As responsible adults, we pay our bills in the present, but we put money aside for the future too. Your retirement plans may be to live quietly in a cottage by the sea or to travel the world. Until then, like most Germans, you’re probably looking forward to getting your hard-earned pension someday. That is unless you are looking into a German pension refund.
What if you don’t plan on living in Germany much longer? There is a way to put your hands on your German pension contributions before retirement. Keep reading to find out how you can get a pension refund after leaving Germany.
Pension refund Germany: who is eligible
The German social security act (§ 210 Sozialgesetzbuch Sechstes Buch (SGB VI) links eligibility to seemingly simply conditions:
- Your last contribution was done more than 24 months ago. After this point in time, you can start the application process. This does not apply if you already have reached German retirement age.
- You are no longer subject to mandatory contributions into the German system. This is the case if you no longer reside in Germany.
- You don’t have the option to make voluntary contributions into the German system. Voluntary contributions are a scheme enabled by the German pension office to let you pay contributions even if you work and reside outside of Germany. This was designed mostly for German people who spent a short-time abroad and still want to contribute to their pension back home. In some cases, foreign nationals also have access to that.
It sounds simple enough, doesn’it? There is however a catch: only a selected few will able to fulfill the last condition based on their nationality and their place of residence after leaving Germany. Based on those 2 factors, German authorities will determine if you have in fact no option to make voluntary contributions, and thus be eligible to German pension refund.
Let’s clarify this by looking at 4 possible groups. You belong to one of them.
1- German nationals
German nationals will be given the option to make voluntary contributions until their reach retirement age, regardless of their place of residence in the world. Therefore, they cannot ask for a German pension refund. This is also true even if you hold a dual citizenship.
Refund chances: none.
2- EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland (EEA) nationals:
Nationals holding citizenship of the aforementioned countries are given the same consideration/rights as for German nationals, as stated by the EU Council Directive 2000/78/EC establishing equal treatments for all workers. In short, you are handled just like a German national in almost all cases.
Residing in a non-contracting state after your time in Germany does not help, but holding a dual-citizenship from a non-EU country sometimes can.
Refund chances: fairly slim.
3- Contracting state nationals:
Contracting states are: Albania, Australia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada/Quebec, Chile, China (only posting employees), India, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Philippines, Serbia, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay, USA, UK, Ukraine (pending).
Nationals holding citizenship of those countries fall under bilateral agreements. They are usually given the option to pay voluntary contributions, but it gets more complicated here.
Citizens of some countries (Albania, Australia, Canada, India, Moldova, North-Macedonia, Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, USA) can only choose to get a refund if they have not passed the “minimum waiting period” of 60 months. All other countries have different agreements with Germany; Chile, Tunisia, and Morocco for example, have no limit at all. Different countries, different rules…
Beware that this can also be impacted by your place of residence after your time in Germany or by dual citizenship.
The screening process for German authorities might look like this:
- First check the nationality of a person. Are they from a contracting state?
- If so, then they check if the country of residence has an agreement.
- If so, then they check if the applicant also holds dual citizenship with that country. If not, they are eligible for a refund.
Refund chances: medium to high, but it’s hard to navigate rules on your own. You can see rules per country on this website.
4- Non-contracting state nationals:
If you are a national of any other member country than the ones stated above, you are de-facto never given the option to make voluntary contributions to the German system, no matter what your place of residence is.
Refund chances: very high.
If you are not eligible to a German pension refund, know this:
Even if no action can be taken now, there is still important information you should know to make good use of that pension money.
- EU/EEA/Swiss residents should know that your German pension contributions can be merged with the ones of your country of residence, when reaching legal retirement age. However, a request needs then to be placed with the German pension office.
- Nationals of the other contract states states above can go with 2 scenarii:
- if you contributed for less than 5 years during your time in Germany, you can ask for a full refund then without interest.
- if you contributed for more than 5 years, you will get your pension paid in installments to you when you reach the German retirement age, wherever you reside.
How much can I get?
You will get back the contributions you made as an employee. This is currently set at 9,3% of your gross income. Your employer’s share of the contributions will not be refunded to you. A quick calculation is:
Refund = [[average gross monthly salary] x [# months worked]] x 0,093This is the rule of thumb; some other factors can potentially impact the actual sum, like the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze which caps contributions for high salaries. Most online calculators provide a rough estimate that is good enough to get an idea. Don’t be surprised however, if the end sum does not exactly match.
The most complete one is the one provided by the German pension office itself there, but it’s ill-fitted for most expats.
No matter what the German pension refund calculator says, the pension refund Germany offers depends on your specific situation. To get more detailed information, contact a Deutsche Rentenversicherung representative and ask for an overview of your account. This is a free service and just requires you to make an appointment. You can book an appointment online very easily here.
Applying for a German pension refund; the right way
The application process itself is straightforward but I recommend gathering all relevant documentation while you’re still in Germany, so you’re prepared for the application. You also need to gather a fair dose of patience & courage. All communication with the pension office is done via letters, and in German only. It’s common for additional documentation to be requested.
This is how you get a German pension refund:
- First, there’s a two-year waiting period, which starts when you last made a contribution in Germany as stated in (SGB 6 § 210). This does not apply if you already have reached German retirement age. Your last contribution is made a month after your last work day.
- Once that period is over, download and fill in the right forms available on the German pension’s office website:
- The main application form (Antrag auf Beitragserstattung bei Aufenthalt im Ausland): form V0901 for English or V0902 for french.
- The payment information form (Zahlungserklärung) to let the office know where/how to pay you. A1313 if the bank account is located in Germany, A1312 if located in Canada/USA, A1311 if located in Italy, A1310 if located anywhere else.
- Include a copy of your social insurance certificate (Meldebescheinigung zur Sozialversicherung.). You received this when you first moved to Germany and did your Anmeldung.
- Include a copy of your passport.
- Send all documents by post (with tracking nummer) to the German pension office connected to the municipality where you first registered.
- Wait for your case to be reviewed and prepare to send in a few more documents.
And now, patience…
While the process isn’t difficult, waiting for the pension refund Germany takes 2 to 6 months. It takes longer if the bank account is located abroad. Once that goes through, all contributions so far are removed from your account. You’ll no longer receive pension payments from Germany and if you ever return, you’ll have to start from scratch.
What now? Well, you could take all that money to the casino and try your luck, invest it, use it to start a business, travel the world, add to your savings account… the choice is yours!
A word on processing times, effort & the pension office
As you have already gathered: this topic is fairly complex. It requires a close examination of each case, case by case. It gets confusing. Unfortunately, this not helped by the fact that each local pension office often handles those requests independently from each other. There is no centralized office when there are not enough requests coming in that nationality/place of residence combination.
This means that unless you belong to a bigger foreigner group, each office has a “Jack of all trades, master of none” situation going on. Depending on the type of nationality/place of residence combination they have processed in the past, they might be knowledgeable about one situation, and fairly clueless in others.
Inconsistent expertise & a complex topics can lead to longer processing times, delay & further back & forth with the office. Larger groups/combinations (e.g: Indian nationals) are all processed in the same office.
I read everywhere about this 60 months-rule; is it a requisite?
It’s a common misconception that having contributed for less than 60 months is a prerequisite. It’s however largely untrue in a lot of cases. As mentioned above, this rule is only relevant for some contracting state nationals (Albania, Australia, Canada, India, Moldova, North-Macedonia, Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, USA). Citizens of those contracting countries can choose to get a refund, only if they have contributed less than 60 months.
