Bank Account Options in Germany: Breaking the Vicious Cycle

Alright, so you’ve secured that job in Germany, signed the contract, got your visa sorted, and are ready to start your new adventure. But wait … that’s only half the battle won! The real fun begins when you land and have to tackle finding a place to live, sorting out all the paperwork, and, of course, opening a bank account.

Now, here’s where things can get a bit tricky. Banks in Germany require you to have a registered residence (Anmeldung) before they’ll let you open an account.

And here’s the kicker: to register your residence, you need a residence, for which you need a proof of income, and that.. gotta be your bank account again. It’s like that classic chicken-and-egg problem, but with more bureaucracy and less eggs.

So, how do you break this loop? Let’s dive into some options that don’t require an Anmeldung.

Transferwise

I set up my Transferwise IBAN account even before landing in Berlin. Since my company covered relocation costs, I had something to put in there before I landed. It also ended up being my main salary account for quite a while.

I had completed the KYC process from India using my Indian passport. For the debit card delivery, I used my office address (pro tip: always clear this with HR first). The green debit card took about 15 days to arrive tho.

While waiting for the card to arrive, I was transferring money to my Indian bank account and used that debit card for expenses. The high exchange fees weren’t ideal, but it was a temporary solution.

Revolut

While many friends got Revolut as their first account, I discovered it just a few months back. The signup process was smooth - they are known to accept passport with visa for KYC, without requiring the Anmeldung.

Deutsche Bank

If the above options don’t work for you, visiting a Deutsche Bank branch (Alexanderplatz branch if you are in Berlin) is your nuclear option and surprisingly straightforward. Just walk in with your passport and German work visa - no other documents needed, paperwork is also in English (thankfully). You can walk out with an IBAN in about ten minutes.

Comments/feedback?

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