Germany’s Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) updated its ‘Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise’ for China on 15 July, keeping visa-free entry guidance intact but adding an ‘Aktuelles’ bulletin on severe rainfall and flooding across eastern provinces following Typhoon Bavi. The alert specifically mentions transport cancellations in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing, advising German citizens to check flight status and railway bulletins before departure. The advisory reiterates that German passport holders may visit China visa-free for up to 30 days for business or tourism until at least 31 December 2026. However, travellers are urged to complete the NIA’s electronic arrival form in advance and retain QR codes for random checks when entering crowded transportation hubs. For employers rotating staff through China’s manufacturing belt, the Foreign Office’s warning means potential supply-chain delays: flooded highways and temporary port closures around the Yangtze River Delta could affect just-in-time deliveries. Relocation managers should confirm that destination service providers have contingency housing ready if transferees are stranded en route. Insurance providers may treat extreme-weather delays as force majeure, so companies should brief employees on cost-recovery procedures and ensure they have Chinese-language support numbers if stranded. The advisory also reminds visitors that public health checks—including temperature screening—may be reinstated in flood-affected cities to curb water-borne disease outbreaks. Companies with German assignees should circulate the update and require staff to register on the German ‘Elefand’ crisis portal to receive SMS alerts while in China.
Source: Auswärtiges Amt (Germany)
