Do (not) screw up your account opening at the DKB!
Perhaps you know the following case: You rave about the great possibilities of the free DKB Visa card and recommend the DKB account with your best conscience.
Days later, you get the feedback: “What a bullshit, the bank has rejected me!” Now you are dazed, not knowing what to say.
Each additional word about the DKB or about your friend would be like sprinkling salt into the wound.
In order for this not to happen, I have created this page for you!
If you like, you, as a referrer, can let your friends and acquaintances read this page in advance for them to be fit for the account application at the DKB.
As one thing is clear: Because of this great offer, the DKB can choose its clients and it does so!
Note: Never fill out an account application unprepared
… as the danger is great that you commit a mistake due to carelessness, which leads to the rejection of the account opening. And this would be a shame for all involved people!
1. Never state too little income
False modesty is neither appropriate in the interview, nor when opening an account. Present yourself in the best light. Even if it is an online form.
Background:
You already know that the DKB offers the entire account, including credit card and with worldwide free cash withdrawals.
In contrary to most other banks, the DKB does not indicate that some ATMs charge additional fees, but it reimburses them.
However, like any other bank, the DKB needs to earn money in order to continue to exist. It can only do this having customers, who have a certain income.
In the first place, this will reduce the likelihood of problems (e.g. suffering overdraft, garnishment requests) and at the same time, fee income is made through the use of the Visa credit card at electronic payments. You do not pay these fees, but the company, where you pay with the card.
Yes, and the Bank does also earn from the interest rate differentials. Tags: Overdraft and Visa-Savings.
How to state your income correctly:
Extract from the account application. Here you can find the complete (bilingual) instructions to fill it out: Opening the DKB account.
In the field “Aktuelles Nettoeinkommen pro Monat in Euro” (Current net income per month in EUR), you enter the total of all money inflows that are sent monthly.
Specifically, this means:
- salary income, pensions or government payments
- + if applicable, any income from part-time jobs
- + if applicable, income from additional creative work
- + if applicable, income from rent, lease, investment income (interest, dividends)
- + if applicable, every other payment that regularly to occasionally flows into your life.
Please convert incomes in other currencies and add them to the total.
Special cases
There are always situations in life, in which you think you have no income that you can specify.
Think, before you state your income!
… as a bank that offers an automatic credit line, calculates the amount of the credit line depending on it!
Let’s look at the following ideas for solutions together. These can be supplemented through the comments feature at the end of this article.
(University) Student
You are planning soon to start studying (or continue at a different location), but you have no yet signed a part-time job or the student loan notice has not yet arrived?
At this stage, or as a student (account opening possible from 18 years of age; younger students may choose DKB u18), the current income plays a subordinate role. It is obvious that there is hardly any A-levels graduate, who earns Euros 500 or more.
The salary arises in the later years. That this is higher and you will thus have a better credit rating then, is also known to the bank. And it counts on it ;-).
So state the income that you actually have. Although, it is permanently the family support.
Monthly transfers or cash deposits of the parents are, of course, part of the income!
Housewife / Houseman
You currently take care of your family and home and your partner earns the income?
No problem. It is best to proceed as follows:
- Set up to DKB joint account,
- transfer the salary payments of the (main) earner to the account, thus the creditworthiness applies to both account holders,
- the subsequent opening of one or two single DKB accounts for you is then a mere formality.
This way, the probability of a successful account opening is much higher than if you apply for the account and specify the housekeeping money as income. Even if this is received by standing order monthly, the creditworthiness is, in the view of the bank, not as good as in the above described way.
The line of credit that the DKB makes available (DKB Visa credit card / overdraft) depends mainly on the regular salary payments.
2. Be careful when stating the occupation
The background is the same as at the first point with modest income. Every bank that does not earn from high bank charges longs for highly creditworthy customers. Be one!
In which case are you unemployed, in accordance with the account application?
Do not define yourself as unemployed, if you:
- still work in your old job despite the termination of work
(you should hurry with the account opening, so you can transfer the last salary payment to the account) - do not currently work, but have already signed an employment contract
(In the next few weeks, you will receive the income and can state the new account number at the employer – specify the income, which has been agreed on in the employment contract, plus possibly other incomes).
