Opening a bank account in Germany

Before you start

• A valid passport or national ID card (EU/EEA/Swiss citizens)
• An address in Germany where post can reach you (letters with your card, PIN and access codes are sent there)
• A smartphone if you choose an online bank (video identification and app-based approval of payments)

Documents you need

• Valid passport or national ID card

  Banks must identify you under anti-money-laundering rules. EU/EEA citizens can usually use their national ID card.

  required

• Residence permit or visa (non-EU citizens)

  Many banks ask non-EU customers for their visa or residence permit card in addition to the passport.

  optional

• Registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung)

  Asked for by many branch banks as proof of address, especially if your passport does not show a German address. Not legally required for a basic account.

  optional

• Tax identification number (Steuer-ID)

  Banks must record it, but if you do not have it yet the bank can request it electronically from the Federal Central Tax Office within three months.

  optional

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Decide what you need from the account

   A standard current account gives you an IBAN (your account number for euro payments), incoming and outgoing transfers, standing orders (Daueraufträge), direct debits (Lastschriften), a payment card and online banking. Before comparing banks, think about:

   • How you will get cash: some banks have their own branch and ATM network, others rely on partner ATMs or cash withdrawal at supermarket tills, and fees for "foreign" ATMs can apply.
   • Whether you need to deposit cash (some online banks do not support this or charge for it).
   • Language: some banks offer an English app and English customer service, many branch banks work mainly in German.
   • Cards: whether you want a girocard, a Visa/Mastercard debit card, a credit card, or a combination (see the section on cards below).
   • A joint account if you are moving with a partner.
2. 2

   Step 2: Choose a type of bank

   German banks fall into a few broad groups. None is better in general; the right choice depends on your needs. Examples are listed neutrally and alphabetically within each group, not as recommendations:

   • Savings banks and cooperative banks with local branches, such as the Sparkassen (in Berlin the Berliner Sparkasse) and the Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken (for example the Berliner Volksbank). Personal advice in a branch, wide ATM networks, often a monthly account fee.
   • Large private banks with branches, such as Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank or Postbank.
   • Direct banks without branches, such as comdirect, Consorsbank, DKB or ING. Accounts are managed online and by phone; identification is usually done by video call or at a post office.
   • App-based providers such as N26 and others. Some app-based providers are licensed in another EU country and may give you an IBAN from that country.

   Use the free, independent account comparison website of the financial supervisor BaFin to compare fees and features. Before you sign, every bank must give you a fee information document (Entgeltinformation) listing what the account costs.

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare your documents and identification

   Banks must verify your identity under the Money Laundering Act. Expect to show:

   • A valid passport or national ID card. Non-EU citizens are often also asked for their visa or residence permit.
   • Proof of address at some banks, typically the registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) you get after registering your address (Anmeldung).
   • Your tax ID (Steuer-ID) if you already have it. If not, you can still open the account: the bank must then request the number from the Federal Central Tax Office within three months.

   Online banks identify you by video call (VideoIdent), through the online ID function of a German ID card, or in person (for example at a post office branch). Have your passport and a well-lit, quiet place ready for the video call.

4. 4

   Step 4: If you have not registered your address yet

   Many newcomers are caught in a loop: the landlord wants an IBAN, the bank wants a registration certificate, and the registration office wants a rental contract. There are ways out:

   • Ask for a basic account. For a Basiskonto the bank may not require a registered residence; according to BaFin, a postal address is enough for people without a fixed residence. The bank must decide within ten business days of your complete application.
   • Choose a bank that accepts a passport plus a postal address. Several online banks and app-based providers open accounts after video identification without a Meldebescheinigung. Their cards and letters still need an address where post reaches you (for example temporary accommodation with your name on the letterbox).
   • Use an existing account from another EU country for the first weeks. Under EU rules, employers and companies may not refuse an IBAN from another EU country for euro transfers and direct debits.

   Once you have registered, update your address with the bank.

5. 5

   Step 5: Apply, sign and activate the account

   Apply online or book an appointment at a branch. After approval you receive your IBAN, usually immediately. The card, PIN and online-banking access often arrive as separate letters. Set up the bank's security app or procedure for approving payments (two-factor authentication) as soon as you get the login details.

   Read the account terms, especially the monthly fee and any conditions for a free account, card fees, ATM fees abroad and the interest rate for overdrafts.

6. 6

   Step 6: Give out your IBAN and set up regular payments

   Pass your IBAN to your employer (for payroll), your landlord (rent is usually paid by standing order), your health insurer and other contract partners. Many will ask you to sign a SEPA direct debit mandate so they can collect payments.

   When you send a transfer, your bank now checks whether the name of the recipient matches the IBAN (Empfängerüberprüfung, mandatory since 9 October 2025). If the bank warns you that the name does not match, stop and check: if you proceed anyway and the money goes to the wrong person, the bank is generally not liable.

7. 7

   Step 7: Switching banks later

   If you want to move to another bank, you can use the statutory account-switching service (Kontowechselhilfe). You authorise the new bank, which asks the old bank for your standing orders, direct debits and incoming payments of the last 13 months. By law the new bank must send the request within two business days, the old bank must deliver the lists within five business days, and the new bank must then set things up and inform payers and payees within another five business days. You can also do the switch yourself if you prefer.

IBAN, SEPA and foreign accounts

Cards - girocard, debit cards and credit cards

Fees, overdrafts and deposit protection

If a bank refuses your application

Watch out

Common mistakes

• Waiting for the tax ID or the registration certificate before applying anywhere. The tax ID can be provided later, and a basic account does not require a registered address.
• Choosing a bank only because the account is free without checking the conditions (for example a minimum monthly incoming payment) and the cost of cash withdrawals.
• Forgetting to update your address with the bank after moving out of temporary accommodation, so the card or new PIN letters go to the old address.
• Letting a SEPA direct debit bounce for lack of funds. This can lead to return fees and, for repeated unpaid bills, to negative entries at credit agencies.

Tips

• Ask the bank directly which documents it accepts from non-EU citizens before you book an appointment; requirements differ between banks and even branches.
• Keep your first months' bank statements; they are useful for rental applications and for showing your salary history.
• Opening a current account is recorded positively at the credit agency SCHUFA and helps you build a credit history in Germany.
• If you have a family home abroad, check the cost of international transfers. Transfers in euros within SEPA are cheap or free, but transfers in other currencies can be expensive at traditional banks.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Official links

In your plan

• Open a German bank accountAdd to plan
• Request your free SCHUFA data copyAdd to plan

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 3 Apr 2027.