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German Pension Refund

Q: Who can get a refund?

Anyone who worked in Germany more than 2 years ago, is a non-EU citizen, and has since left the EU or the UK is likely eligible for a full pension refund from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung.

Q: Is the refund taxable?

In Germany, the refund is not taxed. Depending on your country of residence, local tax laws may apply. Check for a double-taxation agreement with Germany.

Q: What is the average German pension refund amount?

On average, our clients receive €14,800. The refund is based on how much was deducted from your salary and calculated by the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. For example, if you worked in 2025 and earned above the monthly cap of €8,050, your annual pension contribution would be €8,983.80. By law, partial refunds are not possible. If eligible, all contributions are refunded in full, based on official records.

Get your German pension refunded – fast, secure, and with no upfront fees.

We're based in Berlin and have been helping non-EU citizens worldwide reclaim their German pension contributions from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (Germany's official state pension authority) since 2015.

We operate on a no-win, no-fee basis — with no upfront costs, full legal support, and secure payouts via a German law firm’s escrow account. You’ll receive full English support throughout the entire process.

On average, our clients receive €14,800, with most refunds processed in just 2-8 weeks.

Who is eligible for a refund?

If you’re a citizen from outside the European Union who worked in Germany, you may be entitled to a full refund— once you’ve left the country. You must meet both of these conditions:

#1: You currently live outside the EU
#2: At least 24 months have passed since your last pension contribution in Germany

If that applies to you — congratulations. You may qualify to reclaim your full pension contributions.

Visit our FAQ page for full details.

We handle the bureaucracy — you get your refund.
You won’t need to deal with confusing paperwork or German bureaucracy.
We manage the entire process, including:

✅ Certificate of life

✅ Payment declaration

✅ Payment authorization

✅ Deregistration and residency documents

✅ Any additional paperwork required

No German bank account? No problem. We’ll ensure your refund is delivered to your local bank account, in your preferred currency.

Also eligible for occupational pension refunds (e.g. VBL)

If you contributed to occupational pension schemes like VBLklassik, we’ll help you claim that refund too — so you don’t leave any money behind.

Legal support included. No upfront payment. 100% online.

Your application is handled by a trusted German law firm.
Legal fees are already included in our 9.75% success-based fee — and you only pay if your refund is approved.
All payouts are processed through a secure escrow account to ensure transparency and safety.

Get Started today — your refund could be worth thousands.

Claim Refund

How to get a German Pension Refund online | The German statutory pension insurance | All Rights Reserved

We have been helping people just like yourself successfully claim their refunds since 2015.

And we do it in an easy, fast, and secure way that will get you real results immediately.

Claim your refund online today, then sit back and relax until we deposit your pension payment refund into your bank account.

Check out how easy it is to get your German Pension Refund with us!

Read why expats love working with us.

Do I Qualify for a German Pension Refund?

If you are a non-EU citizen and you live in a non-EU country and at least 24 months have passed since your last pension contribution to the German pension fund, you may be entitled to get a German pension refund.

* Additional rules apply for citizens of the following countries:

For USA, India, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Albania, Moldova, North Macedonia, The Philippines, South Korea, and Uruguay…to qualify for German pension refunds, your German pension insurance balance must hold less than 5 years of pension contributions.

Japanese citizens: if you currently live in your home country, your German pension insurance balance must hold less than 5 years of contributions. However, if you live abroad in another non-EU country, like Canada as an example, this limit does not apply.

Free Eligibility Check

Answer a few simple questions to check if you are eligible

German Pension Refund for Expats

START HERE

Former Yugoslav-state citizens can only claim a refund (before reaching retirement age) residing in a non-EU country outside the former Yugoslav-states area, like the USA as an example.

Israeli citizens only qualify for a German Pension refund (before reaching retirement age) if you currently live outside of Israel, in another country like New Zealand as an example.

Your nationality is not listed above? Congrats, that means no additional rules or limitations apply for you!

Claim your refund online today. You can also use our free eligibility check to verify if your pension contributions are eligible for a refund. No worries, we will take care of all the bureaucratic tasks like your payment authorization form, certificate of life, payment declaration, and all the other documents required to proceed with your refund. Please note that no minimum fee will apply to the process of refunding all your pension payments.

Do I Qualify for a Geman Pension Refund

How Much Can I Reclaim From My German Pension?

While you were employed in Germany, 9.3% * was deducted from your gross salary up to the income threshold and transferred to the German Pension Insurance.

If you are a non-European citizen, you can claim your pension insurance contributions back after moving out of Germany, provided you are entitled to do so.

Use our free reimbursement calculator to get an estimate of your possible premium reimbursement.

The average pension refund is 14,800 Euros and you do not need to hold a German bank account to receive your funds.

* Current rate since 2018, different in previous years

About GermanyPensionRefund.com

GermanyPensionRefund.com is the leading expert for German pension contribution refunds on the market since 2015.

Our goal is to provide the safest, fastest, and most easy refund experience. Claim your refund online with us, then sit back with peace of mind while we take care of everything for you. Read more.

Office building Rentenversicherung, Berlin | The German statutory pension insurance | All Rights Reserved

We are experts on this topic. Our team is specialized in every social security agreement Germany has signed. Our experience goes back to the year 2015.

We team up with specialized law firms to speed up the process and gain full legal leverage. Read more.

We provide free evaluation of your case - do not hesitate to contact us regarding your refund, eligibility, residence, waiting period, or any other questions that might arise reading through the information about German Pension Refunds.

Read below how our most recent customers experienced working with us.

Or visit our Testimonials.

Recent Google Reviews – Germany Pension Refund

Rohan Parasnis

Excellent company! I'd recommend them to everyone.
The process was super smooth and all the German bureaucracy was dealt by them.

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Google Reviews

Jasmin Adeshara

MAY/17/2025

Professional, on time, clear

I had a great experience working with Julia. The communication was professional and clear. All the requirements were clearly stated and the process was completed on time as expected

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Google Reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who can get a refund?

Anyone who worked in Germany 2 years or longer ago, is a non-EU citizen, and has left the EU/UK.

Is the refund taxable?

In Germany, no. Please check if your country of residence has a double-taxation agreement with Germany.

What documents do I need?

Your passport, deregistration certificate, and pension number (Sozialversicherungsnummer).

How is the refund paid?

Into a secure law firm escrow account, and then transferred to your preferred global account.

What is the average German refund amount?

On average, our clients receive a refund of €14,800 — but the exact amount depends entirely on how much was deducted from your salary during your time working in Germany.

The refund is calculated by the German pension office (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) and is based on:

Your gross income for each year worked in Germany
The official pension contribution rate for each year
The annual contribution cap (“Beitragsbemessungsgrenze”) applied during your contribution periods

👉 Example: If you worked in 2025 and earned above the monthly cap of €8,050, your annual pension contribution would be €8,983.80. That year alone would be fully refundable if you're eligible.

⚖️ Important: By law, only a full refund of all eligible contribution periods is possible. Partial refunds are not allowed, and no agency — including us — can increase or manipulate the refund amount.
This isn’t like a tax refund: there are no deductions, tricks, or adjustments. If you're eligible, the entire amount contributed by you is refunded — directly based on your official records.

You’ll receive a full official refund statement from the German pension authority before any money is transferred or any fees apply.

Want to learn more?

Visit our FAQ Section →