This rule is not relevant for non-contracting state nationals. They can apply for a refund, regardless of the contribution duration.
I asked exactly about this to the pension office. They confirmed that, while confirming each case is different. You can click here to see the full conversation and details.
Brexit & German pension refund
As a UK citizen, you probaby wonder how Brexit is impacting your ability to get a refund or not.
While the UK has effectively left the EU, it did so only on 01/01/2021. Brexit agreements plan that UK workers in Germany will continue to be handled as EU citizen on that matter, provided they have started to work before Brexit.
This means that any UK citizen who started to work from 01/01/2021 will be able to get a refund of less than 5 year contributions, handled like a contracting state national.
I dont feel confident doing this on my own, where can I get help?
The payoff is usually worth the effort but it’s sometimes a difficult task, as usual with anything related with German bureaucracy.
From the German pension office itself
The German pension office has a hotline you can reach from abroad at this number (serviced in German only). This page contains email addresses to support specific countries. You can send your questions there in English but will probably receive an answer in German.
From specialized German pension refund agencies
As you can tell, this topic is pretty difficult to address; several criteria, many exceptions & little-known rules. This made even more challenging when all communication is via mail, in German, away from home. This is why specialized agencies like Germanypensionrefund.com can take care of this topic for you to save you time, stress & effort.
In exchange for their expertise & time spent on your case, the agency bills you a percentage of the total refund. This means that such a service is free to use & success-based. If the application fails, no fee is due. Costs are usually around 10-15% of a successful refund.
German pension refund FAQ
You need to fulfill the following conditions to be eligible: you contributed for less than 5 years to the German pension system, you no longer reside in Germany or one of the contract state, your last contribution was done more than 24 months ago & you don’t have the option to make voluntary contributions into the system.
As a rule of thumb, you can hope to receive 9,35% of your gross income as an employee. But some other factors may apply the actual sum.
Once the 24 months waiting period is over, it can take 2 to 6 months after you submitted your application to have the money transferred to your bank account. Transferring to bank account located abroad takes several extra-weeks.
Yes. Regardless of your citizenship or residence location at your retirement age (German retirement age: 67), it is also possible to have the German system directly transfer you the pension in monthly installments. However, those installments are likely to be very small as you contributed less than 5 years into the system. It’s usually more beneficial to get a refund and invest that money some other way.
No, you cannot get a refund, even if you reside outside the EU or a contracting state after your time in Germany. This used to be possible but since Brexit, the pension office has tightened the rules.
I hope this guide on pension refund for Germany was useful. It was built upon diligent research involving experts and personal experience. Don’t hesitate to ask questions in the comments if something is left unclear. it w
Bastien
Hi Bastien thanks a lot for your post. It is excellent info.
I know someone who’s a German National and currently resides in Germany since 1992 and he got back his pension as he no longer works and would no longer contribute to the voluntary scheme. How’s it possible?
Hey Arijit. This doesn’t sound possible. Are you sure that is the whole story?
Hello,
I am sorry if this question has been answered before, but I could not get a definite answer from what I have read.
I lived and worked in Germany between 01/10/2015-01/03/2018 and I have paid pension contributions during that period.
I would like to know if I am eligable to claim refund for the pension contributions I have paid in that period.
I am British and Bulgarian citizen.
I work and live in the UK since 01/03/2018.
If I am not eligable for the pension contribution refund, what will happen with the money I have paid in? Will I loose them, or will I be eligable for a German pension once I reach retirement age? Or will that money be added to my pension in the UK, or will I be able to get a refund of the pension contributions once I have reached retirement age?
Regards,
Tsvetolyub Spasov
Hi Tsvetolyub, as mentioned here in the post, since you started to work in Germany before Brexit, you will be handled as a EU citizen. Therefore not eligible for a refund. Once you reach retirement, it will be paid out to you like normal pension money in the UK.
Hi, I am a South African citizen who worked in Germany for over 5 years.
I have now left Germany and am living & working in UK.
My ex-company has sent me the Altersversorgung letter detailing my pension statement.
I am wondering if this is a company private pension or state? Or is this the same thing in Germany?
Would I then be able to claim back my contributions after two years? And do I loose the company contributions?
Second question is about my wife. She was on an expat contract working in German for 4 years and 1 year on a local German contract, before leaving to the UK.
She is also South African, but will be eligible for a UK passport by the end of year 1.
Will she still be able to claim back her German pension contributions after 2 years of being out of Germany?
Many thanks for the advice
Regards
Cullen
Many thanks.
Hey Cullen. I don’t know if your pension scheme is private or public. Could be either. Try to look if it states “Deutsche Rentenversicherung” somewhere (public), or if it’s a another private company instead. I don’t know what happens when the pension scheme is private. You may ask that company directly for guidance if that is the case.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks for great article, it really helps!
Didn’t find an answer to my question in the article nor in comments, may be you can help?
I am non-EU and non-contracting state national (Russian passport). I’ve contributed more than 60 month in Germany and then moved to another EU country (The Netherlands). I believe I am elighable for refund (by passport) after 2 years waiting period, but since I moved to another EU state is it still the case?
I assume the other option would be to transfer funds from German pension provider to Dutch one, but in case I want a refund is it possible?
And another one, in case I get a refund now, am I allowed to come back to Germany in future and start my pension from zero?
Thanks a lot!
Hey Nikolai. If you ever move out of the EU into a non-contracting state in the future, you can make a formal request then. Right now, your chances seem pretty slim (if not 0). In case you retire in the Netherlands, both countries will cooperate so you get your German share over there. Hope that answers the question.
Hi Bastien
Thanks for all the information.
I am a British citizen and living in UK, I had worked in Germany before Brexit, so definitely I am not eligible for a refund.
My questions is what options I have now?
1. Wait until retirement age and get meager pension
2. Pay voluntary contributions, if yes how to do that?
3. Transfer them to my UK pension system if possible?
What do you think?
Thanks a lot.
Hey Chen. I don’t think option 2 is opened to you. This was specifically designed for German citizens who are living abroad with the intent of retiring in Germany. If you retire in the UK, option 1 and 3 will probably be one and the same: through the UK system, you will get the share you contributed to in the German system.
Hey Bastien,
Thank you for the wonderful article! I find myself in a slightly
more complicated question that wasn’t directly covered in the article. I’ve worked in Germany for the past two years on a fixed term contract but will shortly move to Norway to start a new job which is also limited in duration for 2 years. After these years have passed, I mostly plan to return to my home country (India).
Having payed less then 60 months of contributions to the German system, and also less than 60 months in total if you put both contributions together, would I still be eligible for a refund?
If yes, would I have to wait 24 months after I leave Norway? Or could I apply as soon as I return home as 24 months would have passed since I left Germany?
Thank you very much for your help in advance!
Hey Abhiraj. Thanks for your question. From what you tell me, you seem eligible yes. Bare in mind that Norway is not part of EU. You can apply 24 months after leaving Germany.
Thanks for your great info. Don’t know if you can shed any light on why I can’t get a refund.
I paid German Social Security contributions for less than 5 years (Sep 1991-Feb 1994), so thought I could get a refund of my contributions. (I’m a UK national, now over pension age, and returned to the UK in July 1999). I sent all the relevant docs and have now (after almost a year!) received a letter saying I don’t qualify to have a refund. I don’t understand why! It says (English translation) that ‘contributions are reimbursed if insured persons have reached the regulatory limit and have not completed the general waiting period.’ ‘These conditions have not been met/are not fulfilled because the general waiting time of 5yrs are filled with contributions and replacement periods.’
