How to Open a Bank Account in Germany
Documents, identity checks, Anmeldung, tax residence and the separate basic-payment-account route—explained without promising that a bank will accept every application.
Reviewed 12 October 2026
Direct answer
What do you need to open a bank account in Germany?
Choose either a standard current account or—if you qualify—a basic payment account, complete the bank’s application and verify your identity with a valid passport, identity card or recognised equivalent. Banks may also ask for proof of address, a residence permit, income documents and information about every country where you are tax resident.
Requirements differ by bank, nationality, document type and account model, so approval is never guaranteed.
Choose the account type
Standard Girokonto and Basiskonto are not the same application
Standard current account (Girokonto)
An ordinary commercial payment account used for salary, transfers, direct debits, card payments and cash access. The provider generally decides whether to accept the application under its product and onboarding rules.
- No universal acceptance right is claimed.
- Residence, nationality and supported-ID rules vary.
- An overdraft is a separate credit decision.
- Fee conditions and services differ by product.
Basic payment account (Basiskonto)
A statutory account type under the German Payment Accounts Act. BaFin says qualifying consumers legally residing in the EU who do not already hold a usable German payment account generally have a right to one.
- The application must clearly request a ZKG basic account.
- Core payment functions are included.
- No entitlement to an overdraft or credit card.
- Identity checks and statutory refusal grounds still apply.
Documents
Separate expected information from provider-specific evidence
Always expect to provide
- A valid passport, identity card or recognised equivalent
- Your exact legal name, birth details and contact information
- Personal identity verification
- A self-certification covering tax residence
The bank may also request
- German registration certificate
- Residence permit or immigration evidence
- Income or employment documents for a selected account
- Foreign tax-identification numbers
- Purpose/source-of-funds evidence where required by compliance checks
Wording matters: “may request” is more accurate than presenting one provider’s document list as a rule for every German bank.
Identity checks
How verification usually works
BaFin describes several common identity routes. The specific bank decides which route and documents it supports.
Branch verification
Present the original identity document in person at a participating branch.
Video identification
Show a supported document during a live or guided digital verification process.
PostIdent
Complete identification through a participating Deutsche Post process where offered.
Before applying, check the supported nationality/document combination, document validity, machine-readable requirements, onboarding country and whether physical presence is needed. A valid passport is not proof that every video provider can process it.
Address and Anmeldung
Do you need a German address?
Not always. Many standard-account providers ask for a German residential address and registration certificate, but those requirements are provider-specific.
For a qualifying basic payment account, BaFin says a person without a permanent residence can use a reachable postal address. Formal residence under the Federal Registration Act is not required in that specific situation. A person who does have a permanent residence must state the home address.
Separate public duty
If you live in Germany
The federal service portal states that a person moving into a home generally must register with the responsible authority within two weeks. That public-law duty exists independently from a bank’s product rules.
If you are still abroad
Check whether the bank onboards from your current country, accepts your document and can deliver required cards or security material. A German correspondence address alone does not prove eligibility.
Tax residence
Why the bank asks for more than an address
Nationality, home address and tax residence are different data points. Reporting financial institutions obtain a tax-residence self-certification for new accounts and check whether it is plausible against the information collected during onboarding.
Provide every requested country of tax residence and available tax-identification number accurately. Do not assume that German registration, nationality or a bank’s location alone determines tax residence.
A German tax ID should not be presented as universally required before every account can be opened. The supported account and the complete tax-residence declaration matter.
Understand German tax topics and cross-border boundaries ↗Changes after opening
Tell the bank when your address or tax residence changes. A future move can also affect product availability, support and contractual treatment.
This page explains the account-opening process; it does not determine where you are tax resident.
Step by step
Nine stages from account choice to activation
Choose the type
Standard current account or a qualifying basic payment account?
Compare the service
Fees, cards, cash, language, joint use and overdraft needs.
Check eligibility
Current country, residence, nationality and supported identity document.
Gather evidence
Identity, address, immigration, income and tax-residence information.
