Comdirect: Opening the current account
As the regular readers of our special portal know, the current account of the Comdirect Bank is one of the absolute best accounts in Germany.
5 things that Comdirect customers value the most:
Free to the Comdirect account!
- unconditionally free account management
- free Girocard and Visa credit or prepaid card
- withdraw cash free of charge around the globe
- further accounts, like savings account, securities account or loan possible
- account opening from within Germany and abroad possible.
Details about the services: www.comdirect.de/cms/girokonto.
Details about the account opening for:
1. Account opening for German citizens in Germany
You apply for the account through the link mentioned above. After the online account application, there are two possibilities of legitimating:
-
PostIdent
You go with the ID-coupon and your ID-card or passport to a post office branch of your choice and confirm your identity there. The post office forwards your identity to the bank. This method is free for you!
-
VideoIdent
VideoIdent consists of a video call conversation with Comdirect. You will have to hold your passport in front of the camera. Additionally, the bank staff member will take a current photo of you through the webcam.
Things you need for the VideoIdent method:
- phone
- computer with Webcam (can also be in an Internet café)
- current Flash Player (Program for the video call)
- ID-card or passport
- mobile phone number or email address (to receive the TAN-confirmation)
Legitimating through video call!
2. Account opening for foreigners in Germany
The application is also provided through the above mentioned link. Depending on the nationality, there are one or two methods for identification available.
-
PostIdent
ID-cards, national ID-cards and passports of nearly every country are accepted by the Deutsche Post branch offices as a data base for the PostIdent-procedure.
As the German residential address is only stated on the foreign ID-documents in the rarest of cases, the submission of a registration certificate will be required in many cases. You can obtain a registration certificate at your local citizens service/registration office. In Bavaria, this official certificate costs currently Euros 5.
-
VideoIdent
The legitimating via video call is currently available to holders of identity documents from the following countries:
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Luxembourg
- Liechtenstein
3. Account opening for German citizens abroad
For German citizens abroad (expats) that have a valid ID-card or passport, the VideoIdent-procedure is a great simplification.
-
VideoIdent
The legitimating is the same as in “German citizens in Germany“. Additionally, a confirmation of the address abroad is required. This proof can be provided easily. Proven – at no additional costs – are phone bills, electricity or gas bills, or a bank statement from a local bank: simply a document that states your abroad address.
-
ID-form with notarial confirmation
This procedure, in which a notary verifies your identity based on the ID-card or passport and confirms it using the ID-form of the Comdirect bank, can be used as an emergency solution, if you live in a country, where the Internet connection is not sufficient for video calls.
4. Account opening for foreigners abroad
The Comdirect also accepts customers, who live abroad and are no German citizens.
However, please note that the German language should be understood at least elementarily. The telephone customer service will also be able to deal with English, but the online banking and mailings of the bank are only available in German language.
For non-German citizens abroad, there is a total of three legitimating methods. Please choose the one that is easiest for you.
-
VideoIdent
No matter in which country you are currently – you can take this convenient way of video call, if you have an identity document of the following countries:
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Luxembourg
- Liechtenstein
-
ID-form with notarial confirmation
The legitimating through the ID-form can be implemented from most countries. However, please contact the customer service of the Comdirect bank and ask about the current situation (e.g. whether an apostille is required).
-
PostIdent
The legitimating through the PostIdent-procedure is always possible. For example, if you are visiting Germany. However, we know of cases in which the Deutsche Post has declined this legitimating – probably because of the foreign address – but there are also cases in which it worked well.
How VideoIdent works (please start the video):
Possible challenges: too few creditworthiness data
The Comdirect Bank can offer such excellent conditions, such as the free Visa card, because it is a clever direct bank. However, that also means that many processes happen automatically.
Thus, each application on a current account opening is assessed by the computer and this suggests an account opening or a rejection of account opening. For this, the computer evaluates various data, such as the monthly income, among others.
In addition, a creditworthiness check through the German credit investigation company SCHUFA (German article) is made. If you live abroad or are only recently living in Germany, then there will be probably only few or no data at the Schufa. This has a negative impact on the creditworthiness rating and may lead in some cases to a rejection of the account opening.
Don´t be frustrated by an automatic rejection!
The Comdirect Bank is one of the best German banks not only due to the very good conditions, but also because of its comparatively very, very good customer service.
Explain your situation to the bank and say (or write) to the bank about the purpose of the account. There are so many cases in which a re-examination – taking into account the new information – led to a successful account opening.
Delivery of the mail
Online-Postbox. On your request, the documents will be sent by letter paying postage.
The bank statements are provided as a PDF document electronically to your virtual mailbox in the online banking system.
The access data for online banking, as well as the Girocard and Visa card, are sent to you by mail.
The delivery is in any case – regardless whether in Germany or abroad – free of charge.
And if you wish, you can also state a different address.
“Yes, I want to become a Comdirect customer”
… free current account with additional benefits!
Questions on the account opening?
Our editorial staff would be happy to answer your questions on the account opening at the Comdirect, as well as on the legitimating methods. Please post your question in the comments box at the bottom of this page.
Please feel invited to add your experiences and tips / advices to this page for the benefit of all readers. Many thanks!
After editorial deadline: Sequence of the account opening as a video
Link for the immediate account opening ► https://www.comdirect.de/sofortkonto ✔
Hi. My don is travelling to germany to work in the summer at an English teaching camp and they will be paying him in euros and they have suggested he open an account in Germany . He 19 and from the United kingdom. Can he Open one with you ?