Even in English I don’t understand!! What does it mean by ‘general waiting time/period’? What are ‘replacement periods’?
Hey Jean. I am as puzzled as you but I have a feeling it might be because you could be considered an EU citizen, even after Brexit, as detailed in the post above.
Great article, thanks for putting it together.
I fulfill all the pre-requisite to receive the refund and presently staying in India; I was looking at form A1310 (to receive the refund in my own German bank account), it mentions the “Certification of the banking institution” and “Signature of the attorney”. Can you please help me in understanding how can I get this filled?
Thanks in Advance.
Regards
Sam
Hey Sam. Glad you liked it. I’m unsure what your question is? Is an attorney filling this in for you?
Hi Sam,
That is a common problem – your German bank has to sign on the original document to confirm your bank account and authenticate your signature.
One way to solve this is to use your Indian bank account – yet you might loose some on the transfer charges and exchange rate applied by the receiving bank. (If this is for tax reasons, don’t even try :), Germany will tell your country that you received this money).
Another option is that you choose a professional agency to take care of your refund – in our case (http://www.germanypensionrefund.com), we provide a law firm escrow to receive your refund, before it is sent to you and you do not require the signature.
Hi Bastien,
I worked in Germany three years ago for nine months and moved to Japan permanently. I think I’d read in your blog that I could directly apply for a pension refund at the local embassy after 24 months have passed since the departure. I was wondering if I misunderstood or there was a change of policy in the meantime. Your commens would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, CK
Hey CK. Refer to the guide above. Your answers are contained there. If you have more specific questions, do let me know.
Hi CK,
You cannot apply at the German embassy directly, they will tell you to directly apply at the Deutsche Rentenversicherung in Germany. The pension authority and the ministry of foreign affairs are not related and the embassies seem quite unhappy to “work for” the pension office. All they do – if required – is confirm your identity. One option to get a quick refund is to use a professional service like us: http://www.germanypensionrefund.com
Hi,
I worked in Germany for less than 5 years, and I left over 4 years ago.
When I worked in Germany, I was a EU citizen (and I am still). Since Germany, I have been living and working in Canada (a contracting state). I recently became Canadian, and now I hold a Canadian passport. So I am now a dual-citizen.
Am I eligible to apply to get a refund now as a Canadian?
Thanks!
Hello Gio. Thanks for your message. That’s a great question and I can only give you a qualified opinion here. Since you have EU citizenship, there is a high chance that the German pension office will treat you as such. I therefore think your chances are pretty slim.
Thanks for your answer, Bastien! This was also my guess.
Hi Gio,
The only way you could get a refund is giving up your EU citizenship. The pension office will ask to see proof that you did that if you were to apply for a refund with your CA passport.
Hi Bastien
Thanks for all the information.
I was wondering whether the documents passport etc. need to be certified by German consulate which is on no 12 page 14 of the V901 form? Thanks.
Chen
Hey Chen. It states that it can be official authorities in your country of residence as well. You can check this thread for more info.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks for putting together such a wonderful article, by far the best on the web!
Could you please help me untangle something:
I am a dual citizen of Russia and am in Germany based on exactly these documents (no bilateral agreement with Germany), and Israel (has a bilateral agreement with Germany(. I have declared the German passport, however don’t use it here at all.
If I work in Germany for More than 5 years,
– can I still ask for refund while living in Uk (has an agreement)?
– while living back in Russia (does not have an agreement)?
Thank you so much in advance!
Anna
Hey Anna. Slightly confused on what you wrote. You are a dual Russian/Israeli citizen, but you also have a German passport?
Thanks for great article!
One question – Could you please share the source of information which states are “contracting”? In particular, I’m wondering as I’m citizen of Russia and I was always thinking this 60 month period is the deadline for the decision…
Hey Oleg. Here is a source you can check.
Great article! I’m living in uS now and about to submit my form but not sure if it is better to send it to my german bank account or US in terms of taxes or any other factors. I am confused on whether the US will tax this money. Is it meant to be totally tax free?
Hey Leigh. I can’t reply to this question because I’m not knowledgeable in the US tax code. Better ask a professional.
Great article and well researched. I have just had my application rejected by DRV. Worked 3 years in Germany (2016 to 2019). Paid some 21K as compulsory contributions over the three years. Been back in UK for over 24 months. UK post BREXIT is a non-contracting state so with all of the above I should be entitled to a refund.
Rejection wording:
“Contributions are refunded if
1. there is no compulsory insurance, 24 calendar months have elapsed since the person ceased to be compulsorily insured and no new compulsory insurance has occurred
and
2. there is no right to voluntary insurance.”
I am sure point 1 is N/A whereby I qualify for a refund. Point 2 I am chasing up with DRV. TBH, I don’t quite understand their point. I am now retired in the UK and not eligible to contribute to voluntary contributions. If anybody is having the same problem then pls let me know so we can share knowledge.
Hey Ray. As mentioned in the post, you were working/contributing in Germany before Brexit happened. This means that you are still treated as any other EU citizen for that matter. Only UK nationals who contribute in Germany after Brexit came in force can be treated as a contracting state national.
Thanks for the informative article. I have already worked for 9 years full-time in Germany and planning to go back to my home country in Asia (There are no security agreements between Germany and my country). So, I think I can not get the social security refund because I worked for more than 5 years. I am worried that the only way is to wait until I become 67 and do the process for pension. If this is the case then I can simply forget the things when I leave Germany right? Year 67 is too far, I’m just 35 now :). Could you give me some insights into what is the best way to do once I leave Germany after 9 years of work?
Hey Sandesh. If you reside in a country with nobilateral agreement with Germany, outside the EU, and you are a citizen of that country, then an exception can be made and you may apply for a refund, even though you have worked more than 5 years.
This is useful information. Thank you! Do you know if having a Permanent Residence title affect my chances at getting a refund?
I don’t know.
Fantastic article, many thanks. Would really appreciate some advice. Having contributed for just over 5 years while living in Germany, I qualify for a pension on retirement. I’ve also discovered that I also qualify for a refund. Is it better financial sense to wait for the pension in later years or to take the refund now?
Hey Bea. That’s a question that only you can answer. It boils down to comparing numbers and the return on the lump sum if you were to withdraw it now, versus waiting for pension. By withdrawing the money now, you lose the guaranteed security provided by the German authorities when pension time comes. On the other hand however, by investing your money now, you may achieve a better return, albeit with more financial risks.
Thanks for the reply, very much appreciated. By guaranteed security, do you mean the pension money itself (i.e. definite money coming my way) or others things outside of pension? If the later, I likely won’t be living in Germany anyway. Anyway, am I correct in thinking that the lump sum would be half the size of the eventual pension due to loss of the government/company half? Lastly, let’s say I wait until retirement age. Can the lump sum be taken then or will it be in tiny instalments? Many thanks, your input is of great help.
Hey Bea. By guaranteed security: i mean that you get your pension no matter what. I don’t know where you get this information from about half the size of the pension? Do you have source on that?
Perhaps I misunderstood. I noted this in your article ‘Please note that it’s not possible to receive the full 18.7% refunded; only your half will be refunded to you’
Hi, I am a German citizen, (acquired through marriage but now divorced). I was living and working in Germany for 7 years, and it has been 2.5 years since I live outside of the EU. I am trying to get a refund and the Rentenversicherung and they are saying that I need to wait until I retire (I am late 30s) or I have to wait another 5 yrs to get a refund. I would prefer to get my refund now as I have no intention of returning to Germany. What shall I do? Thanks in advance!
