Return campaign of the federal government – This is how Germans stranded abroad get back home

Last update: 03/30/20, 07:00 CET

The Federal Foreign Office has announced a large return campaign for all Germans stranded abroad due to the corona pandemic. The list of countries that are considered for this can be found at the end of this article. It is constantly being expanded because new restrictions are added every day, making it very difficult or even impossible for many people worldwide to return home.

How does the federal government’s return campaign work?

If you are stuck in one of the countries listed below, it is best to contact the local German diplomatic mission to find out the current status of the return campaign for your country of residence. In addition, you should contact your tour operator or airline to be informed of any alternative return flight options.

Also enter yourself in the ELEFAND crisis preparedness list (the page seems to be overloaded at the moment, so please try again later if necessary) and also register at www.rueckholprogramm.de. You should then be contacted by the relevant diplomatic mission as soon as there is specific information about your return travel options.

You can also contact the Federal Foreign Office’s crisis pool on 030 5000 3000.

When will the flights take place?

Unfortunately, this is still unclear and differs from country of residence to another. The responsible airlines or the responsible embassies and consulates will inform you as soon as there is concrete data.

What will the return campaign cost me?

The federal government has made a total of EUR 50 million available for the return program. According to the Federal Foreign Office, a proportion of the costs stipulated in the consular law should be borne by those affected. How high the costs for each individual are in the end can currently only be speculated. But it will probably not be more than the price of a regular Economy Class flight. One thing is certain, however: nobody has to make advance payments.

For which countries is the recall currently valid?

The list, which is continually being expanded to include further countries, currently includes:

• Egypt
• Algeria
• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• India
• Indonesia (Bali)
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Cape Verde
• Kenya
• Colombia
• Cuba
• Morocco
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Namibia
• Nepal
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Seychelles
• Spain (Canary Islands)
• Sri Lanka
• South Africa
• Thailand
• Togo
• Tunisia
• Uruguay