If you unfortunately belong to the people, to whom the unemployment is not a short temporary period, the DKB is not the right bank for you.
Maybe not from your perspective, but from the perspective of the bank. I must say this honestly in order to not provide you with false hopes.
However, you will still have two options:
- Choose another free account/credit card without creditworthiness check, as it is offered, for example, by PayCenter or
- Make the application for account opening, when you have a fixed income from work or retirement.
Never select the menu item “unemployed”, as this would certainly ruin your account application.
If you belong to the circle of private income earners, then please select “Sonstiges” (other). You should expect that the bank will interrogate you before the account opening in order to discover the sources of income.
One has to understand this fact as the DKB is a lending bank with the credit card. It is subject to several auditing duties. A pure credit account with prepaid Visa credit card is not offered.
Choose your occupation wisely, the one that fits to your life. Behind each option, the bank has different creditworthiness points.
Example for solution
If you have been fired or you have quit, but you still are in the working phase and the new employment contract has already been signed, then please select Angestellter (employee).
If you have finished your studies and you still do not have a job or want to travel the world for a few months, then please state that you are a student. Criterion is whether you are enrolled in a university (student card)!
Self-employed and freelancers
I know that you do an excellent job and our country needs more people like you, who get up and have courage to conquer the world by oneself.
Unfortunately, banks regard the economic independence as a risk. Income from a time less than three years of self-employment does often not count. Grrrrr!
Additionally, the DKB does not offer business accounts – only private use is allowed. Well, that is only a problem, if the amount attracts their attention. 😉
Nevertheless: people with the status of self-employed or freelancers have a harder time to become a DKB customer, because the automatic creditworthiness calculation deducts points here. I do not like this, but it happens to be a fact!
Solution idea
If you pay yourself a regular salary and if it should be the private withdrawals to cover the cost of your life, then please define yourself as “Angestellter” (employee) of your own business, agreed?
Correction: If you do not accidentally have an autonomous side job, but are officially listed as a self-employed person at the tax authorities, then please indicate this also at the DKB.
You can use the account and the credit card entirely – but privately. One has to strongly discourage a business use, because new experiences have shown that the use in small scale does not really stand out … if the use becomes more extensive or even public (e.g. imprint of a website) and the bank notices this, an account cancellation will take place.
No reader of ours should have such problems, so here is the link to the free business accounts.
Other employment
Stating this really is not a good option, as the bank cannot guess your job. Only choose it, if you really can document it well. For example, if you are a member of parliament or judge.
You will have to expect questions and the prompt for submitting a proof of income.
Positive news: If your data about income and occupation is coherent, the bank often waives on proof!
3. Communicate politely with the DKB!
If you follow the first two points, most likely, it will not come to point 3. Your application has passed smoothly.
Success statistic that one should know
- approx. 60 to 65 % of applications on account opening are smooth; this work is done by the bank computer.
- approx. 30 to 35 % of application will be rejected. This may have several reasons and banks generally do not comment on the reasons.
- about 5 % are checked manually.
If you are among the 5 percent, where the account application is checked manually, then one may congratulate you. The bank would like to welcome you as a new customer and only a few more details have to be clarified.
That means that an employee of the bank will contact you via e-mail or sometimes by phone. Often, this happens out of a question of understanding or a document is requested.
Golden rule: be super-polite.
Actually, it is obvious that if you “apply” for a really great bank account and there may be questions by the bank, you should always show yourself from the best side. In other words: be friendly and polite when you communicate with the staff members of the bank.
However, I would not have to write this note, if it was actually always the case. There are indeed some fellows, who start to nag or even threaten in some way: “Why are you asking that, this is not of your business, so I will go to another bank.”
You should not be surprised later, if the bank rejects your account opening in the last moment. This is then a good thing for all the other DKB customers. Agreed?
4. Let´s start
You probably know the huge benefits of the DKB account already. With the knowledge from this article, you are well prepared for the account application!
However, please realize again why it is worth the trouble, before you take action and apply for the DKB account. You will be able to enjoy:
- absolutely free Internet current account
- with a free Visa credit card too
- and worldwide free cash supply
- all around the clock telephone customer service
- account application possible within Germany and from abroad
“Apply now for the DKB account + credit card”
… the worldwide most attractive bank account!