Hey Shell. I’m fairly confused as to why they would say that. Did they mention why?
They said because I am a German citizen that I’m not able to get a refund until I reach the retirement age. They also said that the only way that I can get a refund is if I give up my German citizenship (which is not an option for me as it is my only citizenship).
Hey Shell. That’s really a pity…
hi some great advice here i have downloaded the forms to see if its possible to claim a pension refund as i paid in in 1997-99 on the form asks for the versicherungs number i have this what is the code kennzeichen number i cant find this on any of my paperwork
Hi, I worked in Germany for less than 5 years (approx 2.5) and moved to UK. In total since I started in Germany 2016 working it has been less that 5 years also. I have applied fully for a refund and this is the response I received:-
Sehr geehrter Herr Holgate,
mit Datum vom 04.11.2020 haben wir Ihnen einen ablehnenden/negativen
Bescheid zur Beitragserstattung erteilt.
Mit Datum vom 11.11.2020 haben wir Ihnen eine Rentenauskunft erteilt.Diese
gibt Ihnen Auskunft über Ihre spätere Rentenhöhe.
D.h. eine vorzeitige Auszahlung Ihrer deutschen Zeiten ist nicht möglich.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
I don’t understand why I cannot get a full refund since the UK is not part of the EU anymore, please advise. Is it worth contacting a tax back company to try and help recover the funds?
Many thanjs
Hey Ed. Can’t really help you there I’m afraid, especially with the UK. Perhaps a special rule applies stating that a refund is only possible if the contribution period takes place after the UK has left the EU. That would make some amount of sense at least.
i have worked for 16 years and am leaving the country with an early retirement at age 56. How do I claim the money I have paid into the scheme for 16 years.
How is the pension refund sent to a US citizen who worked less than 5 years? Is it an electronic transfer to a US based bank account? Transferred from euro to USD? Thanks!
hi Shekhar ,
Did you get any update about your question.
BTW what is the minimum age or number of years worked to choose this early retirment option? I am asking as I read minimum age is 63, but you meantioned at 56 you opted.
rgds
kranthi
Hi
Thanks for this great piece.
I live in the US. Were should I mail my documents to?
Do you know about the tax regulation of my refund if I am living in the US or can I roll over my pension into another retirement account in the US?
Hi I am a UK citizen.. I worked in Germany for just less than 5 years and that was over a decade ago. I know I was not allowed the refund earlier, prior to Brexit. Has that changed now after Brexit please. Also what is the best way to keep your details – address, bank account etc. updated with the German pension authority please.
Hey Shashi. I’m not sure if there is clear information about this yet, since the transition is still ongoing. I’d ask a professional.
Hi there, can anyone please confirm if you have to pay taxes on the pension refund received? Either in Germany or the Home country.
Thank you,
Sam from Canada
Hi I am a Philippines citizen but after working in Germany for 2 years, I am now living in Denmark still part of EU.
Does the reciprocity agreements between EU member applies to me? Again, I am Philippines citizen but working in Denmark after I move out from Germany until now.
My two years wait is over, so now can i apply pension refund and I am basically from INDIA , currently staying in INDIA , i need some info on claim process like I need to fill Form V0901 and I have my local(INDIA) bank details but can I use my friend bank account for refund the amount, he stays in Germany.
I have got my contributions refunded from India and have followed the following process:
Fill the docs A3490, R851, V0901, “Lebens- und Staatsangehörigkeitsbescheinigung” and print. Get all of them attested from Consulate except R851 ( R851 will be attested by your bank). Also, I can send you the correct R851 form, email on spraju87(at)gmail(dot) com. I have got my refund directly to my SBI account in India.
Get the copies of following docs attested too from Consulate (whichever you have original) :
1. Passport Copy 2. Social Insurance Copy 3. Health Insurance Copy 4. Abmeldung Copy
After all attestations are done, send it through normal post to the following address:
Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund,10704 BERLIN,GERMANY
Thanks Raju. I appreciate your input.
May I know how long will it take to get refund?
It took roughly 6 months mainly because I applied in Feb 2020 just before the pandemic started and Germany went into lock downs. Otherwise, I believe they process the application within 1 month.
I was in Germany from 2014 March to 2020 June. I started working fulltime in the Dec of 2016 and before that I worked on student jobs. Would the total time be less than 60 months in my case or not?
I am Italian. I live in the UK and worked in Germany for 2 years, between 1973 and 75. I would like to get my pension contributions refunded. Does anyone know if tax has to be paid on the pension contributions once they are refunded (either in Germany or the home country)? I am in possession of the VERSICHERUNGSKARTE.
Giuseppe, Did you find out the answer? I am wondering the same thing. Thanks.
I live in Australia and worked in Germany for 3 years. I would like to get my pension contributions refunded. Does anyone know if tax has to be paid on the pension contributions once they are refunded (either in Germany or the home country)? I have a letter from DRV stating they advise the Finanzamt of the contributions being refunded once it’s processed.
Hi,
is this only valid for DRV or also if someone has pension fund in Aerzteversorgung instead of DRV.
I plan to leave but was told from the Aerzteversorgung , its not possible to get my share back. according to them I can only apply for rente after 67 or keep paying for the fund and get a better rente.
Hi I’m a uk citizen about to claim my uk state pension ..I worked in Germany for 9 years …how do I claim my German pension ? Thank you Steve
Hi ,
I am from Bangladesh and still working in germany since 2016.
I have been planning to go Canada 2022 and live there permanently.
How do I get My pension refund from germany ? Now I am 30 + .
Or what i need to do to get refund?
Hey Zaman. Follow the steps highlighted in the post.
Hi, thanks for your very kind information.
I have been working in Germany less than 2 years. And, I am going back to South Korea.
Is there any paper works I should do now when I am in Germany? Do I need to contact to any pension office now?
Or can I just wait for 2 years from now to start the paper work?
I just want to make the things clearer. Thank you so much!
Hey Dayeon. Yes, first need to wait 2 years.
Thank you for putting this together, fantastic!
I have an issue and no idea what to do here.
I have been living in Germany for a year and am moving back to the UK permanently in December (just weeks before Brexit where the UK leaves the EU).
Do you know if the pension system reciprocity agreements between EU member states applies to me?
Or do I wait 2 years to apply via the embassy?
Thanks!
Jason
Hey Jason. For now, nothing is certain i’m afraid. You will have to wait and see. I believe those agreements will remain yes but i don’t know if that will enable you for a full refund in the future.
Hi, I was working in Germany less than 5 years (+/- 3.5Y). I am Russian and after Germany I was always living in EU. I am residing in Spain and plan to retire here. Will my German pension be combined with my EU pension from other countries? Can I claim it?
Thank you.
Hey Katya. You can chose either options.
Hi, I’ve been working for 8 years in Germany and in 2 years I plan to return back to my homeland. As I’ve been woekimg more than 5 years in Germany, am I still allowed to withdraw all my pension? I’ve got friends telling me if I work for more than 5 years in Germany, I can’t take back my full amount and I can only get back my pensions after retirement by the form of monthly payment to me. Hope someone can advise me. Thanks in advance!
Hey Tracy. Please read the contents of the post again. All the answers are there.
Hey Bastion,
I don’t see anywhere in the article about what happens if you’ve been in Germany longer than 5 years. I read it fairly thoroughly too.
Hi,
I am a Croatian (EU) but I am going to move to Serbia (also have their nationality). Does this apply for me to? Can I get the pension back?
