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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 Code (§210 SGB VI) regulates the reimbursement of pension contributions from the German Pension Insurance in general, while the Agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of India on Social Security 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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*Read Agreement between Germany and India on Social Security.
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 or UK 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 or UK 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
Shubham Agrawal
MAR/28/2024
It took hardly 2 months...genuine service charges
It was great taking the refund service from them. It was great working with Johannes. I reside in India and it took hardly 2 months to get pension refund amount in my account. He made the process so easy and smooth. Genuine service charges. Totally recommended. Keep it up.!
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Dinesh Ramadass
MAR/28/2024
Prompt and excellent service
Although the Service charges are bit higher, it is compensated by prompt and excellent service . Just sit back and relax. The company takes care of your claims end to end.
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Navya Shree
MAR/22/2024
Got the refund within a month
It was good experience. I got the pension refund to my account within a month. Thanks to Julia :)
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Aathmaja A. Rangarajan
MAR/22/2024
Very transparent and explained every step of the process
Their service was great. Working with Johanness was a pleasure. He was very transparent and explained every step of the process. Their forms are easy to navigate and they take care of all the bureaucratic stuff to get your money on time. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to get their money back from German Rentenversicherung.
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Shilpa Dang
MAR/12/2024
Amazing Service!
Amazing Service!
Really enjoyed working with Christian!
Christian provided quick solutions to all queries. It was a smooth and hassle free experience. Who could think, I could get back my hard earned money so smoothly and just within 1.5 months, from Germany while sitting in India.
Great work!
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Vijeth Kumar
MAR/12/2024
Exceptional service...smooth and hassle-free
I highly recommend Germany Pension Refund for their professionalism and dedication to customer satisfaction. Christian and his team provided exceptional service throughout the entire process. His communication was clear and prompt.They made what could have been a complex process remarkably smooth and hassle-free.
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Rohan Kale
FEB/29/2024
Everything was conveyed properly and all my doubts were cleared immediately
It took me a little more than 6 months to receive my funds because of the slow bureaucracy but everything was conveyed properly by Johannes and all my doubts were cleared immediately.
I highly recommend Johannes and team to anyone who wants their pension refund.
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Chidambareswaren Mahadevan (Chidam)
FEB/21/2024
Got my refund in 4 weeks...would definitely recommend
I have had the best of experiences working with these folks. Everything went well and I got my refunds in 4 weeks. Thank you so much to the team. I would defenitely recommend their service.
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Susruta Samanta
FEB/20/2024
A dedicated official answered all my questions and walked me through all the steps
Working with the Germany Pension Refund team was like a charm. A dedicated official answered all my questions and walked me through all the steps. They kept providing timely updates and status reports. They sorted out all glitches where any problem may occur. I received my refund a lot earlier than their proposed deadline. The whole process was smooth, and I had an excellent experience. I strongly recommend this service.
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Devi Rajan
FEB/14/2024
Overall a great experience, I highly recommend
My experience with Germany Pension Refund was excellent! Mr. Johannes clarified all my questions and updated me throughout the process. The best part is the prompt response from Mr. Johannes each time I ask something. I have no complaints at all. I highly recommend "German Pension Refund". Overall a great experience and a job well done! Thank you!
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Viral Thakkar
FEB/13/2024
Thoroughly impressed
...responsiveness was outstanding
I recently worked with German Pension Refund to reclaim my pension funds, and I'm thoroughly impressed. Within just three months, they efficiently secured my refund, far exceeding my expectations. Their responsiveness was outstanding; they provided updates at every stage and addressed queries within one business day. I highly recommend their services for anyone seeking pension fund refunds.
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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.
