We are writing this petition on behalf of Brazilians, to express our immense concern about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on visas for Studies (Higher Education and PhD), Work (D visa, Blaue Karte), Scientists' stay, Volunteer Service (BFD, FSJ, FÖJ, EFD), Au-Pair, Family Reunion and Binational Couples. These are several people who have invested time, financial and emotional resources, but who since March 2020 find themselves with their visas either impossible or withheld due to the restrictive measures for entry into Germany, with the exception of a short period of time. They are Brazilians with contracts (Work contracts, Social Year or Au-Pair) on hold, with in-person studies barred or couples (married and unmarried) who cannot find each other and/or stay together, which is generating great suffering for these with the months of separation and for those and their respective companies/families who are waiting for the beginning of professional activities.

We want to emphasize that we sympathize and understand that this is an atypical time and that health and national security must be placed as a top priority. However, we have come to demonstrate that we can fight this pandemic together, and safely. 

The past year has shown us that social isolation measures and restrictions on the movement of people are among the most effective measures to stem the growth in the number of cases in many countries. The past year has also taught us several ways to make travel (especially for a small group of people) safe and with a low risk of virus transmission among travelers. PCR testing on boarding and arriving flights between countries is already becoming frequent, and adding the requirement for the traveler to go through a 14-day quarantine period in a hotel or other domestic facility results in a good protocol for moving a small group of people from one country to another while maintaining the health security of the host country.

We shall also highlight the good progress of the vaccinations and the fact that most of them are effective against the Brazilian-origin P1 variant - and others like the Indian, B.1.1.7 and South African. Studies of the Oxford University, for example, have confirmed the efficacy of the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines against the P1 variant.

It is also worth mentioning that many European countries, such as some in the European Union itself, like Croatia, Ireland, and Slovenia etc. have removed restrictions for residents of Brazil as tourists - also no prior vaccination is required in the three of them. Germany has also facilitated the entry of several tourists, but still has strong restrictions when coming from areas with variants.

So the question is: is tourism more important than long term visas? Because if Germany could reconsider some rules to embrace hundreds of tourists, why not embrace a bit more than 103 Brazilians with work contracts, scholarships/letter of acceptance in University and partners there? Why continue to not allow us in, even if we do quarantine, PCR testing, or enter through another country?

We ask the same to our consulates: is covid/travel ban the only reason why a little more than 103 Brazilians from various regions of the country cannot issue their visas? Why at this moment only the São Paulo Consulate is scheduling? Is it really unfeasible to attend a little more than a hundred Brazilians in 4 consulates?

That being said, we would like to request that the exemptions from the transport/entry ban for virus variant areas be extended to Brazilian citizens for the purpose of marriage and family reunion, as well as to people with Blue Cards, Type D Visa, Au-Pairs, Scientists' Residence Visas, candidates for Volunteer Work, and higher education and doctoral students who wish to travel to Germany without the need for an Anmeldung, while respecting the required examination and quarantine rules - and additional measures if requested.

We will not give up on our dreams and for them we are going viral! We already have the support of many Newspapers in Brazil like Folha de São Paulo, O dia, Infomoney, Metrópoles etc., a formal Petition in the Petitionsausschuss - Deutscher Bundestag, growing medias as @barredfromgermany on Instagram and @blockedfromger1on Twitter and a formal letter circulating among political parties, MPs and members of important organizations in Germany. Please also help us get there!!

In the hope of recognition of the urgency of the problem and support for the cause, we subscribe. 

Sincerely,