Bonus
In order to really take full advantage of the benefits of the DKB, I recommend that you join our DKB video course (German). It is free of charge for the smart bank customers and fans (German) of this web portal! But first, complete your account opening. In the days until the bank cards are shipped, you will have enough time.
Dear Gregor on Tour,
I would like to ask your suggestion for choosing a bank account. For locality reasons I would like to choose a bank form cash group (there is a Postbank terminal nearby), but I would like to use the card much more often for purchasing directly (eg. paying in supermarket) in Germany _and_ abroad.
Withdrawing would be rare issue.
So I would need a bank with free world wide debit card purchase option, cheap or free automatic transfer, English support and internet banking.
I have now fix income, but It is a plus if the account stays cheap even after I do not have one (eg. if I move to an other country latter).
Thanks in anticipation,
Janos
Dear Janos,
only the Deutsche Bank have a complete online banking in english: Aktiv Konto für junge Leute (sorry, that is a link of german site … but you can change in english.)
In only few weeks a new german bank, which is specialized on bank accounts for smartphones, will start the english version of banking app and site. here you can see 12 facts about: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/n26-account-facts/
Help this information?
Hello Gregor,
You state: “If you have finished your studies and you still do not have a job or want to travel the world for a few months, then please state that you are a student. Criterion is whether you are enrolled in a university (student card)!”
For someone who has graduated over a year ago, has just received a paid Praktikum offer of two months with potential 1-year contract after the 2-month Probezeit and is currently registered and living with the support of their parents in Germany, should student be chosen as an option?
I’m under the impression that would be wrong as the person is technically not enrolled in a university. Perhaps you could clarify this? If not, what would be the correct option here if the point is to avoid selecting “unemployed.”
Otherwise, should the person wait until the Probezeit has ended and a formal contract has been signed?
Thank you for your help and for this article, it’s very useful information!
Of course, you always have to specify the truth at the account opening. Should the bank find out that you lied, the trust will be gone and this may result in an account cancelation.
As presented in the article, there are a number of statements, which are both true. Depending on the view and position.
If someone is unemployed since a long time and there is currently no hope to get a job soon and no other activity is carried out, then it is so. In this case, the application for account opening at the DKB does not make sense. It would be unlikely that the account will be opened.
That’s what I thought, thank you for clarifying.
Hi, after you have applied for the account and been accepted, can you change your total income?
There is no need to do that. The income question is only important for the account opening … later nobody is interesting at this information anymore 🙂
Thank you for your response. I think what I’m worried about is if you initially stated a very low total income, even though the account gets opened, you will get a very low credit limit. I guess you can increase the limit later, what’s your advice to do that?
The way to increase the initial limit is by transferring the salary payment, which should actually be transferred regularly to the DKB account.
Hi Gregor,
Unfortunately, my application got rejected ones and I would like to know if its possible to try my luck again ?
Thank you,
Ajaz
Yes, one can submit the application on account opening several times. This is meaningful, of course, if changes took place. E.g. if the income increased or if you made a Schufa-query https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/schufa-inquiry/ – and found a mistake and corrected it. Good luck!
Hi Gregor
Do you know why DKB has Pensionär and Rentner on their application form? Is there difference? Thank you for clarification.
Hi Corienne,
Yes, that’s true, and it’s a curious thing. The reason/background for this is statistics – the criteria have been established more than 20 years and not changed since them.
In Germany, to be correct a “Pensionär” is a retired civil servant. They receive a “Pension”, a payment from their pay and pensions office (public service).
All others are “Rentner” and receive a “Rente”. In casual conversation, both expressions are often used synonymously.
When applying for a DKB account, it does not make a difference if you select one or the other. Do you want to open a DKB account?
How long one has to wait until they can reapply again (after being denied an account)?
There is no official period of time. We recommend six weeks at least. The reason for this is, that after a certain time the banks delete data of denied account applications.
It only makes really sense though, once your situation has changed, e.g. with a higher income, end of probation period, new Schufa score (Schufa calculates the score new every quarter).
