When traveling you must make sure you have the required documents to travel. It is your responsibility to know any government travel requirements, laws or regulations for any and all countries you are planning to travel to.

Traveling within Germany

For all travel inside of Germany take copies of your orders, military ID and if you have your tourist passport. For dependents your no-fee passport with you is sufficient.

You can NOT visit other countries outside Germany just with your orders or use your Official/No Fee Government passport. You must have a regular (fee) passport anytime you leave Germany!

For all dependents, you must travel with both your no-fee passport AND your tourist passport. Show any customs agent your no-fee passport so they can see your SOFA stamp but check into airlines show your tourist passport. It is recommended that if you have both passports when traveling store them in separate bags just in case one of your bags gets lost or stolen. You will still have a passport to travel back home.

The SOFA stamp/SOFA card (e.g. for contractors or NAF logistical supported employees) show customs that you are allowed to be in Germany longer than 90 days.

You may need to get a visa before you travel to a foreign destination. Contact the embassy of the country you will be visiting for more information or visit www.travel.state.gov.

Your passport must have at least six months of validity BEYOND YOUR ACTUAL TRAVEL DATE and two or more blank visa pages. Some countries may deny you entry or airlines may not let you board your onward flight to Europe or within Europe if your passport will expire in less than six months. Germany is a party to the Schengen Agreement. U.S. citizens may enter Germany for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa.

WITHOUT SOFA privileges and a military dependent ID a ROUNDTRIP TICKET must be purchased. ONE WAY tickets are not possible!

People from 3rd country nationals must carry a Schengen visa or a blue SOFA card prior to entering Germany.

Traveling outside of Germany will require the Schengen visa. Outside the Schengen Area, you may need a visa of that foreign country. Contact the embassy of the country you plan on visiting for more information. Some people may need a Sojourner visa. Please get in contact with the Kreisverwaltung in Wittlich for more information on how to obtain the visa. For more information on foreign entry requirements, refer to the country-specific information on www.travel.state.gov.