Hey Emir. Citizenship is not a relevant criteria.
Thanks 🙂
Hello ,
I am Bulgarian national ,worked 3 yrs in Germany from 2015 till 2018,
From 2018 I live and work in United Kingdom and I am a UK resident.
Can I get my pension contributions after passed 2 yrs and I reside in non EU country?
Thank you!
Plamen Petkov
Hey Plamen, please refer to the guide again for criteria.
I am trying to reclaim pension as I worked in Bavaria for about 13 years. (1989-2002). Then returned here to the England. How does our change in status, for example, leaving the Union, affect my claim ,if at all?
Hey Rob. That is pretty tough to say because there are negotiations still ongoing and the fate of the post-Brexit UK is not decided on many levels.
Am living in Germany for about 8 years and i will like to go back to Spain please can I get my pension money back.
I am a UK pensioner (aged 80) and worked for 1 year in West Germany in 1967. Can I get that year’s tax refunded paid to me all this time later\?
Hey Christine. I don’t have the answers to this. You’d probably need to ask a professional about that. Sorry.
Hello, the address link of Deutsche Rentenversicherung offices is broken. I was insured in Baden-Württemberg by AOK. Can you give me the address of the office where I can send my Pension Refund Application? Thanks a lot. Nino
Hey Nino. Thanks for pointing it out. You can find this information here : https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/EN/International/international_node.html I updated the post too.
Hey! I am a Norwegian citizen, therefor in the EEA but not in the EU. Can I still get my pension money back?
Hey Anna. The Deutschen Rentenverischerung also works iwht EEA countries, as stated on their homepage.
Hi,
I worked in Germany for 6 years. Now i plan to move to India. Is there any way to get back my rente?. I know it’s only possible if it’s less than 5 years. But, are there any exceptions to claim back my rente?
Actually I went to the office and asked. They said there is no five years limit. But not sure if they also see the nationality. Maybe you should go there and ask for your case.
What about if you go back home to Switzerland?
Hi Neil,
as a South African (non-contracting state) you can apply for a refund of your contributions, no matter how long you have contributed, 24months after you have left Germany and reside back home.
Good day,
I´m working now 7 years in Germany and plan to move back to South Africa in the next few months. I just see everywhere less than 5years but nowhere what happens after 5 years. I can only guess that after 5 years you can not claim your money back and have to wait till you are 67 years to get your monthly pension. Thank you for your response
Hi there, I have been working for under 5 years in Germany and am looking to move back home (Canada) soon. I am reading that after 2 years and filing the proper paperwork I would be receiving less than half of my total contributions. Is this common?
Hey Maxwell. Where did you read that?
Hi, I am an airline pilot in germany with 3 years of contributions into the state pension and will be returning back to the UK. Providing the UK is no longer part of the EU. Could I request for a refund?
Hey Zubair. After reading this, it seems that the answer is yes for now.
My Dilemma Due to Covid 19 outbreak:
I will get my 58 the Salary in Germany in this Month which is March 2020.
I planned Germany withdrawal at end of the month. Then Covid-19 happened and with travel restrictions I am not able to travel to my home country India. My employer is flexible, so I extended my employment by one month till April 2020, which will be my 59th Salary.
But I see virus outbreak is there to stay for long term and I see less chances of traveling to India. Now I want to save my social security, what options do I have?
Can I live here as free lancer for few more months? I guess free Lancers do not need to pay social security. So my social security contributions will remain 59 in number but my stay will be more than 5 years. Will I be able to withdraw social security?
Please guide me. Thanks in advance for help.
Hi Sushant, mine is of similar case to yours. Could you please help me with your contact to reach out for few clarifications. Thanks in advance.
Duration of stay doesn’t matter, only the number of monthly contributions made matters (which should be less than 60 months). I myself stayed in Germany for nearly 6 years with around 56 months of contribution (20 months of part time employment as working student and 36 months of Full Time post studies), but was still able to get back my pension refund. In any case just to be sure, you can just call up the DRV bund and check with them.
Hi,
Working so far almost 3 years in Germany (Hamburg) and paying pension and health insurance contributions. I am planning to relocate to another EU state and i need 2 years more to be entitled to a German pension. Do I have the option to continue the contributions for 2 years more and who can i contact this for? Or, do i need to transfer the pension contributions as well as unemployment to the state that i will relocate?
Hey Alexandra. Have you seen this ? It should answer your questions.
Thank you very much for the response! Yes I got my answers.
Many thanks,
Alexandra
Hi Bastien,
In order to qualify for a refund of RV-Beiträge for working in Germany fewer than 5 years, it is also a requirement to prove that you have filed German Steuererklärungen with the local Finanzamt office each year that you worked in Germany?
Hey Kurt. Not to my knowledge no.
I’m British. I lived/worked in Germany from 1978 to 1990 (12 years)
I know that I made contributions from my salary but, years later, I don’t have any paper work.
Will I be able to contact somebody and have them find my pension/insurance number/ID? Will I be able to claim a pension when I reach German retirement age? (I’m currently 65 old)
Hey Ian S. Do you have at least a reference number to work with?
Sorry. No. After moving home a few times I have nothing.
Not true. My mum just got pension from Germany.
Hi Ian,
you do not require any documents.
It might be helpful if you remember the name and address of your former employer and your former address in Germany. Or at least the cities.
Just send a letter to this address: „Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund 10704 Berlin” and include a copy of your passport. Tell them that you want to claim your pension. You can write your letter in English.
Hi Bastien, great article and really helpful info as you can see from the comments. A lot of us have specific or difficult questions regarding our own particular pension situations, and you’re right to say consult an expert. Do you have anyone in particular you can recommend? I’m working with someone near Frankfurt who is not very responsive or knowledgeable, would like another option. Thanks!
Hey Kurt. I’m working on this. I hope i can recommend a service on this post soon.
Hi
I don’t have the Abmeldung form that I got after de-registration from Germany upon leaving. Is it required as an enclosure with the documents. I also do not have Lohnsteuerkarte from all the years
Hi my dad dont recieve his pension its been 2months and we are been straving here and they make issue that my dad is dead then after we sent a letter from germany the proof of life birth and then they just ignore are letter so sad
Hi Bastien,
Do you know whether I can still claim for pension refund if I have a settlement permit and decide to leave before the 5 years is up? Thank you.
Well, yes.
Hello,
This article has been real helpful for me. I was looking for information regarding this topic and not able to find reliable sources. My case is that i have stayed in germany for 4 years and completed my masters and decided to go back to india in ONE MONTH. I have worked partime jobs for as much as 3 years and paid the rental versicherung. Now i would like make all the preparations and put in a application before i leave the country. For the time frame i have there are no appointments to check my pension account. So i would like to directly put in an application for this. There is an office for DRV in speyernear me. Should i go their or approach Rathaus or Finanzamt for the process. Very much appreciate the help. Thank you
Hi Bastien, thank you for such a helpful post. I followed the steps and got a reply from Germany that they are in general happy to pay my contributions back, but mention a couple of warnings and I’d like to check one of them with you. They say that “there is a possibility that by getting my German contributions back now (I am 32), the wait time for getting a pension in the country of my current residence (Australia), won’t be respected. So possible implication might be that I won’t be entitled for a pension in Australia”. I could not find any information either confirming this or confirming the opposite. Personally, it does not make sense to me, as I have neither German, nor Australian PR/citizenship – I am a citizen of Russia, currently Australian resident for tax purposes on a visa, but do not have an Australian PR. Did you come across anything like that and if so, could you share the link, please?
