For any non-EU citizen who is going to study or work in Germany, you need a blocked account for your Visa and all you papers for Anmeldung. If you are planing on attending a language course, or you’re already been accepted to study in Germany; if you are a job seeker, au-pair or international apprentice, then you need to understand what it is and how to set it up.

What exactly is a blocked account in Germany?

A blocked account (also known as Sperrkonto) is a special type of bank account for international students in Germany. It is to prove that you have enough financial resources for the planned duration of the planned stay. There are also other kinds of financial support which can be presented in the visa procedure, but blocked account is the most common one among international students. It proves that the person who’s going to relocate in Germany is able to afford the cost of living for a period of time, without any income.

Who needs it?

In general, if you are from a non-EU country and you don’t have income in Germany, you need this account for your visa application. For example, students who are already accepted by universities or language institutions in Germany, or job seekers, au pairs, as well as international apprentices.

One exception is that for people come from some countries such as the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, they are allowed to come to Germany firstly with a holiday visa (3 month), then apply for a blocked account when they arrive in Germany.

Also, if your stay in Germany is fully funded by some organisations like DAAD, then you don’t need it, since they will allocate a certain amount of money to support your life in Germany every month.

How much money do you need for it?

When you open a blocked account, you need to firstly save a certain amount of money  that is determined by the German government. The specific amount for it depends on the estimation of  the monthly expense for foreign students who live in Germany, and it might change due to the policy.

The minimum amount for saving in 2019 is €720 per month, which means €8640 per year. When you first time apply your visa this requirement is mandatory. And a total of  €720 will be paid out to you every month, that means for each month you can withdraw €720 at a maximum during the first year.

Where can I open a blocked account?

You can either open an account at most German banks like Deutsche Bank and Sparkasse, or through a trustworthy provider like one of our partners Expatrio, where you can apply an account completely online and simplify the entire procedure.

Good luck with your application!