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German Pension Refund Eligibility | Japan
The information below is for Japanese citizens who previously worked in Germany and contributed to the German pension system.
Germany - Japan| German Pension Refund | All Rights Reserved
German Pension Refund Eligibility for Japanese Citizens
As an Japanese 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 Japan defines how this law applies to you.
Rule of Thumb For Japanese:
If you have contributed for 60+ months you can only be reimbursed if you live outside the EU, EEA, CH, UK or Japan.
If you have contributed for less than 60 months, you can also get reimbursed, if you live in Japan.
Can Japanese 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 Japanese Citizens Allowed to Pay Pension Insurance Contributions After Leaving Germany?
The Social Security Agreement between Germany and Japan answers that question:
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If you still live in the EU, EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you are allowed to keep paying pension contributions to Germany.
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Also, If you currently live in Japan and you have already paid contributions for at least 60 months you are allowed to keep paying German Pension Contributions.
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In other words:
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As an Japanese citizen, you can only get a pension refund if you live in Japan, but you have contributed for less than 60 months or you live outside of Japan (and outside the EU, EEA, CH or UK) no matter how long you paid contributions.
Social Security Agreement:
Based on the Social Security Agreement between Germany and Japan you are allowed to grow your German pension if you still reside in EU, EEA, CH or UK area (voluntary insurance) after leaving Germany if you have qualified for old age pension.
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As a Japanese 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, EEA, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, 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, EEA, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, you could be eligible for a pension refund, 24 months after the last contribution was paid. | or you live outside of Japan and outside the EU, EEA, CH or UK - no matter how long you paid contributions.
​How Long Does a German Pension Refund for Japanese 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 Japanese 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.
* Current rate since 2018, different in previous years
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German Pension Contribution 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.