Very many thanks
Try it, please! We ourselves are curious to know how well opening an account from different countries works for different people … thank you for your feedback.
We are an American couple who recently purchased a holiday home in Switzerland. We reside in the U.S. But visit Switzerland 3 or 4 times a year . We would like to open a bank acct to pay our taxes in Europe and to make deposits if the home is rented. Can you advise us if this is possible ? Thank you. Lee Phillips
The Comdirect is a bank in Germany. If you have your holiday home in Switzerland, it will be probably useful, if you open an account in Switzerland. You should know that Switzerland has the Franks, a different currency than in Germany.
The easiest will be that you visit a local Kantonalbank in the city, where your holiday home is … or ask in Switzerland for a recommendation. For our readers, we have specialized on the best selection and opening of bank accounts in Germany.
I would note that American Citizens have special problems opening bank accounts in Europe, and really if you only need to pay a few bills, and have limited European income, then its much easier to open an account with Currencyfair or Transferwise. You can transfer in USD from your bank and pay bills in Euros or Francs, at fair exchange rates. And if you have income, with Currencyfair you can simply have your renters do a transfer to your Currencyfair account, from which you can exchange for USD and send back to your bank.
Hello, I wish to buy a flat in Berlin. residence in Serbia…have Hungarian EU passport. Is it possible to open an bank account in Germany ..and to transfer money somehow 🙂
OR How it would be the best case … easiest and cheapest way to try?
Easiest and cheapest way: Go to a lokal bank in Berlin. You will get your bank account less one hour.
Thank you..will try that In the June 🙂
Hy, i have one questions.
Which is provisions is for send money online (comdirect bank) to other EU countries? Percentage? Example for Crotia send in HRK or EU value?
Tnx, Regards
0.15 % (min. 7.67 Euro, max. 51.13 Euro)
Guten Tag!
Ich bin jetzt Rentnarin und moechte gerne ein Konto in Deutschland eroefenen.
Wohne nicht mehr in De aber in der EU.
Ich waere auch bereit zur Zweigstelle des Bankes in Nord Deutschland zu besuchen wegen persoenliche Identifizierung…
Ich bin EU Burgerin.Ist sowas moeglich jetzt noch????
Comdirect is a direct bank. There are no branches which can do the ID check. But you can use PostIdent in every office at Deutsche Post in German. Contact the bank for details, please.
I recently filled out the application for comdirect and sent it off through the mail/postident (via passport) about how many days does it take for comdirect to approve/refuse you for a bank account? Also are you notified via email or post?
It takes about a week. Then comes the first of several letters by mail (welcome pack, access to online banking, cards, PINs).
Hi,
I currently live in Argentina. I been working for a UK based company for 8 years. I have a bank account in Spain that has been frozen because of some regulations they started to enforce recently. I’m looking forward to open a bank account in Germany. I do happen to have double nationality (Argentine – German) and have also a German passport.
For obvious reasons, I’d try not to pay tazes in Germany. do you think this is doable?
Yes, I think you have good chances for an account opening at Comdirect. With your German passport you can make the identification over webcam.
For apply the account use the PDF form (the online form is for people with address in Germany). Here you can see it how it works: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/opening-bank-account-germany/
Thanks for your reply. I’ll give it a go (and let you know the results).
perfect 🙂
Good day
I have been sent a real round robin in regards to opening a bank account. I am a Zimbabwean, residing on a work permit in South Africa and 6 weeks into my 90 day internship in Berlin. I was told to open an account I should register my address once I have a permanent one.
I resided in a student hostel for the first 2 weeks and managed to find a place 4 weeks ago. I only now managed to get a lease agreement. The next available appointment spot for registration ( Anmeldung) is after I leave!
Shall I then opt to open a non-resident account? Is it possible to do so at a branch .comdirect branch or only online. I would like to keep this Euro offshore account for life. I highly doubt that Zimbabwe or South Africa are on this list.
Your advice on this matter is highly appreciated.
Warm Regards
Melissa
Yes, the PDF-document for non-resident is the right one. And it is a great idea to open the account during the stay in Germany. That is easy to make the legitimation.
Have a good account opening and good experience with using accound and cards.
Hi
I am a business man from Australia. can I open a Euro account with you without coming to Germany?
Can we open the account via internet?
At the Comdirect, one can open a private account (instructions given above). The bank does not offer business accounts. We are still working on a solution for this issue and will then publish instructions on this special portal.
Hi there
I am ahmad. Owner of hi tech computers, Faislabad, Pakistan.
I am a businessman and I want to open bank account in Germany. I have business visa for one year. Please guide me how I can open it. When I come I need my payment in safe hand. So I need bank account.
thanks
ahmad touseef
I am sorry, but the Comdirect bank does not open business accounts.
However, we are working to find a solution on how to open a business account in Germany from abroad. So far, only very few banks are interested, therefore, it is not easy to find a good solution. Nevertheless, we will find a solution and publish it on this special portal.
Hello
I am citizen of Greece and live in Greece.
I would like to open an account in Germany to keep some money there safe (out of Greek banking system)
But I would like to be able to use these money for payments (example online services) in case I need to.
I have read about comdirect that offers current account together with savings account free of charge.
Will I be able to open these accounts?
Do you read the article? It is all explain. Sometimes people only post their questions and wait that someone wrote for they personally.
sorry perhaps the question was not clear.
