If you worked in Germany as an employee, your employer deducted pension contributions (Rentenversicherungsbeiträge) from your salary every month — roughly 9.3% of your gross salary, matched equally by your employer. When you permanently leave Germany, non-EU nationals can claim back their own portion (not the employer's) after a waiting period. This is a meaningful sum for anyone who worked a few years.
Who Can Claim
- Non-EU, non-EEA nationals (Chinese, Indian, American, etc.) who contributed to the German Rentenversicherung
- Must have left Germany permanently
- Must wait 24 months after your last contribution before applying
EU and EEA citizens typically cannot claim a full refund because Germany has bilateral social security agreements that count German contribution years toward their home country's pension. Some non-EU countries also have such agreements (e.g., USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia) — check the list at deutsche-rentenversicherung.de before assuming you qualify for a refund.
How Much You Get Back
You receive back your personal contributions only — the employer-matched portion stays in the system. At 9.3% of gross salary, a person who earned €30,000/year gross for three years paid approximately €8,370 in personal pension contributions. This is the amount refundable, not adjusted for interest.
How to Apply
- Wait 24 months after your last contribution (after your last employment month in Germany)
- Download the application form V0901 from deutsche-rentenversicherung.de
- Complete the form, have your signature certified by a notary or German consulate in your home country
- Submit with: copy of passport, proof of foreign residence, proof that you left Germany (de-registration certificate, Abmeldebestätigung), and your insurance history (Versicherungsverlauf) if available
- Send to: Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund, 10704 Berlin, or the regional office that handled your contributions
Processing takes two to six months. Payment is made to your foreign bank account (IBAN required). Currency conversion applies if your account is not in euros.
Your Rentenversicherungsnummer
Your Rentenversicherungsnummer is printed on the Sozialversicherungsausweis (social insurance card) you received when you started your first German job. You need this number for the application. If you lost it, request a new certificate from your last German employer's HR department or from Deutsche Rentenversicherung directly.
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