application for German Blocked Account for students in Germany

Blocked Account

The fast, cheap and secure way to open a German Blocked Account for your visa application.

The Blocked Account (Sperrkonto) is a special type of bank account required by German law for many internationals when moving to Germany for studies, language courses, preparatory courses (Studienkolleg), job search and more. It is a visa requirement that allows you to prove sufficient financial resources for your stay in Germany.

With Expatrio, you can easily open your Blocked Account online in just a few minutes!

OPEN BLOCKED ACCOUNT

Table of contents

German Blocked Account

shield iconExpatrio offers your German Blocked Account in a fast, cheap and secure way, while you are still in your home country.

Through a fully online process with low fees and money-back guarantee, you'll be able to open your Blocked Account on your own name in just a few minutes. Expatrio Blocked Account is officially approved by the German Federal Foreign Office and accepted by all Foreigner's Authorities for your residence permit.

Our Customer Service is happy to help you throughout your entire journey. And our User Portal enables you to have detailed information and easy access to your Blocked Account information.

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Blocked Account

German Blocked Account for your visa application!
  • Fast: official Opening Confirmation within 24h
  • Cheap: set-up €49 & €5 (per month)
  • Secure: approved by the German Federal Foreign Office
  • Compliant: individual Account number - of course! 
  • Fast Customer Service with a 24-hour response guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee in case of visa refusal
  • Monthly cancellation or extension possible
  • Optional: free Current Account for payouts
Open Blocked Account

Apply early!

Be advised to open the Blocked Account as early as possible. We guarantee a blocked account opening in less than 24 hours. However, we cannot influence on the duration of international money transfers. It might just a few minutes to get settled, but it might also take a few days or up to two weeks in the worst case. Better apply earlier than later!

Benefits of Expatrio Blocked Account

Fast

Our superior Customer Service will handle your request within 24h!

Cheap

Enjoy low fees and peace of mind with transparent prices!

Secure

Approved by the German Federal Foreign Office and secured by European regulation!

Expatrio's Blocked Account explained

We brought many partners under one roof to provide you with the best service!

Our partner MANGOPAY is enabling us to serve ten-thousands of customers per year with their partner banks in Germany. To make the international transfer to your Blocked Account cheap and convenient, we have implemented Cohort Go. In Germany, you need a Current Account to receive your monthly pay-outs. We have partnered up with several local banks to support you in the current account opening process.

As you can see, we offer you a comprehensive service - and the best is: everything is included in your User Portal, so you can handle your relocation online!

Expatrio's Blocked Account in a nutshell

  • CohortGo’s technology allows you to save time and money when transferring funds to your Blocked Account from abroad

  • MANGOPAY’s technology makes sure your money is safe in your Blocked Account, which is always held in with a German bank

CohortGo

International payment provider

When transferring money to your Blocked Account you can choose the traditional way of asking your local bank to perform the transfer. This usually involves banking fees and unfavorable foreign exchange rates. In the past, remittance services like Western Union, Instarem, Transferwise and many other digital providers evolved and were preferred by many of our customers. Expatrio’s partner CohortGo is one of those digital providers, but it specializes in international payments in the education industry. 

With CohortGo, customers can pay in their local currency (available for several countries) and even with the latest payment methods, like Alipay. Paying in a local currency is, in many cases, way faster and cheaper than transferring from a local bank to one’s own German Blocked Account. Moreover, it comes with a higher level of security and verifiability. CohortGo solution is fully embedded in Expatrio’s digital process and is automatically shown as an option to customers before we ask them to transfer the funds to their own Blocked Account. Customers can of course choose not to use CohortGo and transfer their money with another international money transfer method. 

Cohort Go logo

MANGOPAY

Financial Technology partner

MANGOPAY is an online payment technology provider. Mangopay provides the payment technology for Expatrio's Blocked Account, enabling a real-time reconciliation and handling of funds. Mangopay holds a European license as payment service provider and is allowed to perform banking services in Germany under the German banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz, KWG) by the German Financial Service Authority (BaFin). MANGOPAY will also administrate the underlying banking infrastructure of your Blocked Account and has partnered with several banks for this purpose. MANGOPAY will also administrate the underlying banking infrastructure of your Blocked Account and has partnered with several banks for this purpose. Your Blocked Account will always be with a German bank, e.g. Commerzbank, which is of course fully licensed according to the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz, KWG) by the German Financial Service Authority (BaFin).

