German Pension Refund Eligibility |India
The information below is for Indian citizens who previously worked in Germany and contributed to the German pension system.


Germany - India German Pension Refund | All Rights Reserved
German Pension Refund Eligibility for Indian Citizens
How to get a German Pension Refund online | Germany Pension Refund | All Rights Reserved
As an Indian Expat, while you were employed in Germany, each month a percentage of your gross salary was paid to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung - the statutory German Pension Insurance - as a pension insurance contribution for your retirement pension.
But what happens to your contributions now, after you have left Germany? Can you get that money back?
The German Social Code (§210 SGB VI) regulates the reimbursement of pension contributions from the German Pension Insurance in general, while the Agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of India on Social Security defines how this law applies to you.
Rule of Thumb For Indians:
As an Indian you can be reimbursed only if you have worked in Germany for less than 5 years and since your last contribution in Germany 24 months have passed.

Can Indian Citizens Claim a Refund of their German Pension Contributions?
After leaving Germany you are generally eligible for a German pension refund, if...
a) you are not allowed to keep paying German Pension contributions (voluntary insurance) where you currently live, and...
b) at least 24 months have passed since the last pension contribution payment in Germany.
If you are allowed to pay voluntary insurance (a), is defined by the agreement with your home country.

Office building Rentenversicherung, Berlin | The German statutory pension insurance | All Rights Reserved
Are Indian Citizens Allowed to Pay Pension Insurance Contributions After Leaving Germany?
The Social Security Agreement* between Germany and India answers that question:
If you still live in the European Union you are allowed to keep paying pension contributions to Germany.
Also, if you have already paid contributions for at least 60 months you are allowed to keep paying German Pension Contributions from anywhere in the world where you live. In that case you cannot get a refund, because you have qualified for old age pension from Germany.
In other words:
As an Indian citizen, you can only get a pension refund if you have not qualified for retirement pension yet, and you live in a non-EU country.
*Read Agreement between Germany and India on Social Security.
Social Security Agreement:

Based on the Social Security Agreement between Germany and India you are allowed to grow your German pension from anywhere in the world (voluntary insurance) after leaving Germany if you have qualified for old age pension.
As a Indian Expat in Germany, after 60 monthly contributions you qualify for a retirement pension.
If you have not qualified, but still live in the EU or UK you are allowed to pay towards the 60 months to qualify, too.
If you have not qualified for pension, and you live outside the EU or UK you could be eligible for a pension refund, 24 months after the last contribution was paid.
How Long Does a German Pension Refund for Indian Citizens Take?
The German pension authority is supposed to provide a decision on your claim within 6 months from submission.
If after 6 months you have not received a decision (Bescheid) from the authorities in Germany, our specialists will take legal action based on the Social Court Act (§88 SGG) and sue the authority for inaction. The court will then force the pension office to act.
How We Speed Up the Refund Process:
GermanyPensionRefund.com is able to provide you with the fastest average process times of 8 weeks while others have to wait six months or longer.
A German law firm escrow account will be provided, which makes your refund process most Easy, Fast, and Secure. The correspondence happens within days, and our legal specialists know exactly how to speed up the process for you.
How Much Can I Claim From My German Pension Insurance?
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.
As an Indian citizens you can claim your pension insurance contributions based on the rules explained above.
Use our free reimbursement calculator to get an estimate of your possible premium reimbursement.
**Contribution rates before 2018 varied, employee share is 50% of the percentage


FEB/13/2025
Charges are way less than other service providers
I must say a big thank you to the team from Germany Pension Refund. You are very professional and dealt with the pension refund without any issues. Your charges are way less comparing to the other service providers which is so beneficial for a lot of customers.
Timely updates and clear communication helped to gain confidence. Your commitment to customer service is commendable. I want to call out Julia for her support in ensuring the refund is done very smoothly. Keep up the great service you are providing. Thank you once again.
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Mohammed Farhaan

FEB/07/2025
Refund in less than 4 weeks
Absolutely the best. I got my pension refund in less than 4 weeks. They pretty much took care of everything.
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JAN/28/2025
Seamless and transparent
I am really impressed with the level of service I received from Germany Pension Refund.
The process was seamless and transparent. I was informed about each and every step during the entire processing which is quite informative for me and feel confident about the work done.
I would definitely recommend this company to all. You won’t find this kind of service which is safe and convenient anywhere else.
Best of luck and Thank you!
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JAN/25/2025
Quick and easy
They helped me with the pension refund and it was a quick and easy process.
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JAN/25/2025
Smooth, fast, transparent, highly satisfied!
Very smooth, fast, and transparent process. Johannes was highly communicative and answered all our queries patiently. We received our refund even earlier than we expected. Highly satisfied with the service!
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JAN/22/2025
Extremely satisfied, remarkably quick
I am extremely satisfied with the service provided by Germany Pension Refund. The entire process was very smooth, and everything was completed remarkably quickly. Thank you, Germany Pension Refund! I highly recommend this service.
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JAN/21/2024
Efficient, professional and thorough
It was a good experience working with Christian Kliem from German Pension Refund for my pension refund process. The whole process was completed within two months.
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JAN/14/2025
Hassle free, quick, refund within a month
Thank you for providing hassle free service. It was very quick and I was able to get the refund within a month. I was initially skeptical about the genuineness of the service. But, later on I must say it turned out to be a good decision to delegate it to you guys. Thanks again for helping me through out this process.
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JAN/14/2025
Proactive, reliable, fantastic!
I had an excellent experience with German Pension Refund! The entire process was smooth and hassle-free. I received my refund within just 1.5 months, which was faster than I expected.
A special thanks to Johannes Kühn for his proactive and professional assistance throughout the process. He kept me updated at every step and ensured everything was handled efficiently.
I highly recommend German Pension Refund to anyone looking for a reliable and effective service. They are doing a fantastic job!
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Parminder Singh Hanjra

JAN/01/2025
Clear information throughout
Thank you so much Christian. You guys are doing a great job. Very helpful and clear information throughout the whole Process. Highly Recommended👍
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FEB/13/2025
Exceptional, went above and beyond
Just received my pension refund, and I couldn't be more impressed with their exceptional service! Julia went above and beyond, guiding me through every step of the process and keeping me informed along the way. The transparency and efficiency they provide are truly commendable. I’m incredibly satisfied and highly recommend their services!
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If you are curious to read more about working in Germany and India, you can find more information from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung here.

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