Hey Polina. That’s an interesting question. I havent seen this anywhere so far. My opinion is that this is a general statement and all about not having any liability if for some reason, what they say actually happens. Can’t really tell you more sorry.
Hi there, I recently received the same caution via post. Just wondering how long it should take from the initial application? Like, has anyone here even got theirs reimbursed?
Check this thread : https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/371985-pension-refund-experience-after-moving-to-the-us/?page=1
Lots of people have got theirs reimbursed.
Hi,
Thanks for the nice article. What happens if I work for 10 years in Germany and went back to my country ( non EU)? It seems that I won’t get anything back (e.g. pension/insurance contributions) if I stay in Germany for more than 5 years and then leave the country.
Hello,
Thank you for all these details. I’m just wondering, can all this be done and completed online? Like the submission of documents? Thank you.
Lived in and worked in Germany from 1981 to 97 paid in I do not know my number I ounce had can you tell me how or where I might get it and where I can apply for the refond.im now 61 and would like to know how I would go about it.also I would like to know how much I may receive and would it impact what I would receive from SSI I plan to retire when I’m 70.Thank you.
Hey Lawrence, i suggest you get in touch with a professional for your case.
Hi – I am a dual Australian / British citizen who worked in Germany for about 37 months 2008-2011. My employer told me I would be eligible for a refund of my contributions 2 years after leaving Germany. I returned to Australia I applied in 2013 through a German accountant but was rejected because I am a British citizen. I was living and working in Australia (with the same company) before I moved to Germany and I returned to Australia with the same multinational company after my time in Germany. I think my British citizenship was used as a means of avoiding lengthy work permit applications (this was all done through relocation agents). I haven’t lived in UK for 30 years (nor do I intend to do so in the future) and never held a permanent job there. I do not qualify for UK pension or any other EU pension. My German accountant said I have to wait to retirement age to claim the pension, but that is still 15 years away and I have no clear instructions on claim it. Am I even eligible to claim it at retirement age? I don’t want to wait that long to find out I should have done something sooner. I don’t recall ever receiving any sort of pension contribution statement while I lived in Germany, so I have no pension fund number to refer to. I am also wondering if Brexit will affect eligibility. Where can I get advice (in English) or further clarification about my specific situation? Thanks!
Hey Sue. Sorry but i am not consultant. You should have received a pension/social security number when you first started to work in Germany, after you registered. You should probably trust and refer to your German accountant for the rest.
Hi
I worked in Germany for 3 years between 2014-2017 and have now moved to UK for last 2 years. But i am not an EU citizen. Am i eligible to claim my pension back, even though i am living in UK (technically still EU)?
Hey Deepak. The requirements are listed in the post.
Hello,
Thank you for such a helpful and relevant article. There is a question which mentions PR. The question is, can one claim their pension contribution, after satisfying the 2 year rule (and any other conditions) IF they have a Permanent Residence Permit (I guess this is what our colleague meant by PR) I.e. Niederlassungerlaubnis? Am I right to say that residence aside, one would have to give up the Niederlassungerlaubnis…. right?
Hey Alex. An expert would have to rule on this but i don’t think such cases would be very common since permanent residence is usually given to people that have been in the country longer than 2 years. In most cases people have been working too.
Hi Alex,
the PR is not relevant for getting or not getting a refund.
These are the requirements for a refund …
– For non-EU citizens having paid contributions for less than 60 months total: Residing in a non-EU/EEA country, having left former German occupation more than 24months ago.
– For non-EU citizens having paid contributions for more than 60 months total: Currently residing in a non-contract state (see article), having left former German occupation more than 24months ago.
– For EU-citizens in both cases: Currently residing in a non-contract state (see article), having left former German occupation more than 24months ago.
Hi Johannes,
Did I get it right that EU citizens are also eligible for the refund, provided they left Germany more than 24 months ago and are residing in a non-contract state? This is contrary to the other sources I’ve found, so wanted to make sure I understood you correctly.
Hello Bastien,
I am planning to leave Germany in November 2019 and will end my employment contract by end of October. I started working as a full-time employee in January 2015. This means I have worked as a full-time employee for 58 months.
Between November 2012 and August 2014 I was doing my Master’s and in parallel did the following two things-
(a) 400 Euros per month mini job for 22 months
(b) HiWi job at university for 3 months
Do you know if (a) and (b) above will add to the 58 months and make me ineligible for pension refund?
Thanks for your help!
Hey Aman. For this, you would need to check if you contributed to your pension with those contracts. Check in your payslips if there is the mention; “Rentenversicherungbeitrag” or something in that flavor. If you find this, then it means it would add up.
Hey Bastien,
Thanks for your answer 🙂
DRV confirmed the following yesterday-
Months counted for (a) based on some point system =5
Months counted for (b) =3
I have already completed 60 months and hence ineligible for a refund.
Hey Aman.. Even I would like to know my eligibility for refund as I too did a mini-job for some months during my Masters study in addition to full time job. Can you let me know whom to contact at DRV and what information I need to give them, so they can let me know if I qualify for the refund ?
Regards,
Raju
Hey Aman,
if you reside in a non-contracting state it does not matter, how long you have contributed to get a refund. If for example after working in Germany you work in Dubai, you can get a refund, no matter how long you paid into the system.
Best regards,
Johannes
Do you know whether the pension refund would be taxed (assuming you have it paid into a German account)?
Hey Natasha. This depends on taxation system in place in the country where you live. Can’t say i’m sorry.
Hi Bastien,
Thanks for getting back to me, of course it varies by country once you’re overseas, but I was wondering whether they would deduct tax here in Germany before paying it out into a German bank account. Would you happen to know?
Again, can’t say, it depends on tax agreements between Germany and your country, to determinate where your income is taxed. Location of the bank account is irrelevant because as a rule in most countries, you must declare income regardless of its origin/location.
Hi Natascha,
since 2018 the new application form contains a field ”Personal ID number for tax purposes in Germany”. If you do not know your number just write ”n/a” or ”unbekannt”, it does not affect the refund process. If you put your tax number there, the tax bureau will be notified about the amount you received and considered as an income in Germany. If you live in one of the tax contract states that share tax information across boarders, at some point your local tax office will find out that you had the refund as an extra income. It does not matter if the money is transferred to a bank account in Germany or elsewhere in the world.
Best regards,
Johannes
GermanyPensionRefund
All the information is in German in the website you mentioned. Do you know if there is a phone number or email address to reach the German Pension department directly to get help regarding this. I am an Indian living in US, so can I apply this based on forms for India or for the US ? Is the withdrawn Pension taxed by my country ?
Hey Chandi, The forms you need to fill in for this are listed here in the post. Check you local taxation rules regarding pension tax rates.
Hello!
I have applied for my pension refund since March 2019. I would like to know how to track the progress and how can I know if any extra inquiry I have to fulfill? Please kindly advise, thank you.
Hi,
the pension office will reply to you with a letter sent to the address you provided in the form.
Only then you will get a contact person and a telephone number of who is reviewing your case and you can chase them about the process. The general contacts do not give any information about that. If you happen to live in China, I have heard from many people that they do not receive the letters (unless they are sent as trackable mail, wich the pension office does not do.). If you have not heard from them until now, send them a fax and ask about the status. Probably they have sent you a letter that has not arrived asking for some extra information, giving you about one month time to provide the information missing. If you do not do so, they will just close your case.
