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Do I Qualify for a German Pension Refund as an Indian Citizen?
How to get a German Pension Refund online | Germany Pension Refund | All Rights Reserved
The Social Security Agreement between Germany and India outlines the eligibility criteria for claiming a pension refund.
As an Indian citizen, you can claim a refund on your German pension contributions if you have worked in Germany for less than 5 years. This includes any periods where you received unemployment benefits or maternity/paternity pay.
Likewise, at least 24 months must have passed since your last pension contribution in Germany, and you must live outside the European Union.
Special refund rules apply for non-Indian nationals living in India:
• If your home country does not have a social agreement with Germany, you cannot claim a refund. Only Indian nationals and nationals of contracting states can apply for a refund while living in India.
Eligibility Check - 100% Free
If you’re still unsure whether you qualify for a refund as an Indian citizen, you can use our FREE eligibility check. Whereas some companies charge their customers to check their eligibility for a refund, we don’t.
Whether you’re eligible or not, we’ll take the time to explain your situation.
Find out if you qualify for a German pension insurance refund for free.
This service is available exclusively for non-EU citizens.
Office building Rentenversicherung, Berlin | The German statutory pension insurance | All Rights Reserved
How do I know if I have reached 60 months of contributions?
Even if you only worked one day in a month, the German pension office considers this as one full month of contributions.
For example, if you started work on January 31st, this one-day payment is considered your contribution for the month of January.
Therefore, your contribution count would be one month.
Periods of employment, voluntary insurance, receipt of unemployment benefits, and parenting/paternity count towards the 60 months.
When can I return to work in Europe after claiming a refund?
To qualify for a refund, you have to be eligible at the date of submission. As an Indian citizen, when you leave Germany and 24 months have passed since your last contribution, you can claim your refund and return to live and work in Europe the day after after you submit your refund claim.
Even if your German pension refund is still being processed at the time you start work in Europe, the outcome of your claim will not be affected.
Of course, you can return to work earlier, but then you might have to wait for another 24 months after leaving the EU before you can claim your refund and the new periods are added to the existing periods in your pension account which could cause you to loose refund eligibility in general.
How much will my total refund amount be?
The average pension refund amounts to €14,800. However, the exact sum you'll receive depends on your individual situation. Refundable contributions include:
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100% of the pension contributions withheld from your salary during employment in Germany.
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50% of voluntary contributions made, such as those from freelance work.
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Adjustments for contributions added or deducted due to pension equalization following a divorce before a German court.
Since 2018, pension insurance contributions have been set at 9.3% of your gross earnings, up to a monthly income threshold (Beitragsbemessungsgrenze). In 2025, this threshold is €8,050. Earnings exceeding this limit are not subject to contributions.
How much does it cost to claim my refund?
We charge a service fee of 9.75% of the refunded amount, which covers VAT and all external legal expenses. There are no extra charges or undisclosed costs. Our success-based approach means you pay nothing unless your refund is successfully processed - payment is only required after you receive your refund.
Do I need a German bank account to claim my refund?
For security, the pension refund process goes through an escrow account, managed by a German law firm. This approach speeds up the receipt of your funds, while also minimizing transaction and currency conversion fees.
The funds will be transferred to your bank account in the currency you choose. You don't need a German bank account, and the account can be held in someone else's name.
How long does it take to process a German pension refund for Indian citizens?
At Germany Pension Refund, we know that our customers want their money as quickly as possible. That’s why we’ve developed an efficient, streamlined process that takes only 8 weeks on average (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. Our partner law firms have a direct connection to the German pension office, enabling faster claims.
🇮🇳 Recent Reviews from Indian Clients
Here are the latest 10 Google reviews from Indian customers who successfully reclaimed their German pension contributions through us:
NOV/10/2025
In just 2 months
We are amazed at how smooth the entire process was! Absolutely recommend Johannes and the Germany Pension Refund team, we got our refund in just two months!