I mean if I have good chances to open a current account or is it better to go only for a savings account
Yes, that is correct. Experience has shown that it is easier to open a savings account first and to add a current account later. This idea is presented here: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/comdirect/tagesgeld/opening/
The background is that it is difficult for the bank to carry out a creditworthiness check, if the residence is in Greece. For a savings account, no creditworthiness check is necessary. Nevertheless, the bank might ask for the reason of account opening. The Comdirect expects some knowledge of German language in order to understand the banking.
This is different at Number26 https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/number26/. The account opening and banking can be done completely in English language. However, one currently needs an address in Germany or Austria for the account opening, because the MasterCard can only be sent to these two countries. This will be improved in the future. Moreover, currently only transfers within the SEPA area are possible. Again, this will be expanded. The bank is still fairly new.
Good luck!
Thank you for reply.
What if I apply on comdirect for a current account but without credit card and overdraft (these are optional in the account opening documents)
Do I still need a credit rating for this?
I would prefer an account without interest rate that is why I prefer a current account instead of savings account if possible.
Hello,
I am from Albania.
I would like to open a current account in order to link it with paypal. We do have paypal available here, but unfortunately some form of paypal payments are not yet available here.
I would like to open an account from abroad.
Will this be possible for me?
Hello,
I am Indian and have been working here with local contract since 3 years. I have a Kreissparkase (for my salary) account which i am using for Electricity bill, Internet bill, Radio bill and house rent. These are down auto debit to me. If I open a account with .comdirekt, is it also possible with you a credit or debit and auto pay?
Generally, the current account of the Comdirect is applied for with two bank cards:
The credit card is settled weekly with the current account in order to avoid the expensive loan interest. In the case that the current account slips into the red, only the cheaper overdraft facility interest applies.
Hi,
With the notarial confirmation for the ID-form, as my documents (Passport, gas bills, etc) are not in German, will they have to be professionally translated? Or is it the other way around and the comdirect application form will have to be translated into English and then signed by the notary/apostilles?
thank you.
The bank will understand the English version of these documents 🙂
Hi Madam,
Can i open this account while i am in Israel?
I am planning to move to Germany in November, and prefer to make the arrangements before i am moving.
I am European citizen.
I do not know you and your financial circumstances. However, we did not establish this special portal to give individual consultation, but to show what is possible in general.
If you can provide the few requirements stated in the above article, then you should not encounter any problems at the account application. Finally, it is the bank that decides to open an account or not.
An account opening from abroad always is a little more difficult – as it is more expensive for the bank – than from an address within Germany. Nevertheless, the Comdirect in one of the very few banks in Germany, where this is possible in principal.
I would like to know what is the deposit guarantee with Comdirekt. I live in Cyprus but am a British citizen. I could come to Germany to open my account but would prefer not to do so; I don’t really understand the online account opening routines outlined above and would be grateful for more detail.
Thank you,
David Jones.
The statutory deposit guarantee in Germany is Euros 100,000 per customer and account.
The Comdirect bank is a member of the deposit guarantee system of the “Association of German Banks (BdB)”. According to their statutes, there is an additional assurance in the millions per customer and account. This amount depends on the equity capital of the bank. At Comdirect, this is currently Euros 77 million per customer.
At the Comdirect, the account opening is always applied for online. You can find instructions for the opening of the call money account (Savings) here: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/comdirect/tagesgeld/opening/ – the application for a current account works quite similar.
As you want to apply for the account from abroad, please do not click on the big button at the top (as this is linked to the online application for Germany), but through the following link.
The accounts for holders with residence abroad are not applied through an online form, but using a PDF document. You can find this on the linked page under the bullet point “Für Personen, die nicht länger als 180 Tage in Deutschland leben (for people, who do not live more than 180 days in Germany) => Eröffnungsunterlagen (documents for account opening) => Girokonto bzw. Tagesgeld PLUS” (current account or Call Money PLUS).
Please, follow the further instructions in the documents.
It could be that you and the bank agree on a legitimating via webcam. You hold your ID card and your face in front of the webcam to confirm your identity. This works fine with German ID cards or passports, but unfortunately, not always with ID documents from abroad.
Alternatively, the Comdirect accepts an Ident-form through a notary from Cyprus. You should discuss the details with the Bank. You will have to bear the costs of the notary and postage.
Another alternative would be the PostIdent-procedure. However, this only works in branch offices of the post in Germany. One visits the branch office with the ID card / passport and the Ident-coupon and can perform the identification there. The costs will be borne by the Comdirect.
The account opening in a branch office and a personal identification through an employee, is not possible, as the Comdirect has no branch offices. It is a pure online bank. Therefore also the excellent conditions!
Could you please explain the difference between the Girokonto and Tagesgeld PLUS? I live in the USA and am looking to open an account to use for spending money whenever we visit Germany. I know banking is quite different in Germany and Europe compared to here.
A Girokonto is a checking. A Tagesgeld PLUS a saving account.
For spending money you need a Girokonto with a Girocard (debit card) or a Kreditkarte (credit card).
I would like to follow the same procedure from Greece. But notaries here are not allowed to sign the identity papers that the bank requires. Such actions are only allowed to lawyers. But identity papers from lawyer is not accepted by the bank. Do you have any suggestion for this problem?
Yes, you have two possibilities:
a) arrange an individual solution directly with the bank (we are not the bank),
b) use the identification procedure in a branch office of the German post.
Thank you
Regarding (a) I have already contacted the bank and they do not accept anything else.
The only thing I have not mentioned to them is video-ident since I read that it works only for German speaking countries, is this correct?