Best regards,
Johannes
Hey, thanks for the useful content! My question is is it mandatory to pay taxes for the pension if I am not planning to work long is n Germany? This can save me and the company some money maybe?
Thanks!
Hey Veronika. No, you can’t really opt-out. Only a refund is possible.
Hi! Please can you tell me what happens if one contributed to the pension fund for 1.5 years in Germany and then moved to a different member state of the EU/EEA/CH area (where he/she would be employed for at least 4 years)?
Hey Adrian. Well, then the agreements between member states guarantees that your contributions would be recognized by each of them when moving. So they are not lost.
Actually this only works, when one has contributed for more than 60 months. Otherwise the payments are not compatible. You should try to get a refund or (if you want to retire in Europe) use the option to pay voluntary contributions into the fund until you have fulfilled 60 months as a minimum requirement for pension payments. Then they can be combined with other EU countries. And it also does not happen automatically. Contact the local pension office and get their advice on how to combine.
Hi. I am a UK citizen and have been working in Germany for 18 months. I am soon moving to Spain.
Does this mean that my contributions are lost?
What does ‘the pension system reciprocity agreements between EU member states applies’.
Best regards
Paul
Hey Paul. Your contributions are not lost but instead will be added to your contributions in Spain. The reciprocity agreements allow EU members to recognize each other’s system.
Hi I am Yatin from india my father worked in Germany for four years ,
During 1985 to 1989,
After that he came to india .
I just want to know the reimbursement process for pension nd pf system
Hey Yatin. Everything is pretty much explained in the post, although since this dates back to pre-reunification years, you might have to check if there is something else to do.
Can anybody help with this question, please. We left Germany in October 2018. My husband worked for his German company for a further two months from the UK. He then retired. His early retirement settlement was paid in January. His tax class was changed from 3 to 6 in October. When he files his tax return are we likely to get any money back? Does anyone know why it was changed?
Hey Ena. I can’t really answer any of those questions on such little details in a comment section. Might be worth talking to an expert on that matter.
Hi, your website is really very helpful. Please keep up the good work. All the best for your work.
If I stay more than 60 months and after that returns to my country.
1) What will happen to pension fund?
2) Will I get pension? if yes When and how I will get it? Please share the pointer if you have any.
2) Will I get the pension in my country at the age of 67 (ツ)?
Hey Anandi. 1) It’s mentioned in the post. 2) yes, you would receive it from the German pension system 3) yes.
Hello there, thank you for this informative article but, I have one question that seems to me not to be covered. I worked in Germany for 12 months, and I have dual citizenship Serbian and Hungarian – meaning non-EU and EU citizenship. I live in Serbia (I lived here before moving to Germany and after that) and have never lived in Hungary (or any other EU country before obtaining EU citizenship – I lived in UK many years ago but had only Serbian citizenship at the time). Am I eligible for refund or not? Thank you in advance and kind regards 🙂
Hey Maria. Honestly, no idea. Maybe ask a tax expert and let us know?
Thanks anyway 😉
Myself and other wives of serving soldiers worked in Berlin at varies locations mainly NAAFI ,are we entitled to have any money back paid into our pensions here in Britain
Hey Doreen, does this not mean you were working for the british government? Even if located in Berlin? If so, then you never paid into the German system right?
Hi Maria,
Serbia is a contracting state. But since you have worked for less than 60 months in Germany you can get a refund if you use your Serbian passport and prove your Serbian residency.
@Bastien: Unfortunately, tax experts have very little knowledge about the German Social Security Law, since it is a non-tax related field.
Hi , i have worked in germany for 3 years between 2012 and 2016 and i could not pay some credit dues to the bank , currently i am in india , will it be having any affect to get my pension funds if i try ton withdraw my pension funds ? and i have PR from Germany .
i heard that people say if i have PR i cant apply for pension funds etc .. is it true ? can u please let me know on these points.
Hey Sukumar. What do you mean with “PR”?
Hi,
in your case it is better not to have the refund transferred to the bank that you owe money, unless you want to pay them off.
You can chose where the money is transferred to, it can even be transferred to a third party anywhere in the world.
Having PR does not affect the refund, what matters is where you reside: India. And since you have contributed for less than 60 months the mutual agreement between India and Germany does not interfere with the refund.
Thanks for the post.
In this post you mentioned: «While living in Germany, you should be receiving yearly pension information in addition to any paperwork from your employer. Of the contributions made to the pension system, only the ones you made (not your employer) are eligible for a refund.»
Assume, I’m eligible for a refund and I filled the refund request for the part I contributed.
But what happens with the part of my employer’s contributions? Can I get it after reaching valid (for that time) retirement age or I just have to say «bye-bye» to the employer’s contributions part in case I leave Germany?
Thanks.
Hey Mike. It seems so yes.
Anybody knows if we can get refund from France too under similar conditions?
Hey Ramanarao. You should probably check from a french source, i’d say it’s quite likely.
Hi thank you for this site because it helps a lot. My questions is if my contribution is exactly 60 months Di I have the right to apply it for refund instead. I think it’s practical to get it refunded so that I can use it to start a small business. Please let me know. Thank you.
Hey Dhey. Well the rule does say under 60 months so either you get in touch to see if that is still possible, or you try an application anyway and see if it works.
Hi Dhey, did you get a response about this? I have a similiar situation and would like to know if having exactly 60 contributions will exclude me from claiming this back or if it is still possible. Thanks
Hi Dhey, Nice to connect with you! I saw your query on the pension refund. I have the same question like yours, i was wondering if you managed to get any clarification on this? Appreciate if you could reply. Thanks in advance.
Hi.
In my documents it says in need to submit a V6110RM form. Any idea what that is? Maybe something from the Embassy?
Thanks
Hey there. I can only guess this is a form related to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung, but can’t really help you further sorry.
Hi,
Thanks for the article.
I’m leaving Berlin after 6 months of work (and paying into a pension through my company).
As a UK passport holder am I right in reading currently I can’t get a refund as UK is still in EU – however if/when Brexit finally happens then I could request a refund?
And if the UK remains in the EU, I could only access the pension funds at 67, and not before?
Hey Steve. I guess the only answer there is at the moment is a big ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Part of the Brexit magic. 😉
Hi Steve,
when the UK leaves the EU, it will remain part of the European Economic Area and thus, same rules apply:
As long as you reside within the EU/EEA/CH or a contracting state, you cannot apply for a refund. Once you reside in a non-contracting state (can be for a very short time only), you will be able to get a refund.
Hi- I have a question. What if a person has worked for a little more than 5 years in Germany and then left the country and went outside EU. I assume in such case, they will get pension after retirement and not the refund, is that correct? I am assuming pension will be very less as that will be based on just ~5 years of contribution? is that correct? i am asking because i have no idea how is pension amount calculated in Germany. Is there any website or article which can help me understand that? thanks
Hey Sam. You can use this official calculator to know how much you’d get. As stated in the post, you need to have worked less than 5 years to be eligible for a refund.
Hi , I worked in Germany for 1 year only and paid a lot into a pension? Will I ever access this, or can I contact someone and move it to my UK pension? Or will it just be gone?
Hi, Great article. Thanks for posting. I am a US citizen. I contributed in Germany for less than 5 years. I now live and work in another EU country. However, I am not eligible for the retirement funds in that country and I do not contribute to any retirement system there. I have been outside of Germany for more than 2 years. Would I be eligible for a refunds?
Hey Al. As mentioned in the post, you are eligible but if you are still the EU zone, you can’t apply yet. You need to have left the EU/EEA/CH region.
