Bank Account
A bank account at a German bank serves for transactions of payments during your stay in Germany, i.a. with regard to room rent, debit transfer and salary, if applicable. It is not recommendable to continue using your bank account at your home country because this might cause high costs and fees as well as unnecessary complications. Anyhow, the respective conditions for opening a bank account in Germany differ according the country of origin you are coming from.
Before you are entitled to open a bank account in Germany, you have got to accomplish the following steps:
- You have to prove a residence in Germany. For this reason, please register within 14 days after arrival at Chemnitz at the Citizens' Registration Office (Meldebehörde), because there you will a receive a certificate of registration which you will have to present at the bank.
- In case you are an international PhD-student, you have to enrol first as PhD-student at Chemnitz University of Technology because you will be asked to present a certificate of enrolment at the bank. Please read also our information regarding enrolment in this respect. As international postdoc resp. scientist you will have to present a proof of employment - either at an institution at your home country or - in case of employment at Chemnitz University of Technology - your respective working contract.
In addition, please take with you a valid personal identification document, either your passport or your identity card. In preparation of a bank account, it is worth checking different banks because they have quite different conditions, i.a. regarding bank charges, drawing credit and periods of notice. An option with quite beneficial conditions is the Deutsche Bank.
Before you are entitled to open a bank account in Germany, you have got to accomplish the following steps:
- You have to prove a residence in Germany. For this reason, please register within 14 days after arrival at Chemnitz at the Citizens' Registration Office (Meldebehörde), because there you will a receive a certificate of registration which you will have to present at the bank.
- In case you are an international PhD-student, you have to enrol first as PhD-student at Chemnitz University of Technology because you will be asked to present a certificate of enrolment at the bank. Please read also our information regarding enrolment in this respect. As international postdoc resp. scientist you will have to present a proof of employment - either at an institution at your home country or - in case of employment at Chemnitz University of Technology - your respective working contract.
- In addition, you have got to present a proof of a valid residence title. At best, this is already your residence permit. In the case that it was not issued to you yet, please take with you your visa and your application for a residence permit. Though, the decision on the acceptance belongs in this case to the respective bank.
Please take finally your passport with you. In preparation of a bank account, it is worth checking different banks because they have quite different conditions, i.a. regarding bank charges, drawing credit and periods of notice. An option with quite beneficial conditions is the Deutsche Bank.
Please be aware of the difference between a bank account and a "Blocked Account": The opening of a "Blocked Account" can be required from you by the respective German Mission Abroad in your home country as precondition for the issue of a visa before your entry to Germany. Thus, this is an account which you have to open already before your arrival at Germany. Furthermore, you have got to transfer an amount fixed by the German Mission Abroad on which you are not entitled to dispose until you arrive in Germany. Solely under the condition that the required amount had been booked on the Blocked Account, this requirement is considered as fulfilled. Finally, a "Blocked Account", in contrary to a bank account, cannot be opened at any German bank but only at certain providers (Deutsche Bank, Finitiba etc.).