Regarding (b) in the information of the account opening pdf it says this:
Bei nicht dargestellter Wohnangabe ist eine andere beweiskräftige Bestätigung erforderlich, zum Beispiel:
• lokaler Steuerbescheid
• aktuelle Strom-, Gas- oder Wasserrechnung
So if the address of residence is not shown on passport or ID (it is not shown for Greek ID or passport) I have to bring to the post office some utility bill of tax bill that will show my address.
What can I bring to the a German Post-Office that the employee will admit? Because all these papers are in Greek language.
Thank you again for the help
What would be the best options to transfer money to this account from the U.S.? I know basic German and am trying to learn some banking German. Would they decline me if they think my German is not good enough?
For the money transfer between the USA and Germany, I always use TransferWise. TransferWise is cheap and fast. However, I do not know, if it is always the best solution. Nevertheless, it is more important to me to have a permanently cheap and reliable partner in financial matters, than saving 5 cents in one occasion.
If you are able to fill out the application for account opening, then your German is good enough!
Danke schoen!! 🙂
Hi
Cash withdraw is free abroad by using the credit card.
And what about payments with the credit card? Which commissions are paid?
Thanks
Rui m
Yes, this is correct. Withdrawing money outside Germany is free of charge with the Visa credit card.
Payments in Euros are also free of charge. At payments in a different currency (e.g. USD) you will have to bear 1.75% international service fee.
When withdrawing money in a foreign currency – e.g. US-Dollars – no international service fee applies. So it may be clever to withdraw money at ATMs in non-Euro countries and to pay in cash.
Sorry, one more question.
Do you have any instructions to open a current and credit card account?
I can only find to open a savings account.
Thanks
Rui m
The account opening of the current account is quite similar to the opening of a saving account.
In the German language version, there is a small series about the account opening. However, in this case, a securities account was opened at the same time: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/de/comdirect-kontoeroeffnung/
Hi, i have a quick question, i have a German bank account from Sparkasse, this is a personal bank account, i do receive money from selling things on Ebay, do you think i can open a comdirect account and receive payment something from Ebay Deutschland? i am currently living in USA but still selling things on German Ebay.
Regards
You can try it. You can’t lose, only win.
Hi,
I’ve received a letter from Comdirect about my account opening process. I’ve some doubts on the German language. It’s possible you can help me by email?
Thanks in advance.
regards, rui m
Which part is not clear?
1) Should I check this checkbox? (I’m portuguese citizen living in Portugal)
– Unter meiner oben angegebenen steuerlichen Adresse außerhalb der Bundesrepublik Deutschland halte ich mich länger als 180 Tage im Jahr auf.
2) Can I fill the below form in the Post Office (Post ident) or needs to be in the notary? (I’m going to Germany next week)
“Feststellung von Identität,Wohnsitz und Steuer-Identifikationsnummer”
3) Is this the local tax number? Steuer-Identifikationsnummer TIN (z.B. EU-Personalausweis, lokaler Steuerbescheid)
Thanks
regards, rui m
1) yes, select it.
2) use the identification at Deutsche Post (that is free of charge). But don’t ask the Post if it possible, say you are here to do this … you know what I mean.
3) That is one of the German tax identification number. I guess you don’t have one, than let the box emty.
Good luck
Regarding 2.
You should not need to use this form if you go to a German Post Office
They will create a form there for you and you just need to sign it,
The form you mention (Feststellung von Identität, Wohnsitz und Steuer-Identifikationsnummer) is to be used only if you go to a Notary (it says signature of notary at the end!)
Hey Rui, i´m also Portuguese, did you manage to open an account in comdirect?
Hi JOão,
Yes, I did, but I had to open it in Dusseldorf during a work visit.
Hi,
I’m trying to open a bank account with Comdirect. But, I cannot find the PostIdent coupon. It seems that only VideoIdent is available on the website.
In my case, the PostIdent-Coupon was on the last page of the PDF-document, which was generated after the online application.
However, this is not a problem. Just write an e-mail to the customer service of the bank and ask for another PostIdent-Coupon for the legitimating and you will receive it via e-mail.
Hi tanja, I recently opened a comdirect account, and I did filled all the information, then they send another letter again with a coupon, the letter also said it can be faxed as they have all the information, the was a mistake with my citizenship and date of birth so I rectified the mistakes and signed, then I faxed it. That arround the 16th of November. When do I get the reply back if my account was successful or not, I live in Germany for 4years now. And the funny part is daily I check the postal box to see if my reply came.
Nat, I hope you’ve received a reply in the meantime. While this is a website for clever banking in Germany we’re not the bank ourselves. So we don’t have access to an individual bank customer’s data. I would recommend to ask the bank’s customer service about your case.
Hi I am an australian and have moved to Germany for 1 year for work. I earn between 600-800 euro a month can I open a com direct bank account and what are the fees involve.
Thanks
Did you read the article?
Hi!
I have been doing cash deposits in my account at Comdirect through ATM from Commerzbank and I was charged 3,8EUR. Is there any way to make cash deposits without any cost?
Thanks
The deposit through the ATM of the Commerzbank is 3 times a year free of charge for Comdirect customers since the last change in the price list. Then, cheap Euros 1.90 are charged for each operation. This at least applies, if one deposits on the current account.
A reader from our inner circle wrote us that there are without limitations no charges for deposits to the account “Tagesgeld Plus” (call money plus). One can only deposit to this account at the counter. Do you want to try this for yourself?
Hello.
I am a US citizen who visits friends in Germany annually. I would like to open an account in Germany and transfer funds in advance of travel.
