Germany’s Federal Foreign Office has circulated a fresh travel and border-security advisory highlighting longer entry processing times as federal police intensify checks on third-country nationals. A Travel And Tour World dispatch dated 28 October states that Lithuania has now joined the Netherlands, the UK, France and the UAE on Berlin’s list of jurisdictions whose citizens and residents may face “additional visa scrutiny” amid heightened migration concerns.
The advisory does not change visa-waiver privileges for UAE passport holders but warns that first-time arrivals since the policy shift should expect biometric verification and detailed itinerary questions. Airlines operating between the UAE and Germany—Emirates, Etihad and Lufthansa—have begun alerting passengers to arrive at departure gates 30 minutes earlier so departure control systems can transmit Advance Passenger Information (API) updates required by German authorities.
For Emirati corporates, the main impact is potential schedule padding for executives flying into Frankfurt, Munich or Düsseldorf: arrival-to-curb times could extend by up to an hour during peak periods. GCC nationals holding Schengen multi-entry visas are advised to carry proof of accommodation and return tickets to avoid secondary screening.
The advisory comes as Germany tightens land-border checks with Poland and the Czech Republic. Observers expect Schengen external-border states to follow suit in the run-up to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) launch on 12 October 2025.
The advisory does not change visa-waiver privileges for UAE passport holders but warns that first-time arrivals since the policy shift should expect biometric verification and detailed itinerary questions. Airlines operating between the UAE and Germany—Emirates, Etihad and Lufthansa—have begun alerting passengers to arrive at departure gates 30 minutes earlier so departure control systems can transmit Advance Passenger Information (API) updates required by German authorities.
For Emirati corporates, the main impact is potential schedule padding for executives flying into Frankfurt, Munich or Düsseldorf: arrival-to-curb times could extend by up to an hour during peak periods. GCC nationals holding Schengen multi-entry visas are advised to carry proof of accommodation and return tickets to avoid secondary screening.
The advisory comes as Germany tightens land-border checks with Poland and the Czech Republic. Observers expect Schengen external-border states to follow suit in the run-up to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) launch on 12 October 2025.
