
Australia 119
Empire Circuit,
Yarralumla, Canberra,
ACT 2600 (tel 02/6270
1911,
consugerma.sydney@bigpond.com
).
Britain 23
Belgrave Square, London
SW1X 8PZ (tel 020/7824
1300, www.german-embassy.org.uk
).
Canada 1
Waverly St, Ottawa, Ont.
K2P 0T8 (tel
613/232-1101,
www.germanembassyottawa.org
).
Ireland 31
Trimelston Ave,
Booterstown, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin (tel 01/269
3011).
New Zealand
90-2 Hobson St, Thorndon,
Wellington (tel 04/473
6063).
US 4645
Reservoir Rd NW,
Washington 20007 (tel
202/298 8140,
www.germany-info.org
).