Submit application
Use the correct product route; a standard rejection is not automatically a basic-account request.
Verify identity
Complete the supported process personally with valid documents.
Read terms
Review fee information, contract language and important conditions.
Wait for decision
Do not treat a completed form as account approval.
Maintain details
Update address and tax-residence information after material changes.
Non-resident questions
Can you open a German account before or without living in Germany?
The answer depends on the account type, current residence, provider and evidence. Keep the EU basic-account right separate from ordinary products.
Lives in Germany with Anmeldung
Many standard accounts may be accessible, but the provider still applies its current onboarding and product rules.
Lives in Germany; registration pending
Some providers may accept alternative evidence; others wait for a registration certificate. No general acceptance promise applies.
Legally resident elsewhere in the EU
A qualifying person must not be refused a basic account merely because they live in another EU state. This does not guarantee an ordinary current account.
Lives outside the EU
The EU basic-account rules do not create a general right to a German account. A provider may voluntarily onboard under its own countries, documents and compliance rules.
No fixed address
For a qualifying basic account, a reachable postal address can be sufficient. Valid identity verification and the other statutory conditions remain.
Rejection
What if the application is declined?
Standard current account
A refusal does not automatically mean the bank acted unlawfully. Check the stated requirements, consider another provider and—if appropriate—make an explicit basic-account application.
Basic payment account
A bank may refuse only on defined legal grounds, including certain existing usable accounts, identity/anti-money-laundering obstacles and specified prior conduct or account termination cases.
BaFin describes a free administrative procedure after a basic-account rejection. Keep the application and rejection notice. Civil-court and consumer-dispute routes can also exist.
Costs and features
Compare before accepting
- Monthly fee and qualifying incoming-payment rule
- Debit-card and optional card costs
- Cash withdrawal/deposit fees and limits
- Foreign-currency and international-transfer charges
- Paper or assisted-service fees
- Branch, web and app access
- Contract and support language
- Joint-account and overdraft availability
- Rules after a future move abroad
Deposit protection
Identify the legal bank
BaFin states that eligible balances on current, call-deposit and savings accounts are generally protected up to €100,000 per customer and bank under the statutory scheme. Check the legal institution and applicable national scheme before depositing substantial funds.
Do not assume that every balance shown in a financial app is legally a bank deposit.
Document checklist
Prepare what applies to your case
Valid supported identity document
Exact legal name across documents
Current home and postal address
Registration certificate if requested
Residence evidence if requested
All tax-residence countries and TINs
Income evidence if the model requires it
Country/nationality eligibility checked
Fee information reviewed
Application and rejection copies retained
Frequently asked questions
Short answers before you apply
Can I open a German bank account without Anmeldung?
Sometimes for a standard account, depending on the provider. A qualifying basic payment account has separate address rules and can be opened by a person without a fixed residence using a reachable postal address, subject to valid identification and other legal conditions.
Can I open a German account before moving?
Possibly, but only if the provider accepts applications from your current country and can verify your identity. EU residents may have a separate basic-account right; that does not guarantee an ordinary account.
Do I need a German tax ID?
Banks establish tax residence and normally request a self-certification. Provide every requested tax residence and available TIN accurately. Do not assume that nationality or a German address alone determines tax residence.
Can a bank reject my application?
A standard current account can generally be refused under the provider’s onboarding rules. A basic payment account may only be refused on defined legal grounds.
How long does a basic-account application take?
BaFin states that after a complete application is submitted, the bank has ten business days to review it and offer the account if the requirements are met.
Does a basic account include an overdraft or credit card?
No entitlement exists to an overdraft or credit card. The statutory account covers core payment functions.
Scope
General information, not legal or tax advice
This guide explains common processes and statutory account-access context. It does not determine eligibility, tax residence, immigration status, creditworthiness or whether a provider must accept your individual application.
Before relying on a rule
- Check the provider’s current application and terms.
- Use the municipality’s current registration instructions.
- Keep evidence of a basic-account application or refusal.
- Seek qualified advice for individual legal or tax conclusions.
Official sources