German Pension Refund Eligibility for Indian Citizens
If you are an Indian citizen who previously worked in Germany, and contributed to the German pension system, you may be eligible for a pension refund.
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Check Your Eligibility for a German Pension Refund as an Indian Citizen
As an Indian expat employed in Germany, each month a percentage of your gross salary was paid to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung – the statutory German Pension Insurance fund. This payment was as a pension insurance contribution towards your retirement pension.
As an Indian citizen, you can claim a refund on your pension contributions if you have worked in Germany for less than 5 years, and at least 24 months have passed since your last contribution in Germany.
The German Social Code (§210 SGB VI) regulates the reimbursement of pension contributions from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung, while the Agreement Between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of India on Social Security defines how this law applies to you.
Can Indian Citizens Claim a Refund on their German Pension Contributions?
After leaving Germany, you may be eligible for a German pension refund, if:
· You are not allowed to keep paying German pension contributions (voluntary insurance) where you currently live, and…
· At least 24 months have passed since you last made a pension contribution payment in Germany.
If you are allowed to pay voluntary insurance, your eligibility is defined by the agreement with your home country.
Are Indian Citizens Allowed to Pay Pension Insurance Contributions After Leaving Germany?
The Social Security Agreement between Germany and India states that 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. In which case, you cannot claim a refund because you have qualified for the old age pension from Germany.
In other words, as an Indian citizen, you can only claim a pension refund if you have not qualified for a retirement pension yet, and you live in a non-EU country.
How Long Does it Take to Process a German Pension Refund for Indian Citizens?
The German pension authority is supposed to provide a decision on your claim within 6 months of submission.
If you have not received a decision (Bescheid) from the authorities after 6 months, our specialists will take legal action based on the Social Court Act (§88 SGG).
They will sue the authorities for inaction, and the court will then force the pension office to act.
How We Speed Up the Refund Process
We know that our customers want their refunds as quickly as possible. That’s why we’ve developed an efficient, streamlined process that takes less than 8 weeks (compared to the 6+ months it takes for self-submitted claims).
We have expert knowledge of India as a contracting state for German pension refunds, and we have a deep understanding of German administrative processes.
A German law firm escrow account will be provided, which makes your refund process easy, fast, and secure. Our partner law firms have a direct connection to the German pension office, enabling faster claims.
How Much Can I Claim from My German Pension Insurance?
While you were employed in Germany, 9.3%* of your gross salary was deducted up to the income threshold. It was transferred to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
As an Indian citizen, you can claim your pension insurance contributions based on the rules explained above.
Use our free reimbursement calculator to receive an estimate of your premium reimbursement.
*Contribution rates before 2018 varied, the employee share is 50% of the percentage.
Claim Your Pension Refund Today
With our streamlined process, it takes less than 5 minutes to get started. With an average refund amount of €11,800, there’s nothing to lose.
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