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Shiraz Sarwar
NOV/03/2025
Highly recommend
Great experience with them to get my pension refund. The process is not easy considering the German bureaucracy but they made it very smooth and efficient for me. Christian was in touch throughout and kept on sharing updates as and when there was any progress. I would highly recommend them.
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OCT/28/2025
highly recommend
Very transparent, seamless and regular in touch service! Highly recommendes
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OCT/01/2025
Seamless
Great service provider. Dealing with German Beurocacy is a tough job and German Pension Fund do it seamlessly.
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NOV/10/2025
Excellent!
I am very pleased with how quickly my request was handled. The efficiency and professionalism demonstrated in processing the refund were excellent
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NOV/03/2025
prompt and clear
Very prompt and clear resolution of any questions. I would definitely recommend their services.
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OCT/25/2025
Thank you!
Used their services.. smooth, fast and effective
Herzlichen dank
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NOV/6/2025
I was absolutely astonished
I highly recommend it to anyone needing help with their German pension refund. My experience was nothing short of exceptional, especially concerning the speed and clarity of the entire process.
After initiating my claim, I was constantly prepared for the standard, long bureaucratic wait times associated with German institutions. However, I was absolutely astonished when the entire process, from submitting the final paperwork to receiving the money in my bank account, was completed in less than two months!
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NOV/02/2025
They also help with VBL supplementary pension
I had really positive experience with this company. I had Julia helping me throughout this process with timely and to the point responses. From submission of all the documents to getting the refund in my bank account took around 2 months which is decent considering German bureaucracy. I got a discounted commission rate of 9.75% which, in my opinion, is value for money if you want smooth, timely, and assured result. One additional thing I would like to mention is that they also help with VBL supplementary pension if you have VBLklassik, lived in West Germany, and made less than 36 contribution. I missed this criterion by a narrow margin but I am putting it out here if anyone else is looking for this service. I would recommend this service mainly because everything happened as discussed at the beginning of the process without any surprises later on.
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OCT/06/2025
They resolved a problem in a matter of days
They resolved a problem that had been troubling me for many long days in just a matter of days. Their approach was highly efficient, and they demonstrated exceptional responsibility and professionalism throughout the process. I truly appreciated their promptness, dedication, and the quality of support they provided.
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NOV/04/2025
Great reviews are true
I selected this one because of the great Google reviews and you won’t believe it that it’s totally true! It’s one of the best and fastest ways I’ve ever handled a German Pension Refund, no matter where you are. The team was super professional and efficient, always keeping me in the loop via email. I was really impressed with how clear and simple everything was, which made the whole experience so stress-free. I definitely recommend their service to anyone who’s looking for a reliable and quick pension refund process.
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NOV/01/2025
AMAZING SERVICE
Really impressed with the service I received from Germany Pension Refund. The entire process was smooth, transparent and hassle-free. I received regular updates on my application and no follow up was needed. A BIG THANKS to Christian Kliem who assisted me in the entire process. Highly recommended.
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OCT/01/2025
This is the service to go with.
I recently used Germany Pension Refund to help me reclaim my pension contributions from Germany, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the experience.
From the beginning, everything was smooth, transparent, and professional. Julia and team took care of all the complicated paperwork and legal requirements.
Communication was superb. They kept me updated through every step, answered every question I had, translated necessary documents into English, and made sure I understood what was needed and when. There were no nasty surprises or hidden costs.
The payout happened in a timely manner. They handled the entire process efficiently, and the refund arrived exactly as promised, deposited safely, using secure methods.
Overall, I highly recommend Germany Pension Refund to anyone (outside the EU) who is entitled to reclaim pension contributions from Germany. If you want something done reliably, professionally, and with minimal stress, this is the service to go with.
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Claim Your Pension Refund Today
With our streamlined process and professional advice, it takes less than 5 minutes to get started. With an average refund amount of €14,800, there’s nothing to lose.
If you are curious to read more about working in Germany and India, you can find more information from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung here.