Can a savings account with a debit card do this or is there another option? A pre-paid account?
Thanks.
Hi, I live in Iran and I want to open an account in comdirect bank. Please inform me what should I do from here.
Hi,
I am Swiss citizen leaving in Switzerland and currently interrested in opening Girokonto by Comdirect, in order to avoid cash withdrawal fees while travelling abroad. However, when I start the opening process and fill-in the online formular, system asks me to fill-in the postIdent formular because I live in Switzerland… I thought that videoIdent were avalaible for Swiss people. Is it still valid?
Thanks for help and best regards
Greetings, Many thanks for this information about Comdirect. I opened an account with them this week and have been impressed with the service. I am an EU citizen, but a legal and fiscal resident of the USA. Most European banks seems reluctant to open accounts for US residents. With Comdirect, it was a breeze. I am in Strasbourg for several weeks. All I had to do was cross the bridge into Kehl and present my passport and driver’s license at the post office. The clerk verified my identity and mailed the application. Comdirect wrote by email, asking that I complete an additional form. I returned it by email, and the account was opened the following morning. In total, it took four days. I look forward to doing business with the bank. I especially like that they allow several free deposits each year at Commerzbank. With my Schwab debit card, I can withdraw euros at the ATM from my USD account without any commission. Being able to deposit the cash with ease back into the new EUR account is a great benefit. Very pleased, and grateful for your website, without which I would not have heard about Comdirect.
The description of your experience with the account opening is great. That will certainly help others 🙂 Many thanks!
Hello, I am a British citizen, resident in France. I own an apartment in Germany which I rent out, so I need a bank account in Germany. I have had a Commerzbank account for some time now but the monthly charges are high and there’s no interest. I almost never go to Germany so I cannot go inside a bank. Do you recommend (and is it possible from outside Germany) to open a Comdirect account? Thanks so much.
Hello,
the Comdirect is a good choice in this case. But you are going to have to travel to Germany, in order to legizimize yourself at a German post office (Deutsche Post) via PostIdent. That is the simply way to do it. An alternative would be the legitimization via a notary. The details of that you’d have to discuss with the bank. Good luck!
Good day,
I am a Ukrainian citizen without registration in Germany. I am seaman and working in German company. The company ask me to open bank account in Germany in order to transfer my salary. Next month few times my ship will visit Hamburg. Please let me know if I can open bank account in Comdirect bank? What I have to do for this? Which documents I need to provide to the bank in order to get account.
Best regards Yevgen
Hi Yevgen,
have you succeeded with the opening the bank account? I am Ukrainian, too, and I am curious if it is possible at all without permanent residency in Germany. Any suggestions?
I currently have a British address & passport, went to Berlin for new years and used PostIDent at a postbank in Berlin, worked very well, and got the welcome pack through last week
Great! Thank you for your feedback! Have good luck and much good experience with your new German bank account. 🙂
Hi is there a post office to verify identity at the airport in Munich?
Yes, here our overview for you: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/foreign-account/postident-airport/
Hello,
I recently opened a comdirect online account. Is it possible to have a Schufa now? How can I get my first free Schufa in that case?
Thank you
Hello!
First of all, congratulations to your new account at Comdirect :).
I assume what you are referring to is the inquiry after your SCHUFA score (i.e. credit score)?
In that case, please have a look at this link, where we not only provide detailed information on how to get this information, but even have a sample letter for you to use: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/schufa-inquiry/
Just wanted to let you know that recently I was successfully able to open an account with Comdirect as a UK citizen not living in Germany. While visiting Germany I went to a post office to do the PostIdent process and they sent it off with my application form. Within a few days I received an email asking for proof of residence in the UK so I sent a telephone bill. Within a few more days they had processed everything and opened a Girokonto, savings account and prepaid visa card. Initially they said I could write to them in English and they would reply in German but they have since said they only accept correspondence in German. There is no English at all in the letters or website, but the app for the iPad is in English and google translate can be used. I hope this is helpful to someone in the same position as me.
Great! Thank you for your wonderful and smart feedback! I hope that will helps many people 🙂
Hello,
I’m a Swedish citizen living in India so it seems that the VideoIdent is not applicable and PostIdent is out of question at least for some time. The only option I have is what you mention: “ID-form with notarial confirmation”.
Where do I find that ID-form?
If apostille is required, how does it work? (sorry but I’m not familiar with these procedures)
Thanks for your help!
As the editorial team we gladly share tricks and tips about finding the fitting banking accounts in Germany, as well as opening and cleverly using them. But our possibilities reach their limit when it comes to individual agreements between a bank and a customer.
If you cannot use the bank’s two preferred legitimization channels (VideoIdent, PostIdent) and want to use the special channel of involving a notary instead, we recommend discussing this with the bank individually. After all, it’s the bank that needs to agree with the account opening, and it certainly would not be wrong to have an answer to the question, why you need a private free-of-charge giro account in Germany, when you live on another continent.
I have recently come to Germany for few months for project work. I wish to rent an apartment for this duration, and in most cases a bank account is needed. Can I use my temporary address or office address for registration and initial correspondence. I’m currently staying in one of the serviced apartments until I find a rental place.
In this case, Comdirect is not the right bank for you. They don’t open short time accounts (for people which don’t live here – you need an official registration like “Meldeadressse”).
Hallo. I am russian citizen. I want to run am international website where financial operations are involved (found). Can I open bank account in Europe via internet for this operations?
Hi Irene,
Comdirect is a bank exclusively for private customes and does not provide business accounts.