Since it is free of charge for you, you can apply for an account again and again. 🙂 Good luck!
ah probation period might be a reason why I was denied then. I am still on probation for another two months. Thanks for your response.
Hi..Is being denied online same as being denied receiving a letter? I was fillling up the form, in the end, they said that I did not met some criteria and a second account holder may help. I tried re-applying again with a higher salary, still unscuccessfull. Is this because of my nationality? also my residence card as a student? Thank you
Yes, that is possible. When applying for the account one has to pass a credit check, like with many other free-of-charge direct banks that offer credit cards. For that, a good SCHUFA score, the score of Germany’s biggest credit reporting agencies (General Credit Protection Agency) is important. As a student from abroad it is of course difficult to build up a sufficient score in a short time, so regrettably, DKB is currently not a suitable bank for you.
It would be the easiest to apply for an account (with card) that does not require a credit check, but these are of course not free of charge.
I just tried to open an account and it said it only opens accounts if you live in Germany Austria or Switzerland
Hello,
I wanted to open an account at DKB but my last job as a researcher ended on 12.2016. I am currently unemployed for this month but have already signed the contract for a new job starting 02.2017. Do you think I can still open an account now or should I wait until February? I just wanted that my new salary from February directly goes into the DKB account.
Yes, that makes sense! Please do apply for the account now and state the agreed-upon salary for the new position.
In the field “tätig beim derzeitigen Arbeitgeber” (current employer) state 02.2017. I hope, the computer system will accept this, otherwise change the entry to 01.2017.
Last year, I have already had a consultation with DKB, that if a customer is „unemployed“ but already has signed the contract for a new position, they don’t state “unemployed” but instead the new employer. This is a very important point when it comes to the credit check. Best of luck!
Thank you Gregor for the answer. I will try opening a new account by putting in the date as 01.2017.
I tired giving 02.2017 but the system doesn’t accept dates in the future. I hope there won’t be a problem, when they check, if I mention January although my contract starts from February.
Best regards,
Ajay
Thank you Gregor for your suggestion. I could successfully open an account at DKB. I’m looking forward to receiving the documents in a few days.
Best regards,
Ajay
Great! Thank you for that nice feedback. 🙂
Hello, Great site, It has allowed me to learn a lot about German banking. I am currently interested in opening a DKB or Comdirect account, but my situation is rather peculiar:
I am an architect currently employed in Mexico but will be moving to Germany in the last weeks of February. I am a German citizen, though it will be my first time living there, I will arrive with my sisters, learn German (one of my sisters has reached C1 level in less than a year, and look for a better employment opportunity there to pay off my student loan here.
Should I apply as worker? will a bank statement from my Mexican Santander account serve as proof of income? How much income are they looking for, because I earn less than 700 euros a month here, and its worth less every passing week the way the Mexican peso is going. Although I have had some extra income these past two months that have made what goes through my account be closer to 850 euros.
Are these bank accounts for me?
Hello!
A “long-distance“ account opening from abroad is always an expensive matter for a bank, because several people have to manually check it. Many banks do not even offer this!
DKB will ask themselves, how they can recover these costs. With a customer in Mexico, who for German standards only has a low income, this will not be easy.
There will always be German standards taken as a basis for the income and credit check. This, by the way, is also the reason why many German expats (Germans who live abroad for a longer period of time for work reasons) have good chances regarding an account opening!
They of course can try it, but I don’t want to create any false hopes!
When you are in Germany, later, you can try it another time. The first application from abroad will have been deleted by then (six week period), so that you will be considered a new applicant.
In case you already arrive by the beginning of February, it’s better to wait with the online application. Please do keep in mind though, that you do not have any “credit history” in Germany yet, and that as with every German bank there are no guarantees for a giro account with credit card. An almost guaranty – so to speak – is the case with such providers that offer accounts and cards without credit check: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/account/current/opening/ – but these are not free of charge!
I filled the DKB form, did the WebID check, I provided bank statements, payroll receipts and utility receipts.
Communication thus far has been through emails that I can translate with google and that get proofread by my sister before I send mine. They have now asked me to communicate now by phone, what can I expect? My sister has agreed to be on the phone with me to help me translate if I get stuck, but I would like to know what sort of questions I can expect to practice my German before making the call.
