🇩🇪 Blocked or closed bank account (das Sperrkonto)

• What is a blocked bank account (🇩🇪 das Sperrkonto)?

This is a bank account in a German bank, from which foreign doctors/students are only allowed to withdraw a maximum amount of money per month after they come to Germany. Since 01.01.2023 this amount is 934 Euro per month (11,208 Euro for a year). This sum of money increases each year/few years.

• What is the goal of having this account?

You can demonstrate that you have sufficient financial means during the visa application process by using a blocked account. In other words, the German embassies want to be sure that you would have enough money for your daily life after coming to Germany. An alternative to a blocked bank account is that a German citizen do a “Declaration of Commitment” for you (🇩🇪 eine Verpflichtungserklärung)

• Amount of money to be transferred

• How much money do you need to transfer to this bank account before coming to Germany?

Before coming to Germany, one needs to transfer fixed sum of money for each month he is planning to stay in Germany. For example, if your visa is going to last one year, then you need to pay:

	Students	Non-students
Money per month (euro)	934 euro	1,028 euro
Money per year (euro)	11,208 euro	12,336

• Which banks offer a Sperrkonto?

Not all banks, but plenty of them.

• How can you activate the bank account after you come to Germany?

It would not be automatically activated. Therefore, you must go personally to a normal bank, open an account, and then you can add this IBAN to your closed bank account, and the money with then be translated each month.

Thanks to the admin of “Doctors Going to Germany” Mr. Teddy Kabel for help with this article

Sources:
• Website of the Federal Foreign Office (🇩🇪 das Auswärtige Amt), Link
• Sparkasse (one of the biggest banks in Germany), Link

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