As a citizen and resident of Kyrgyzstan I tried to open an account with Comdirect Bank but failed. Online form didin’t accept my 6-digit post code and my place of residence. You also should indicate German mobile phone number, otherwise online form will not be accepted.
One more thing, I put “Houseman” in occupation field but there was still a question about my employer and employment location. So, I couldn’t proceed to the next page…
The online application is only suitable for residents of Germany. If you apply from a different country, you need the PDF application. More about that here: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/comdirect-opening-current-account/#4 – regarding the other details, please address the bank directly. Best of luck!
My German wife and I cannot come up with a gas/water/electricity bill as we pay an all-in-one rent. Other options- internet/insurance are all done online; we do not get mail from that either.
Help!
You only need a gas/water/electricity bill for your additional legitimization if you do not live in Germany. If that is the case (for example if you live in Austria) you could alternatively provide a copy of your registration card, tax reports or something equally official (unfortunately, a copy of the rental agreement will NOT suffice).
Tax report! Thanks.
Dear Editorial team,
Is it possible for me, as a non-EU country citizen (from Kyrgyzstan), to open bank account with German bank and get VISA or MasterCard if I visit bank in Germany in person? I plan to travel to Germany and can visit bank myself instead of applying online. If “YES” which banks can provide this option?
I have an account which card do I use to get cash from an ATM in France without charge.
I have 2 cards one with VISA and one with VPAY. I tried the VIsa card but was charged 5+ euros for 100 withdrawn.
When I rand I was told to use the Vpay card as I was in europe. I dont have a pin for this card.
Which one do I use to withdraw cash in France without having to pay a commission.
It’s correct – your VPAY card would be your card of choice for this. In order to obtain a new PIN, you can contact the bank directly (e.g. within your online banking platform) and simply send them a message. They will provide you with a new PIN.
Starting April 24, 2017, the “rules” are going to be somewhat simpler when it comes to withdrawing cash at ATMs:
– within the EUR-Zone you use your Giro/VPay-Card free of charge
– countries with other currencies: you use your Visa Card
Dear friends,
I am writing this message to thank you for all the information you have gathered here, that has helped a lot of people (I am sure) to open a German Bank account.
Because I have benefited from all this information, please allow me to write about my personal experience:
In March, during a trip of mine, I got in Munich airport for 2 hours, so I went to the airport Deutsches Post, to do the PostIdent procedure. We had a small problem communicating with the clerk in English (my German is almost non-existent), but in the end we understood each other, she put all the documents in an envelope, I didn’t pay anything and she kept them, promising that she would send them to Comdirect.
Although I was a little sceptical (in case something was ommited and I would not be able to do the procedure again, in the near future), everything proved to be fine and in a week or so, I received by mail all the necessary documents from Comdirect.
I would like to inform your readers that in Munich Airport you need to get OUT of the security area in order to get to the Post Office, so you need to pass the security check again, if you continue your flight- so, plan your time accordingly.
Thank you again for your nice and useful work- greetings from Greece!
Hi
I have followed the instruction provided here and took a chance to apply for a VISA card, although i am working for a German company here in Deutschland, with a standard income and have provided the bank with every detailed information with proper records.
The bank has declined the request stating that they cant disclose the reason to decline.
Quite surprised, could you please let me know any other legitimate options other than DKB and Comdirect ?
Thanks,
Ronald
Hi,
If you still are particularly interested in becoming a customer of Comdirect, it might be a good idea to first open the Tagesgeld account. Since this is a savings account without credit line, a credit check is not required. Once you have this account, put money in it and develop a good history as a Comdirect customer, you will probably have better chances to get other accounts there as well. https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/comdirect/tagesgeld/opening/
Alternatively, there is the option of opening an account here: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/online-account-opening/, though the conditions are not as good as with Comdirect.
Hello, I am British but reside in the Netherlands and have Dutch identification (i.e. driving licence and residence permit) as well as a British Passport. In the VideoIdent system it only accepts video calls from
Austria
Switzerland
Luxembourg
Liechtenstein.
Why not Netherlands? Can I go directly to a Comdirect bank in Aachen and open an account there?
Hello!
Comdirect is a direct bank and does not have any local branches.
What you could do instead, if you travel to Aachen, is to legitimize yourself via the PostIdent procedure at a local German post office.
I have opened an account at comdirect not long ago, their service is amazing. I only opened a girokonto but not long ago I sent another letter to get the bonus option for purchases reimbursed for a depot, since I have some experience with all kinds of wertpapier I managed to get everything sorted out. I live in Hungary so I had to go through a German language certified notare and have an apostille certificate added to the paper. The opening of the account was very smooth, only had to provide income information later and paper about my current consumption (eg telephone bills or TV subscription) I’m very satisfied with their service, got a VISA-prepaid too which is very handy, was trying to get that one not the credit card because I’m not really wanting credit options. It will be very handy once I move over to Germany now to receive my wages and get essential payments going for Internet and other stuff. They do have English speaking colleagues but mostly will only communicate in German which is not much of a problem.
Although I’m unsure how long you can keep the account empty without money actively going on it, if anyone knows please do tell me! I did look at the contract paper didn’t find it. xD
Many thanks for sharing your interesting experiences.
You can leave the account empty for a few weeks without worries. The bank does not define a duration.
But maybe you’d like to try out the account features before your activities in Germany. In that case we’d recommend a test transfer to the Comdirect account. From Hungary this works simply and inexpensively with the specialty provider TransferWise. I regularly use TransferWise for international money transfer with changing currencies.
Hello!
