refunds

Application for refund of pension insurance contributions

Foreign employees who contributed for less than 60 months to the German governmental pension insurance will not get a German pension and can therefore apply for a refund of German pension insurance contributions, if the following criterias are fulfilled cummulatively:

There is no obligation to be insured in the German pension insurance any more and
there is no possiblity to be insured in the German pension insurance on a voluntary basis and
your last contribution to the German pension insurance was at least 24 months ago (waiting time).

To check if an employee can claim for a refund also the nationality is important. Three groups have to be distinguished:

1. Nationals of EEA-member-states

Austria

Belgium

Cyprus

Czech Republik

Danmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Hungary

Ireland

Iceland

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxemburg

Malta

Netherlands

Norway

Portugal

Poland

Slovakia

Slovenia

Sweden

Spain

2. Nationals of countries Germany concluded a Social Security Treaty with

Chile

Israel

Japan

Former Yugoslavia

Canada

Morocco

Switzerland

Tunisia

Turkey

USA

3. Nationals of countries without Social security treaty concluded with Germany (all others)

1. Nationals of EEA-member-states

Is the former insured employee national of an EEA-member state, for refund purposes the current place of residence is important:

If the current place of residence is one of the under 1. listed countries, it is not possible to claim for a refund.

If the current place of residence is not listed under 1. and there is no obligation to contribute to a pension insurance of one of the countries listed under 1. or Turkey, it is possible to claim for a refund.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2. Nationals of countries Germany concluded a Social Security Treaty with

Is the former insured employee national of a country listed under 2., the possibility of claiming for a refund depends on the nationality:

2.1. Chilean nationals

Chilean nationals having their current place of residence outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.2. Nationals of Israel

Nationals of Israel having their current place of residence in Israel can not claim for a refund.

Nationals of Israel having their current place of residence outside of Israel and outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.3. Japanese nationals

Nationals of Japan having their current place of residence in Japan can not claim for a refund.

Nationals of Japan having their current place of residence outside of Japan and outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.4. Nationals of former Yugoslavia

For social security purposes "former Yugoslavia" means Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bosnia-Herzegowina, Croatia and Macedonia.

Nationals of these countris having their current place of residence in this respective country (i.e. national of Croatia living in Croatia) can not claim for a refund.

Nationals of thesecountries having their current place of residence outside of this respecive country (i.e. national of Croatia living in Macedonia) and outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance or to a pension insurance of this respective country.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.5. Canadian nationals

Canadian nationals having their current place of residence outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.6. Moroccan nationals

Moroccan nationals having their current place of residence outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.7. Swiss nationals

Swiss nationals having their current place of residence outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.8. Tunisian nationals

Tunisian nationals having their current place of residence outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.9. Turkish nationals

Turkish nationals having their current place of residence outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

2.10. US nationals

US nationals having their current place of residence outside of Germany can claim for a refund, if there is no current obligation to contribute to a German or Turkish pension insurance.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.

3. Nationals of countries without Social security treaty concluded with Germany (all others)

Foreign nationals that are not nationals of one in 1. or 2. listed countries and have their place of residence outside of Germany and outside of the EU can in general claim for a refund of the employees part of pension insurance contributions.

Exceptions do exist, if

there is a current obligation to contribute to the German pension insurance, i.e. if the employee is seconded to a foreign country by a German employer or
there is a current obligation to contribute to the UK pension insurance or a pension insurance of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegowina, Macedonia or Slovenia.

If the exceptions are not met, the foreign national can apply for a refund.

As there is some correspondence necessary with German authorities, we´d like to offer our help to claim a refund of the employees part of the pension insurance contributions. Please click here.