Munich Airport Arrival Guide: the EES Process and German Customs Rules

To help everyone get through German entry smoothly, here is what you need to know about arriving in Germany and clearing Munich Airport. Read the reminders ahead of time and know the flow, so the trip starts calmly.

Before you fly

Keep everything you need on landing in your cabin bag, not your checked luggage:

• Documents: passport (six months' validity recommended), Schengen visa, return flight itinerary.
• Accommodation: hotel booking confirmation — border officers may ask to see it.
• Purpose of visit: the seminar invitation or programme, to explain why you are entering.
• Payment: a little euro cash plus a card that works abroad. Cards are accepted at the airport and in the city, but some cash is safer.
• Medication: your regular medicine with the prescription and an English translation, in your cabin bag.

The EES entry/exit system

The EU has now brought in the Entry/Exit System (EES): travellers on non-EU passports visiting the Schengen area for short stays — tourism, business and so on — have their data matched against existing records when they re-enter (within three years), which shortens the check.

After leaving the aircraft, follow your group and the signs all the way to customs, do the EES self-service registration, then pass through border control. At the EES machine:

Step 1: choose the language

Select "中文简体" (Simplified Chinese).

Step 2: scan your passport

Place the passport in the scanning area as prompted.

Step 3: capture your biometrics

Facial image: the machine prompts you to take a clear photo of your face. Show your full face and remove your hat, glasses or anything else that could obscure it, so the photo meets the recognition requirements.

Fingerprints: usually four fingers are captured. Just follow the screen and place each finger in the designated area.

Final check by an officer

The border officer may ask a few questions to confirm your identity and the purpose of your visit. Common ones cover: the purpose of the trip, the return ticket and the hotel booking.

The pick-up sign

The "美花" sign marks the meeting point in the arrivals hall.

Terminal 1 arrival flow

1. After landing, follow the corridor to the terminal.

2. Follow the signs.

3. Keep going past the "Gates A-D" signs.

4. Take the escalator down, do the EES self-service registration and clear customs.

5. Wait for your baggage at the carousel.

6. With your bags in hand, follow the "Goods to declare / Nothing to declare" signs and leave through the appropriate channel.

T1 meeting point: the large screen at exit B (for those who arranged their own flights).

Terminal 2 arrival flow

Case 1: you need the shuttle train

The blue sign on the left marks the channel for EU and Swiss citizens and long-term visa holders; the orange sign on the right is the channel for non-EU passports.

1. After leaving the aircraft, do the EES self-service registration on the right first.

2. Then queue at the manned counter for the final identity check — have your document folder ready.

3. Once through, head to the shuttle train and ride from Gates JKL to Gates GH.

4. After the train, follow the baggage claim signs upstairs.

5. Collect your checked baggage at the claim.

T2 meeting point: the Starbucks on the right of the exit (for those who arranged their own flights).

Case 2: no shuttle train needed

Walk straight out of the aircraft following the signs, go down the stairs to customs, do the EES self-service registration and pass through border control. Once through, turn left through the glass doors to baggage claim.

T2 meeting point: the Starbucks on the right of the exit (for those who arranged their own flights).

If you arranged your own international flight and have not registered your flight details or the shuttle service, make your own way to the seminar hotel. For shuttle information and public transport to the hotel, see the "安利带你看世界" official account.

Entering Germany: what you must know

Prohibited items

• Meat and meat products: dairy and meat-related products may not be brought into the EU from abroad.
• Plants and plant products: seeds, vegetables, fruit and soil are prohibited from entry.
• Weapons and explosives: guns, ammunition, explosives and other dangerous weapons, including firearm parts and imitation weapons, are banned from import.
• Drugs and controlled substances: illegal drugs, narcotics and paraphernalia are prohibited.
• Counterfeit goods: pirated or counterfeit items, such as fake branded bags, may be inspected and penalised by customs.
• Protected species products: items covered by endangered-species protection, such as ivory and fur products, are banned from import.
• Pornographic material: importing pornography in any form is prohibited in Germany.

Items to declare

Beyond the table above, travellers arriving by air from outside the EU may bring other goods worth up to €430 duty-free; the limit is €150 for travellers under 15. Anything above that should go through the red channel, with duty paid as required.

We hope this helps everyone get a clear picture of the German entry rules and through the airport smoothly — see you in Munich.

Related links

• On this site: Munich Airport (MUC), Germany (DE)
• Wikipedia: Munich Airport
• Baidu Baike: Munich Airport
• Customs: German Customs (Zoll)
• More articles: Munich Airport transfer guide, Munich Airport shuttle bus and city transport

Image source: the original article's figures, from the "安利带你看世界" WeChat account. Arrival routes, allowances and declaration rules are as recorded when the guide was compiled and may change; check the German Customs (Zoll) and Munich Airport websites on the day of travel.