I am an Argentinian resident and citizen. I have also a Polish citizenship. I will buy a property in Berlin area, and during the next four years my aim is to rent this property and by 2021 to live there, when I will be retired.
Is there any possibility to open an account (girokonto, or something seemed) BEFORE buying my flat, so I could transfer there my money to this purpose and other expenses, and also for deposit the rent ?
Thank you a lot.
Eduardo
Hello!
Yes, of course. The above article contains the instructions re. how to do that.
Hello,
I have opened a Comdirect account, they have sent me the visa card but not the giroconto card. Is it possible? What should I do?
Also, in which situations I should pay attention for not paying any fees to comdirect? Is online login, sms or tan free of charge? Which actions need payment?
If a bank card has not arrived, please contact the bank quickly!
Regarding the other questions: Of course Comdirect do not charge any fees for signing into online banking, and not for sending SMS. It is possible thought that SMS costs are incurred from your mobile provider, when the message is forwarded abroad. As an alternative you could use the iTAN list and the PhotoTAN. Both are free of charge and can be ordered via the bank’s customer service.
Hello,
I live in Asia and I took your website’s introduction and applied for an account by postal mail a month ago through a notary office. I still have no reply from Comdirect bank.
How long would it take for the bank to send a response?
David
Please inquire directly at the bank. Depending on the postal delivery each way, this can be very differing in different countries. We hope you will receive your mail soon.
I just want to know if the bank would let me know whether they accept or reject my application so that I could know, not just keep me hanging without anything.
Yes, of course. Every account application gets a reply.
HI,
I’m trying to open a Girokonto bank account and have run into a bit of trouble. I arrived in Germany two weeks ago and are still using my travel sim and number until I can find a german one. I have however, already registered my current address. Because of this they asked me to fill out a form called “Angaben zum Auslandsaufenthalt.” Isn’t this form for people who are FROM Germany and living abroad?
Any advice to clear the confusion would be greatly appreciated!
When opening an account, the bank is statutorily obligated to document the residence and tax residence. In most cases, this is very easy and taken care of together with the legitimization process (PostIdent or VideoIdent). For people with a German ID that is 100% easy, since the residence is stated on the “Personalausweis” (ID card). You can contact the bank‘s telephone customer service to get advice regarding the correct filling in of the respective fields in the form. It is a good sign when the bank sends you this form, because then the account opening is imminent.
Hello
I am residing in Romania and I recently succeeded in opening an Girokonto inkl. Tagesgeld Plus with Comdirect. There were some hassles because of the identification part and me not knowing any German. Very important is that identification via notary procedure will not produce the document Comdirect needs(at least in Romania), because NO Romanian notary will put it’s signature on a German language document. They will only sign a Romanian translated form, that has further to be translated back in German. My solution was identification via Post-Ident during a trip through Germany, where it took less than 10 min (without any German word, just with showing the papers and repeating Post-Ident).
I want to ask you following:
How much Comdirect will charge when receiving my money (sent from Romania) in EUR currency? Alternatively, is Transferwise better?
What are the alternatives and what do you advise for the the money in the Girokonto, a saving or an investment plan? Will these options require another set of documents, or it’s possible via online banking?
As one of the benefits of having a DE account is shopping online on German sites, what is the safest payment method to use (with Visa Card details, via Comdirect online or better a PayPal with the Visa Card attached)?
When withdrawing more than 1000 EUR per day using Commerzbank, do I have to inform the Customer Service with several days in advance or it’s possible within the same day (respecting the working hours)?
Thank you.
Congratulations for succeeding re. the account opening. For transfers between two currency areas, TransferWise is usually less expensive. This is, why this provider is so successful!
Information regarding wealth building with direct banks in Germany are – from us – only available in the German version.
In Germany, there are various payment methods for online shopping. You can decide for yourself, which method you like best. Personally, I prefer a credit card.
With the Girocard, you can withdraw 1,000 Euro daily at the ATM. The amount you can get from the counter/till of a Commerzbank branch without advance notification depends on the size of the branch and till. Between 2,000 and 3,000 Euro should hardly be a problem. In case of higher amounts, it is recommended to discuss the collection with the Comdirect customer service.
We hope you’ll enjoy bank and account!
Hi
I am a Japanese and living in Japan and have no possibility to live in Germany. What document is necessary to identify me to open the account on you? Should I get the apostille of my passport and send you it with other documents necessary? The post office in Japan does not seem to have the system of PostIdent.
Please, always direct such question to the bank directly. If one lives abroad and is not a German citizen, one needs a good reason for needing the account, a reason the bank can understand. In exceptional cases, it is possible. Primarily the bank opens accounts for people who live in Germany or are expats. This makes sense, because the communication as well as the online banking are always done in German language.
Hello,
I tried to open Visa card in Comdirect but faced following problem. When I filled the registration form there was a question regarding address, and this is fine, I live currently in Germany (but I’m a foreigner) but I live less then 2 years and therefore have to provide previous adresse. BUT my previous address is outside of Germany, and form doesn’t accept it (to be exact it doesn’t understand zip and city). What to do? Maybe someone already solve such issue. Thanks.
Hello,
This is how you can do it:
1.) For the previous address, put in the German one again.
2.) Print out the account application and then manually strike out the previous address, manually put in the correct one and sign the changed area.
3.) Mail the application to Comdirect.
Thanks for the answer!