Hi,
I studied in Germany and during my studies I worked(not a Pratikum) and paid Social contributions for almost a year. After I finished my studies I started working full time. My question is: Do the one-year social contributions count for the 5-year period or the 5-year period counts only after ex matriculation
Hey Vinod. It’s 5 years of contributions to the system, regardless of how it happened, if you were a student or not.
If I have dual citizenship, one in USA, one in Poland, then does this apply? I came here on a visa but then just went to the city hall and with my polish passport after it expired. Does it work like I then get the pension (or refund) from Poland?
Hey Michelle. Good question and the truth is: i don’t know. Sorry.
Hello, thank you for the detailed useful article, but I have an inquiry, I have worked in Germany for 2 years from Jan/2016-end of Dec/2017, and I have completed the waiting period of 2 years in my home country ouside EU, and planning to apply for a refund, I however have been going through my documents and found out that I have the “ Lohnsteuerbescheinigung for 2016 “ from my Arbeitsgeber ONLY. And not for 2017, can I still apply for both years , Is it somehow available in their system? or do I have to go through the hassle of contacting my employer to send me the missing “ Lohnsteuerbescheinigung from 2017 “ as well ?, For my request to go through. Kindly advise.
Hey Sara. You will probably not need it. It’s more important to have your social security ID/number at hand.
Hi,
thanks a lot for the clear explanation about the for refund ofthe German Pension system.
I have one question Suppose if person is contrbuting to AV and RV for more than 60 months for example 8years.
1) Is it possible to claim pension refund after colling period of 2 yeras.
2) If yes what is the process?
3) If no then why person should work for more than 5 years in Germany ? – just for curosity how this system is designed.
Hey Amit. 1) No. 3) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Dear Sir/Madam,
As am planning to apply German pension refund. As I am finding difficult to get an appointment as there is no appointment in next couple of days in any Berlin’s Deutsche Rentenversicherung office, And as I am leaving back to India next week permanently.
Could you please clarify the following:
1. I came to Germany from India in October – 2018 and worked in Berlin till February 2019 and paid 5 months Rentenversicherung (RV) and Arbeitslosenversicherung (AV). So I am eligible for claiming my part of RV and AV?
2. Could you please let me know the appropriate forms that I need to fill?
3. Could you please let me know where (Address) should I send the filled forms and supporting documents?
4. Since I worked in Berlin, so should I apply for German pension refund only in Berlin’s Deutsche Rentenversicherung or can I apply anywhere across Germany’s Deutsche Rentenversicherung office?
Thanks in advance for your support.
Hey Srini. Have you read the post? Literally all questions are answered there.
Hi. Thanks for your great post.
But I cannot find the required forms from the link you mentioned above – http://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/DE/Online-Dienste/Formularsuche/formularsuche_node.html?https=1
When I click the link, all I can see is just “Formularsuche”.
I am Korean living in Canada. Could you guide me on what forms required to submit other than V0901?
Hey Kelly. Thanks for letting me know. I fixed the links now.
Hello,
I want to go back to India this December but I will be completing 5 years by June. Is there anyway I can get refund of my pension contributions. Like ..change the employment to consultant instead of permanent etc. Please advice. I really need the money now 🙂
What if I am EU citizen but I am about to move to outside of Europe (Canada)? I’ve worked 15 months in Germany
Thank you for the article. I found it very useful.
Hey Karolia. Then i suppose you are eligible.
Hi Bastien,
I worked in Germany for 3 years. Im planning to leave and work in Latam for a longer than 2 years period. In case I get the money back, could I work again in Germany? Or should I then have any restriction? Thanks, Joel
Hey Joel. Yes, it’s possible.
hey ,, i worked in germany almost 7 years,, then i left to jordan almost 6 month ago,, there were giving unemployment salary
i worked in jordan these months
they called me and they asking me to give them there mony back cuz they found out that i worked there these months
any one can give me an answer how i have to deal wit that
Hey Ziad. Can’t really help you there. I suppose you have to follow their instructions.
I am US citizen. I worked in Germany from 2001 to 2004 years. Am I eligible for Rentenversicherung refund? If so, how can I get my refund. Currently I am living in USA.
Hey Galina. I mean: it’s literally the content of this post. Just read it.
Hi,
I am Brazilian and I moved to Berlin for work 3 years ago. While living here I got my Italian citizenship, but I never changed my employment contract or anything like that. The only thing I did was add my dual citizenship on my last Anmeldung.
I’m now moving to Canada and I’m just a bit confused if the fact I got my Italian citizenship could affect my right to get the pension refund.
Thank you, your blog is really helpful! 🙂
Hey Henrique. Citizenship status is not related to the refund. Only place of residence after you leave the country is.
Hi,
I studied in Germany and worked as a student in two separate jobs. I did pay social security for almost two years starting from mid of 2007 until the end of 2009. I left Ger,mau at the end of February 2014 and stayed outside the Europe until end of 2017. Now i am back in Europe (not Germany) and want to get the social security back.
Considering the situation i mentioned above, am i eligible to apply for it ?
Thanks..
Hey Sohail. Eligibility conditions are clearly stated in the post. Is there anything unclear?
What i am confused about is that i worked for less than 5 years but i didn’t work continuously. My first job was in the mid of 2007 and last job was in December 2013. So the overall time period is more than 5 years but the total working time is less than 5 years. So am i still eligible ?
Hey Sohail. You contributed last than 5 years so it’s most likely ok.
Hi
I came to Germany in Apr-2011 and paid 4 months Rentenversicherung (RV) and Arbeitslosenversicherung (AV). As per Indo-German social security deal my Employer told not required to pay RV and AV for first 4 years.
So I got back my RV and AV which I paid for Apr-2011 to Jul-2011. Until Mar-2015 I have not made any contribution to German Pension system.
I started to pay first time from Apr-2015 on wards and I continued till Sep-2016 (Total contribution 18 months)
Now I have completed the waiting period of 24 months.
So I am eligible for claiming my part of RV and AV?
Could you please let me know where (Address) should I send the V901 filled form and supporting documents?
Thanks in advance for your support.
Hey Kiran. The conditions for eligiblity are stated in the beginning of the post, it seems like you are eligible. As stated in the post, you should get in touch with the last office you were in contact with. There is a link to find contact details.
My husband left Germany around 25 or 30 years ago. At that time he was working for the State. When he left, he took his contributions. Is he now entitled to claim his employers contributions. His legal advisor at the time said that he could but now the pension department has said he cannot. He is now 70 and has very little money.
Hello Rebekah, i suggest you contact an expert on this topic because this is likely based on where your husband was stationed, what he was doing, what he decided at that time, etc. Also, maybe laws have changed since then. That’s probably wiser (and worth it!) to contact one. Good luck with it.
Hi!
I’m a us citizen and worked in Germany for less than the 60 month period. I am moving to another EU country for a new job, so if I understand your blog correctly, I wouldn’t be able to request a refund until I leave the Eu permanently and then have to wait 24 months to apply for a refund? Do you know if I can roll the German pension into another eU country (Italy)?
Hey Nara. Yes, you need to leave the EU/EEA/CH zone to apply for a refund. I guess, in theory you can “roll-it over” but only if you retire there. You can still apply for the refund after you have left German/Italy.
Do you happen to know what happens if I am a EU citizen, but I am planning to move and live in the US for example?
Hey Ana. In this case, i would look at the agreement between the US and Germany for that matter and see how your situation looks.