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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?
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The German Social Security Code (§210 SGB IV) regulates the reimbursement of pension contributions from the German Pension Insurance in general, while the Social Security Agreement between Germany and India 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...
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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.
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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:
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If you still live in the European Union you are allowed to keep paying pension contributions to Germany.
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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.
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In other words:
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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.
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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.
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As a Indian Expat in Germany, after 60 monthly contributions you qualify for a retirement pension.
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If you have not qualified, but still live in the EU you are allowed to pay towards the 60 months to qualify, too.
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If you have not qualified for pension, and you live outside the EU 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.
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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, Quick, 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
Suman Kumar Sharma
SEP/26/2023
Strongly Recommended!
Very good experience in dealing with this company. Excellent management and support provided by the company in getting pension money refund. Strongly recommended!
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Sumit Beniwal
SEP/19/2023
Everything was done over email...refund was processed in 9 weeks
Highly Recommended. I am glad that I found German Pension Refund through google search. They made the Pension Refund process so easy and simple. Johannes has been very professional through out the process. He answered my questions clearly and promptly. Everything was done over the email. I provided some basic information to him to start the refund process and he did the rest. My refund was processed in 9 weeks. The fee charged by them is completely worth it.
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Tanu Nagpal
SEP/19/2023
Clear about the fees...no hidden or extra charges
Highly recommended.
I got my refund in a month from the first discussion.
Johannes was clear about the fees from the beginning and no hidden or extra charges.
They made the process pretty easy and hassle free for me.
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Sneha Gulati
SEP/15/2023
Made a potentially complicated process remarkably simple
I recently used a German pension refund service, and I'm extremely pleased with their efficiency and professionalism. They made the entire process hassle-free and ensured a prompt refund.
From the beginning, their team was informative and supportive, guiding me through the process with ease. Their timely follow-ups and updates kept me informed throughout. Compared to other services, their fees were quite competitive.
Thanks to their excellent assistance, I received my German pension refund without any issues. I highly recommend this service for their professionalism and efficiency. They made a potentially complicated process remarkably simple. Kudos to their team!
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Ramesh Kumar
SEP/13/2023
Trust worthy
Very good support from Germany pension refund employees. Trust worthy. Contact and communications are very nice and good. Thanks for your support and keep it up.
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Harris Warren S
SEP/13/2023
Recommended 100%, best place to opt for
Excellent service, hassle free experience to get your pension refund from any part of the world! The GPR team lives upto its name. Initially I came across Germany pension refund in internet and as I approached them, they did all the refund filing process for me when I sent them the required documents. Mr Johannes Kühn was so patient in answering my queries and was informative, updating me with the process promptly. Anyone looking to get your pension refund, the only best place to opt for is Germany Pension refund. Can't express my gratitude by words, anyway thanks a lot GPR team and Mr. Kühn for helping me in getting the refund back. Recommended 100% for getting your pension refund back!
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Kumar Anshu
SEP/09/2023
Great Support and Professionalism
Great Support and professionalism with which my case was handled. Johannes was always available to answer my queries. Will highly recommend.
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Rohit Sharma
AUG/24/2023
Refund within 3 months
This very good, where we can get the refund pension, within 3 months I received the amount.
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Shervin Armitabar
AUG/23/2023
Entire process took 8 weeks
An extremely smooth process to work with GPR. Johannes was very communicative throughout the process. The entire process took 8 weeks (taking into account the summer break). I highly recommend GPR for a hassle free refund application.
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Raja Mitra
AUG/22/2023
Refund within 2 months
Excellent service from GPR. They communicated well and adequately to solve all issues. I followed their instruction to get the refund within 2 months.
Read on
If you are curious to read more about working in Germany and India, you can find more information from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung here.
German Pension Contribution Refund
Our service is Easy, Quick and Secure.
Thanks to our years of experience, we know exactly how to speed up the processing time of your German Pension Refund and we make sure that you enjoy a smooth, pleasant, and uncomplicated premium refund.
We are here for you. Read more
Free Eligibility Check
We provide Free Eligibility check - do not hesitate to claim your refund.
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Feel free to Contact Us regarding your German pension refund, eligibility, residency, waiting period, or any other questions that might arise reading through our refund information. We are here for you.
