I am here to help you
Hello. I am here to help you with the bank account opening in Germany. Moreover, I will provide you with ideas on how to use the bank account, credit card and securities account at home and abroad optimally.
My name is Tanja Janecke. Through my work (Optimal Banking), more than 100.000 people have changed their bank in the past 7 years and obtained thereby better conditions or a better service. Often both of it.
Every technical article on this web portal can be commented. Please take advantage of this opportunity to amend the contents with your own experiences or to contact me directly.
DeutschesKonto.org is the only specialized portal …
… which helps people all around the world to open a bank account in Germany via the Internet.
The organizers, my family and I have gathered our own experiences in the last years with more than 100 banks in more than 20 countries.
Now, can you imagine that we know the important facts of a bank account exactly? And that in different usage scenarios?
Accept my invitation and become part of our active readership. And please let me know if you have difficulties in some area. As you know, it is most convenient to use the comments box directly at the bottom of each page.
Why do I commit myself here?
The Big Five for Life (German version)
⇒ more information on amazon.de
It is part of my “The Big Five for Life“.
This means that this special portal is one of my five big goals in life. Whoever has read the book with the same title by John Strelecky knows what I mean. I really recommend to everybody to read this book.
One of my big life tasks!
One of my important life goals is to build a multilingual web portal that informs about the best and smartest methods on using banks within Germany and abroad the optimal way.
It is about letting a lot of people know about the cheapest or even free possibilities of banking (from payments to asset accumulation and financial securities), in order to find better and cheaper ways for oneself …
This is my true conviction: If very many people become financially better, then our whole society will become better.
Additionally: If many people choose better bank products, then the banks will also provide better offers. In Germany, we live in a paradise for bank customers, if one knows the right addresses and levers.
On DeutschesKonto.ORG I will:
- report especially about the best German bank offers, as well as showing how to apply for them from within Germany and from abroad,
- inform in detail about supplemental service providers with which one can optimize the banking. Forms of optimization could be:
- costs (freedom)
- comfort
- safety
So far, our team and I have already reported (or still plan or translate) about optimal methods for:
- cheap international payment transfers
- accepting mobile card payments for everyone
- building assets or their security
Thank you for the manifold support!
Often, people, who work on a really important task, experience a voluntary support from other people. It is the healthy human nature to endorse people´s commitment.
Another reading tip for a better future ⇒ amazon.de
You are cordially invited to support me fulfilling this special goal in life – and with this, you support all readers of our special portal. But please, do not send money for the development of this special portal, but help with your experiences, ideas or references on the internet.
It is possible to comment on each of our information pages and they can be complemented with interesting questions or helpful answers or experiences.
Moreover, one can place links to our special portal. This is especially useful, if you have found great information, instructions or methods here and want to refer to our source out of fair and kind motifs.
A ❤-ily thank you!
Your Tanja Janecke
Tanja,
could I also ask if (if I was allowed to open an internet account with DKB) I could make online transfers between banks (from GB to Germany and the other way around)?
Thanks
Yes, transfers between the DKB account and a British bank are easy and quick.
As usual with foreign transfers you need the IBAN and BIC codes. You can find the IBAN of your DKB account in the “Finanzstatus” overview of DKB’s online banking system. Click on “mehr” > “Details” in the row “Internet-Konto”.
DKB’s BIC is: BYLADEM1001.
The United Kingdom didn’t join the Eurozone, so the pound continues to be the currency in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So every bank transfer from Germany to Great Britain includes a currency exchange.
You can transfer money in EUR or GBP with the DKB account. Check the checkbox “in Fremdwährung” (in foreign currency) in the transfer form, if you would like to transfer money in GBP.
DKB’s exchange rates are pretty good in comparison with other banks worldwide.
But unfortunately you have to pay a fee for transfers in a foreign currency. The fee is one-tenth of a per cent, but at least 12,50 EUR. In contrast, all euro transfers within the Single Euro Payments Area SEPA are absolutely free of charge.
You can save up to 93 % of the fee for foreign transfers by using the special intermediate service TransferWise. The following article explains how this works: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/de/transferwise-auslandsueberweisung/ (this article is only available in German yet).