I live in the USA as a permanent resident (have a Green Card). My Ukrainian passport (originally issued in Sep 1998, extended till Sep 2018) is about to expire in 2 months. My questions are:
1) Would I be able to open an account at Comdirect? I’ve seen above some comments about possible problems for US citizens
2) Which documents should I copy, notarize and send to Comdirect – US Permanent Resident Card (newer) or very old Ukrainian passport?
Indeed I lived in Germany in the past and still have an account in Commerzbank. Would it help? Yet, their conditions are getting worse and I’d like to get a free account instead.
Currently, you cannot open the account from abroad using the online process. There is a PDF application you can get from the Comdirect customer service. Anyway, do you have a reply to the question, why you want to have an account at a German direct bank, even though you live somewhere else? It is possible that the bank will ask you that. Even though the bank does not charge you a fee for an account opening, there are still considerable costs incurred, and no bank opens an account just “for fun”. Especially with people who live abroad and do not seem to have – at least at first glance – any relation to Germany, the bank will ask: “Why do they want to open an account with us?”
Just a friendly warning for expats dealing with Comdirect. They currently have 2 apps for Android in the Play store; 1) Comdirect Mobile app and 2) Comdirect app. The second one is more advanced and supports the new ‘PhotoTAN’ app2app option.Here you can either scan an image or have the app scan your mobile screen for an image and with that make a transaction possible. Since Comdirect will charge for mobileTAN starting september (e.g. getting an SMS with a code), this new function is of course the way to go. But here it comes: The new app (number 2) can only be installed on phones which are running a German localized Play store account. I am Dutch and since I want access to Dutch apps, I have a Dutch localized account. This means I cannot install the new app from the playstore and therefore cannot use the photoTAN app2app function. Not very expat friendly and a bit strange for an online bank, in my eyes.
After contacting Comdirect why this Geo-restriction is in place, they haven’t given me any answer yet if this will be changed or why this restriction is there in the first place. I’m now waiting for more than a month on a response from them, to no avail it seems. Do know what you might be getting yourself into if you have to pay for each online transaction that you are doing.
(Yes I know you can use iTAN lists, but seriously, who in this day and age carries around lists of codes to perform banking actions. This just is, again in my eyes, not acceptable any more.)
Hello Gijsbert,
you can use the Comdirect App, when you first switch your phone to a german account. Then install the App and switch your account back to you dutch account. You only have to do this once.
I am a minor (17 years old) who lives abroad, I am a foreigner. I will come to Germany alone without my guardians. When I arrive in Germany, can I open a girokonto on my own without the presence of my guardians? Or can I open it online from my home country?
According to German law, you can only be legally competent to do business from the age of 18. A bank account can only be opened by banks with the consent of the parents/guardian. But there are no processes for this from abroad. That does not make any sense for German banks.
In more details, I am coming in Germany to do bachelor degree. I will open a blocked account through x patrio, so I should be responsible of opening Girokonto to transfer the monthly allowance to my account. Is there any document needed from the university that could facilitate opening Girokonto?
Comdirect does not offer this type of account. As far as I know, only Deutsche Bank does that. Once you have arrived in Germany, you can apply for a free checking account at Comdirect. This is useful for everyday (electronic) spending. For everything to do with the visa, it’s the wrong bank.
I would like to open an account with Comdirect as an exchange student in Germany. However, as the application is completely in German, I have gotten very confused about the Visa Card. There are two options available to me: the free Visa card and the Dispositionkarte. Are you able to tell me the difference between the two?
This is our explanatory article: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/comdirect-card/
Hi,
I opened an account in comdirect and I received my cards. They refused to open me a Dispositionskredit account (I have just moved to Germany, so that might be the reason). I have two questions:
1) I can use my VISA card only as a prepaid card, by transferring money to the corresponding account?
2) Do I have to pay any interest rates for the visa card? For example, if I buy something that costs €20 with my card, which has €40 balance, then they will take €20 or more? And when? The day that I bought it or at the end of the month?
Thank you in advance!
Yes, congratulations that it has worked with the account opening at one of the best direct banks in Germany. That is not a naturalness, when you have not established a credit rating in Germany yet.
Answers for you:
1) yes.
2) There is no credit interest on the prepaid card. After all, the money on the prepaid card is yours.
Thank you very much!
I have one more question concerning the prepaid card. Can I use it in countries with Euro currency (withdrawals and payments) without any further charges?
The Prepaid Card has exactly the same conditions like the real Visa Card.
Hi,
I just applied for a new account with ComDirect. I have a Pakistani passport and a “Niederlassungserlaubnis” and I currently reside in Germany.
One requirement is the PostIdent, but with a Pakistani passport it is not possible to have a PostIdent from Deutsche Post. I called the Comdirect helpline and they told me that it can also be done via Commerzbank.
I did that and they said that yes it can be done.
Now I have two questions:
1) Will this actually be accepted at ComDirect?
2) If yes, how long till I receive a confirmation?
You should be able to obtain the best reply to that directly from the bank.
Hello. I have a Comdirect account that I have not used for 2 years as I am stuck in Australia, because of Covid19. Will Comdirect keep me as a customer if I want to change my address details and tax residency to Australia, instead of Germany, or will they seek to close my account if I change tax residency? Do you know if they will send paper post mail to foreign country, login pins, compliance paperwork etc.
Thanks in advance
Yes, it is true that banks around the world are increasingly trying to get rid of their foreign customers. At least those that cost more money than they bring. Can you blame them? I have no way of knowing how the bank will act in your case. Generally speaking, the Comdirect sends paper post abroad. Some of my clients live outside of Germany. Best of luck!
Thank you for your reply Richard