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Bank Account in Germany: Documents You Need

You have just arrived; your employer or university wants an IBAN, and the bank website is full of German words. This guide gives you the short answer first, then the steps.

The short answer

To open a bank account in Germany you normally show a valid passport or identity card with a photo, and you complete the bank’s application form. Banks set their own extra rules for regular accounts, so ask your bank before you go. If you are legally living in the EU and have no account in Germany, you can also apply for a basic payment account. The bank has ten business days to review a completed application.

What banks usually ask for

The one document everybody agrees on is proof of who you are. Germany’s financial regulator, BaFin, says the identity document must be valid, official and have a photo. BaFin lists German or recognised foreign passports and identity cards as accepted examples.

Banks in Germany must also follow the Money Laundering Act (GwG) and the Banking Act (KWG). BaFin lists breaking these duties as one reason a bank may refuse a basic payment account.

Here is a simple checklist to prepare before you contact a bank:

• Your valid passport or identity card. Bring the original, not only a photo on your phone.
• Your residence document or visa, if you have one. Some banks may ask for it. Rules differ by bank, so confirm with your bank.
• A postal address where the bank can send letters and your card.
• Your phone number and email address.
• Your tax identification number, if you already have it. Banks may ask for it later; confirm with your bank.
• Some banks may ask for a registered address (Anmeldung) before they open a regular account. We have not confirmed this as a rule for all banks, so treat it as a question to ask, not as a law.

Regular account or basic payment account?

There are two main routes.

A regular current account (Girokonto). You apply with a bank of your choice. The bank decides under its own conditions. Check whether the bank offers an online application, which languages it supports and which ID it accepts.

A basic payment account (Basiskonto). This account has basic functions, so that nobody is left without a payment account. BaFin explains that, in principle, all consumers who legally live in the European Union are entitled to hold one under the Payment Accounts Act (ZKG). You must not already have a payment account in Germany.

You can also apply for a basic payment account if you have no permanent home address. In that case you only need to give a postal address, for example the address of a friend, relative or advice centre.

How a basic payment account application works

1. Collect your ID. Use a valid passport or identity card with a photo.
2. Complete the application form. Banks must provide a form. Use it, because the ten-day period starts when the bank receives your completed application.
3. Send it to a bank. You can choose the bank.
4. Wait up to ten business days. BaFin says the bank has ten business days after receiving the completed form to review it and offer you an account.
5. Check the fees. Banks may charge only reasonable fees for a basic payment account. Fees are based on standard market fees and on how you use the account. Read the price list before you sign.

When can a bank say no?

For a basic payment account, the reasons for refusal are limited. BaFin lists these:

• You already hold a payment account with another bank in Germany.
• In the three years before your application, you were convicted of an intentional crime against the bank, one of its employees or one of its customers.
• You earlier held a basic payment account at the same bank, and it was ended for non-payment or illegal use.
• Opening the account would break the bank’s duties under the Money Laundering Act or the Banking Act.

If you think a refusal is wrong, you can ask BaFin to review it. The procedure is free of charge, but you pay for your own postage and any legal or consulting help. Include a copy of your application and the rejection notice, if you have one. If the bank refused without a valid reason, BaFin can order it to open the account. BaFin also has a consumer helpline: 0800 2 100 500 in Germany, or +49 228 299 70 299 from abroad, on weekdays from 8:00 to 18:00.

What to check before you choose a bank

Use the Expat-Friendly Score ideas as a quick filter. Ask yourself three questions:

1. Can I get help in English? Look for English support by chat, phone or email, not only an English page on the website.
2. Can I do it online? Can you apply, sign and manage the account from your phone?
3. Will it accept my ID and my card? Check that your passport or ID type is accepted, and that international payments and your foreign card work.

What to check (list):

• Is the application form available in English?
• Which ID documents does the bank list as accepted?
• Does it need a German address, or can you give a postal address?
• What are the monthly fees, card fees and fees for international transfers?
• How long does opening take, and how will you get your card?

Common problems and simple fixes

The bank does not answer. Write down the date you sent your completed application. If you applied for a basic payment account, remember the ten business days.

Your document is not accepted. Ask the bank which exact document type it needs. Do not assume that the first answer is final. Try another bank or ask for the reason in writing.

You have no fixed address yet. For a basic payment account, a postal address is enough. For a regular account, ask your bank.

You already have an account in your home country. That is fine. The refusal reason in the law is about an existing payment account in Germany.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a residence permit to open a bank account in Germany?

BaFin says the basic payment account is open to consumers who legally live in the EU, and it names the identity documents it accepts. Banks can set their own conditions for regular accounts, so ask your bank which documents it needs. This is general information, not legal advice.

Can I open an account before I arrive?

Some banks may offer online opening. We have not verified which banks allow it for people who are not yet in Germany, so check the bank directly.

How long does it take?

For a basic payment account, the bank has ten business days after it receives your completed form to decide. Regular accounts depend on the bank.

What does a basic payment account cost?

Banks may charge only reasonable fees. BaFin says they are based on standard market fees and on user behaviour. Compare price lists before you apply.

What if my bank refuses me?

Ask for the reason, then check it against the list above. You can ask BaFin to review the refusal. The procedure is free.

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