Can you get your German pension contributions back?
If you worked in Germany you paid into the statutory pension (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) every month — and if you leave for good, some of that money can come back to you. The refund is called Beitragserstattung, set out in § 210 SGB VI.
You can apply when all of these are true:
- You are no longer subject to compulsory insurance in Germany and have no right to voluntary insurance there (this is the condition that, in practice, excludes most EU citizens — see below).
- 24 calendar months have passed since you left compulsory insurance.
- You have not completed the 60-month (5-year) minimum contribution period (allgemeine Wartezeit). If you already have 5 years in, you keep a German pension entitlement instead and cannot take a refund.
This guide is about wrapping up the money side of leaving. Pair it with the Abmeldung deregistration guide and build your checklist so nothing slips.
How much you get back — only your half
The total statutory pension contribution is 18.6% of gross salary in 2026, split between you and your employer. A refund returns only the share you paid yourself — for employees, the employee share (Arbeitnehmeranteil). The employer's share is not refunded (§ 210 Abs. 3 SGB VI). Voluntary or self-employed contributions are refunded at half.
So as a rough mental model: an employee gets back roughly their own ~9.3% of gross, not the full 18.6%. Your actual figure depends on what you earned and how long you contributed — the Deutsche Rentenversicherung calculates it from your record.
The 24-month waiting period
You cannot claim the moment you leave. § 210 Abs. 2 SGB VI requires that 24 calendar months pass after you stop being compulsorily insured before a refund can be paid. The waiting period exists so you don't cash out during a short gap and then return to work in Germany. Mark the date your German job (and insurance) ended, add two years, and set a reminder — the entitlement does not expire, but you cannot apply early.
EU & agreement countries: why you usually can't claim
This is the part that surprises people. If you are a citizen of the EU/EEA or Switzerland, or of a country with a German social-security agreement (Sozialversicherungsabkommen — 18 agreements covering 21 states, including the USA, India, Türkiye, Brazil, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Israel), you generally cannot get a refund. You retain the right to voluntary insurance, so your contribution periods are preserved and can be added to a future pension in your home system instead of being paid out.
In other words, a refund under § 210 mainly applies to non-EU nationals from non-agreement countries. If your country is on the agreement list, your money isn't lost — it stays as a pension entitlement you can draw later. Check the Deutsche Rentenversicherung agreement-states list for your nationality before assuming either outcome.
How to apply to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung
Apply directly to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV) — there is no fee and you do not need a lawyer:
- Form V0901 — "Antrag auf Beitragserstattung bei Aufenthalt im Ausland" (refund application for residence abroad), available in a bilingual German/English version. Use V0900 if you are still in Germany; leaflet V0910 explains the rules. You can also file online via DRV eAntrag.
- Have your German pension insurance number (Versicherungsnummer), passport, proof of departure, and bank details ready.
- The refund is paid after the 24-month wait and after the DRV confirms you meet § 210.
One caution this guide will not guess on: the tax treatment of the refund can vary by your situation and country — confirm with the Finanzamt or a cross-border tax adviser rather than assume it is tax-free.