Thank you very much for all your help. I just need to go to a solicitor for the ID check now. I will let you know if I manage to open the account.
Hi,
i would like to know if is it possible to open a bank account in Germany under the name of my company (it s a “snc”, ulimited responsability company) and also if is it possible to open with my personal name. Personally i have problem to open a bank account here in Italy, my company is ok. All money are by official and regulary and clear business and is opening of new account, all money will arrive by regular bank transfer.
Reguards
Diego
In general, foreign companies can open business accounts in Germany, but you have to go to a German branch bank in person. Sparkassen (savings banks) and Volksbanken (credit unions) request that you have a relation to Germany or the region where they are active, though.
A customer’s relation to Germany is less important to international banks like Deutsche Bank or Commerzbank, but they too will ask you why you intend to open an account in Germany.
Unfortunately we don’t know a German bank that offers opening an account for an SNC via internet and mail alone.
Most German direct banks target only private customers.
What is the reason for your difficulties to open an account in Italy as a private customer? The German direct banks with the most favorable conditions are particularly selective about new customers.
Hi Tanja,
thanks for you quick answer. Personally i m fired by the italian banks because i m a “bad payer” couse i stopped to pay my personal credits and i stopped to pay also my personal taxes, soon also the italian tax agency will try to take my goods. But i dont have any good to take. I had some financial personal problems. My company is going normal, as business and relationship with the banks but becouse of my private position the bank became to be unfriendly also with my company, frozen its bancomat. I would like to open a business account in Germany to dont show to anyone in italy the movements of the account, in the way i can take out my profit from my company or to transfer them without to show to anyone. All money are clean and regulary earned by my company, i just will not pay my personal taxes in my part of profit. I m also considering to open an account with ViaBuy or some other e-wallet company, ViaBuy has account in Germany as well, but a normal bank is more safe.
Bye!
Diego
Hi Tanja,
Has DKB stopped to open checking-accounts to non-EU citizens in 2014?
Are there any alternatives? I come from Belarus, reside in Russia.
Thanks!
Vlad
Yes, it’s true. On 30 June 2014 DKB stopped accepting applications for accounts by foreigners with a residence outside Germany. Here’s our article about it:
DKB: No more accounts for foreigners!
But the bank already accepts applications for accounts from Austria and Switzerland again.
People with German identity documents can open an account from everywhere on the world. The identity check is done with “WebID”. Here’s my first article in German about that:
DKB: Kontoeröffnung mit WebID
We expect that accounts will become available for almost all citizens and countries again in the future. This is probably going to happen in stages. But we can’t estimate yet when.
Of course it will depend on what you’re planning to use the account for … but the idea from this article might be an interesting option for you:
Opening: Bank Account in Germany
Good luck!
Hi Tanja,
congrats for the very helpful website.
I am relocating to Germany soon – I am a EU citizen (french)
What are my chance to get a DKB account opened ? If I apply to the Hilton cc + DKB cash or DKB cash alone ?
From what I read it might be a challenge even if I have a good income and reside in Germany.
Any recommendations ?
Thanks
Yes, it’s true. It can be a challenge for people who are new in Germany to get an account at the best direct bank immediately.
The most important background information to this
DKB utilizes standardized procedures. DKB checks a potential customer’s credit-worthiness at the two credit bureaus
when somebody with a German address applies for an account.
But those credit bureaus usually don’t have sufficient data about people who are new in Germany. In general, most banks classify this as negative.
But you can get a DKB account anyway if other parameters look good, such as a high income!
What many do not know: The customer’s neighborhood matters as well!
I’d recommend to try to apply for the account … if it works: great. If it doesn’t work, we’ll look for an alternative together. Okay?
Hello, Tanja,
I am from Asia and not a EU citizen, but stay in Poland with holding long term resident ID. (with this kind of ID, we have the same right as Polish citizen,except election voting).
Could you kindly advise me if I could open a personal account in German? I am thinking to open a personal account for my company internet shop selling operation, because if I apply a company bank account, I probably would need to go to German personally, right? Any suggestion?
Thank you
You can try it with a personal account, if it’s a small business. But a company bank account is advisable when the sales increase.
