Difference between revisions of "Germany/Banking"

Revision as of 15:41, 28 January 2022

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I need a German or European Bank Account?

To pay rent and most bills or receive salary, you usually need an account that can send and receive SEPA transfers in EUR.

So your bank account does not necessarily be from Germany, i.e. have an IBAN starting with DE. It must only be able to send and receive SEPA transfers in EUR.

However, some companies and authorities have problems using non-German IBAN. This is illegal but it may happen. Then, a German account is more convenient.

How to open a German bank account?

Just pick one from the list below, or from one of the comparisons.

For creating an account, you will usually need:

an ID or passport if you are from EU/EEA
a passport if you are from outside EEA
proof of residence is often not needed

Lists of German Bank Accounts

More Banking Overviews

List of German Credit Cards

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{DISPLAYTITLE:List of German Bank Accounts}}
 == Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ==
-=== When do I need a German bank account? ===
+=== Do I need a German or European Bank Account? ===
-* when you have no account to receive and send EUR
+To pay rent and most bills or receive salary, you usually need an account that can send and receive SEPA transfers in EUR.
-* when you want to have standing orders (regular payments) and your current EUR account does not support them
-* when you need a '''German''' account number (IBAN, staring with ''DE...''). Some business and authorities do still not accept non-German IBAN
+So your bank account does not necessarily be from Germany, i.e. have an IBAN starting with ''DE''. It must only be able to send and receive SEPA transfers in EUR.
+However, some companies and authorities have problems using non-German IBAN. This is illegal but it may happen. Then, a German account is more convenient.
 === How to open a German bank account? ===