Blocked Accounts in Germany

A blocked account (Sperrkonto) is a special type of bank account that

requires you to initially deposit a big sum that will cover your spending for half or a whole year.
then allows you to withdraw every month a part of it (1/6 or 1/12).

That way, you prove that you have enough funds to sustain yourself while living and studying in Germany.

Questions & Answers

You need a blocked account if you apply

for a study visa
for a residence permit as a student (if you come from a country that allows you to enter Germany without a visa)
for a jobseeker visa

As of 2022, you need to deposit €10,332 for a year.^[1] Then, you can withdraw €861 per month (1/12 of the sum).

The amount changes over years. On Reyep.com^[2] you can find the list changing over years and most recent one.

You can open a blocked account online.

All services also offer packages including health insurance

Some services also help you in setting up a current bank account (Girokonto).

5
Coracle^[2]: offers also Prime^[2] package with
- incoming/travel health insurance
- setting up public health insurance
- for €59 one-time (+ monthly public health insurance premiums)
5
Expatrio^[2]: offers also Value package^[2] package with
- incoming/travel health insurance
- setting up public health insurance
- setting up a current bank account with German account number
- ISIC card for 1 year
- for €60 one-time (+ monthly public health insurance premiums)
4.5
Fintiba^[2]: offers also Fintiba Plus with
- incoming/travel health insurance
- setting up public or private health insurance
- setting up a current bank account with German account number
- for €89 initial fee + €4.90 monthly (+ monthly public health insurance premiums)

↑ "From 1 January 2021, the presumed annual requirement that must be paid into the blocked account when applying for a visa amounts to 10,332 euros." – source, retrieved 2022-07-27
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 This is an affiliate link. If you click on it and then buy something or sign up for a service, we may earn a commission which covers our expenses. This does not change the price for you.