Finally you agree to a non-corporate use when opening a personal bank account. The account could be closed, if the bank realized that it was used for business – and this would be a pity when your banking details are already well-known to business partners and customers.
Germany is a paradise for private banking customers, but unfortunately not for freelancers and companies. Currently I don’t know of any recommendable German banks that offer business accounts to people abroad.
It might be different when you ask a few banks personally during one of your next visits to Germany, for example the bank clerk responsible for business customers at a local credit union or at a big German retail and commercial bank like Deutsche Bank or Commerzbank.
Deutsche Bank even provides an English online-banking system. However, I can’t vouch for a good service there. You know what I mean 😉
Tanja
PS: HypoVereinsbank (a subsidiary of UniCredit) even has a free company account. But they’re reluctant with foreign addresses. Perhaps try it in one of their branches anyway? If it does work, you can withdraw cash free-of-charge at UniCredit ATMs in Poland … this applies to Deutsche Bank as well, by the way.
Halo Tanja,
I am leaving Germany but I want to keep my money in Germany.
At the moment I have my account in Postbank. I think if there is no regular income, they will charge some money. DO you think I can open DKB account and move all the money there? Thank you
Yes, that would be my advice. Here you can see all benefits: DKB overview.
But I tried it, and it did not work. Looks like I am not eligible for it. Any advice?
I’m sorry, but I don’t have a crystal ball and cannot see why or how exactly it did not work in your case.
About every second application for the account is successful – not each one of course. A bank which offers the best conditions on the free market can choose its customers. Actually, the bank has to make choices in order to be able to keep its offer at that level. This is why DKB attaches particular importance to potential customers’ creditworthiness.
Like Tanja said it’s hard to know why a single application did not succeed. Another good bank with similar characteristics in terms of access to a free checking account with VISA card and free cash withdrawals at ATMs is comdirect: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/comdirect/
I think this bank opens accounts only for customers for whom they get a very good creditworthiness rating as well. By the way, a rejected application does not imply a bad rating. Another possibility is that the bank or a credit bureau does not have sufficient data.
Dear Tanya,
Am a zambian, germany trained and can read, write and speak germany. My salary comes from germany and would like to open an account with DKB. I have asked my current banker to give me the bank statement for the past twelve months in order to send it through. Is there anything else that will be required.
Best regards
You don’t need to submit any documents (except for those for confirming your identity) when opening the checking account DKB Cash. DKB is a very efficient direct bank.
Hi,
i have just send my online account request to DKB bank. i have open private account and i am student. Now i would like to change it to Student Account which provide facilitation of ISIC and ATM Visa card on different store and online shops. Is it possible to convert my current account! if yes, please guide it to me how to do it so.
your co-operation will be appreciated!
Regards
Muddsair
Sorry. This is maybe a confusion. I do not work at DKB. For changes to your account, speak directly with the bank.
I am wondering, as a US citizen, instead of going through the postident process for DKB or the other you mention. Would it be easier to go to a local branch of Deutsche Bank to open an account? And will I need more than my passport and Florida ID?
Thank you for your time and this site, I learned alot.
This is true. Being in a German city, it really is easier to go to a bank branch office and open the account on site.
The only problem: The DKB has no branch offices. If you visit a branch office of the Deutsche Bank, then you get the account of the Deutsche Bank. However, this is by far not as good as the DKB account.
Possibly the account of the Deutsche Bank meets your personal requirements. Then this is the best choice for you!
If you currently live in Germany, you will need a proof of your address for the account opening at the Deutsche Bank. An official “Meldenachweis” (registration card) is accepted to 100%. Depending on the branch office and the employee, also another document with your address stated can be enough.
And please take your passport with you.
Good day,
I reside as an expat in Germany. However my father who is a Non EU resident from South Africa would like to open a bank account in Germany. Although he is South African, he works in Saudi Arabia on contract.
Would it be possible for him to open an bank account with DKB or Deutsche Bank as a Non EU via online? It is purely for a savings and investment of cash purpose and not having all of ones monies in country of residence.
I am not too familiar with the conditions regarding this ie: tax laws etc. Could you kindly assist?
Kind regards
Shaun
I’m sorry, at the moment it is not possible to post additional questions.