The bank probably simply wants to hear if you understand German to some extent. This is important, because the contract language as well as the online banking is only available in German.
Don’t worry about this. We know from experience that most of the bankers don’t have a problem to switch to English after the first German words, or the discussion will consist of some language mixture.
I’m nervous, so if they find my German insufficient they will reject my account? I’m going to start intensive 5 hour a day classes in a couple months, that’s what I’m moving for. Well, here goes nothing, I’ll call on Monday.
Since I am a full-time student with no job, I declared my income zero, which is most probably the main reason behind rejection of my application. Do you know how can I fix my application? Do I stand a second chance?
As you have read in the article, you need an income in order to open the account. Without income, a new application does not make any sense. Please apply for the account, when you have an income/salary. There is always a second chance. 🙂 Best of luck!
Hi, I’ve realised I made a mistake with my netto income, having calculated it for a wrong Land, so I stated nearly 300 euro too much. What should I do about that? Whom do I tell and when?
Hey I applied for the account and got accepted. Then I confirmed my ID and there was everything fine as well. The webID serves wrote me that they send the confirmation to the DKB and that I should receive a confirmation from bank. After one week I had still no confirmation. So I wrote to the bank to ask them what is the situation. I don’t s speak German so I wrote in English. Their response (in English) was that I have to write them in German (really?! I get that official document will be in German only, but customer service?! What is so difficult about English?) Nevertheless I translated my request and sent it again, but so far I got no response. So could you please advice my how am I suppose to communicate with the bank and how can I found out if the account was created or not. Eventually how can I cancel my application (I don’t want to have account in bank which refuse to speak English with its customers).
Thank for advice
If you need a bank that communicates with you in English, then DKB is not the right choice.
There are only very few providers in Germany that offer an English language customer service. For example here: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/open-english-account-germany/
In the month of August, DKB has had a record amount of account applications (they offer one of the very best giro account in Germany) and therefore are a bit behind in processing them. From granting the application/account until the first mail/post it currently takes between 10 and 15 days.
@all: Please do not write to DKB in English. With your account application (account contract) you have agreed to the contractual language being German. Another language is not offered by the bank due to legal reasons. If you want to contact the bank via telephone and don’t feel sure regarding the German pronounciation, you could ask friendly, if an employee might be available to talk english with you. According to our experience, that works well in most cases.
Hi Gregor, this is a great site.
I have some troubles for opening an account at DKB.
I am a French citizen who just moved to Germany for a position as University professor (Beamter) starting this month. Although my salary is pretty decent and my job is stable my application was rejected. Any hint about what I could do?
Hi Bruno,
that should normally not be the case. I have forwarded this to Gregor, he’ll come back to you.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the bank would get in touch with you again, and if it does work out with the account opening after you’ve submitted a payslip/proof of salary. Best of luck!
I filled up application for joint account with my wife, inserted my net salary (which is good), but on her information I put net income as zero (occupation hausfrau), will this land in rejection?
It’s been an hr since submission, I didnt receive any email from them.
Hey, hey … if it has only been one hour, you’ll probably have to maintain some patience until the bank works on the applications. There is a five-figure-amount of applications for an account opening coming in every month!
Hi there,
I am a German citizen who just received a job in Berlin. I am making an abover average salary and am trying to open my bank account with DKB from the US. They are making it difficult by asking for a Meldebescheinigung, which I do not have because I am not currently living in Germany.
Thoughts?
It would be easiest to open the account then, when you are in Berlin. Then you have the “Meldebescheinigung”, and things will go the normal way. Best of luck.
Hi there Gregor,
I am a student in Germany with a scholarship (regular income so to say). I have applied for a DKB but since I have not a residence permit yet, I have been asked by DKB to request again when I have the permit. I have been thinking of opening N26 first and then in a month or so apply for DKB when I have the residence permit. Do you think DKB will accept my application even if I have a N26 account?
Thank you so much in advance.
Thank you very much for trusting in my abilities, but in fact I can not predict how the bank algorithm will decide on the account verification. It includes more than just 2-3 facts such as residency status, salary, and other bank details. I wish you best of luck!