MANGOPAY logo

10 steps to open a German Blocked Account

Expatrio offers you Germany's best Blocked Account, and setting up your Blocked Account is pretty easy. See how it works:

1. Check the visa requirements from the German Embassy responsible for your visa application
2. Apply for your Blocked Account once you have received the (conditional) confirmation of your studies in Germany
3. Get your Blocked Account on your own name as this is required by residence act
4. Transfer the required funds (Total Blocked Amount) to your Blocked Account, compare exchange rates and transaction fees
4. Plan in advance and remember that international transactions might take 3-5 business days
5. Automatically receive the official "Blocked Amount Confirmation" document to present at the German Embassy
6. Get your German visa (also check Health Insurance requirements)
7. Once in Germany, activate your Blocked Account and update your arrival date
8. Receive your payouts to your Current Account
9. Activate your Health Insurance as well
10. You're all set - enjoy Germany!

OPEN BLOCKED ACCOUNT
Blocked Account opening for student, language student or job seeker visa

Also in need of Health Insurance?

Combine & save!

With the Expatrio Value Package you can save time and money for your relocation to Germany.

Our Value Package includes Blocked Account, Current Bank Account, Incoming Health Insurance, Public Health Insurance (for university students) or Private Health Insurance (for language students) and the ISIC card.

Legal background about German Blocked Account

Expatrio Blocked Account fully complies with the applicable immigration law

The German Federal Foreign Office thoroughly assessed the Expatrio Blocked Account and approved it as a proof of financial means during the visa application process.

The Expatrio Blocked Account is therefore approved by the highest instances and complies with all laws, provisions, treaties and requirements of the German authorities in visa applications and residence permits. This includes especially, but is not limited to, § 2 (3) Residence Act (AufenthG) and 16.0.8.1 Administrative Order of the Residence Act (VwV-AufenthG). The monthly Blocked Amount is regularly €861 (€10,332 per year) which is specified in the §§ 13 and 13a (1) Federal Training Assistance Act (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetzes - BAföG) for students at secondary schools and universities in Germany.

Here is what will be written on the "Blocked Amount Confirmation":

The Blocked Amount of €__________ and the Additional Basic Sum of €__________ are blocked in favor of the Federal Republic of Germany respectively the local authority to which the foreigners office is assigned (“Blocking Beneficiary”), that has jurisdiction for the current place of residence of the account holder – or if the account holder has moved from Germany – to his/her last place of residence in Germany represented by the foreign office. 

The account holder will be able to dispose of a monthly amount of up to €______ over a Blocking Period of ___ months after the visa start date. This amount will be disbursed to his/her current bank account on a monthly basis in accordance with the disbursement plan as required by the Blocking Beneficiary. The Additional Basic Sum of €__________ will remain blocked till the termination of the Blocked Account. 

FAQ

What is a Blocked Account?

Blocked Account is a bank account required by the German Authorities as a proof of sufficient financial means necessary to receive a German visa. Blocked Account is essential for international students, au-pairs and job seekers that want to move to Germany. The monthly amount that should be blocked is being changed regularly and is adjusted to the minimal cost of living in Germany. In 2020, the required blocked amount is €861 per month or €10,332 for the whole year.

Why should I open a Blocked Account?

If you are going to Germany for long term and need a visa, most probably you will be asked for a confirmation of your financial resources. In such a case, you would need to open a Blocked Account and bring the confirmation to the German Authorities in order to apply for the visa.

Is the Blocked Account by Expatrio accepted to get a German visa?

Yes, the Blocked Account Expatrio is providing is officially accepted and approved by the German Federal Foreign Office, and can be found on their official website as one of the few specialized providers of Blocked Accounts for visa applications.

How can I open a Blocked Account?

In order to open a Blocked Account with Expatrio you just need to go to our webpage, choose Blocked Account among the services listed, and then go through the questionnaire. After that, you would be asked to provide some personal information to create a user account. When the account is created and approved, you will be able to access the bank details necessary for money transfer. When the funds reach your bank account, you will get the confirmation document necessary for your visa application.

How much does it cost to get a Blocked Account?

The Blocked Account fees paid for Expatrio services are €49 for account set up (one-time fee) and €5 monthly fee. Please take into consideration that together with these fees you will be asked to transfer the Blocked Amount required by the German Authorities. This amount varies depending on the length of your expected stay in Germany. An additional €100 buffer is required as it will be used to cover potential transaction fees if such occur. The buffer will be sent back to you together with the last monthly disbursement from your Blocked Account.

How can I transfer money to my Blocked Account?

You can use any bank or remittance service to transfer the necessary amount to your Blocked Account. Via Expatrio Payments, you are able to perform a domestic transfer in your own currency in many countries, which makes the process faster and less expensive. You also have the possibility of transferring in USD or EUR.

How long does it take for my money to arrive to the Blocked Account?

Normally international money transfers take around 3-5 business days, while domestic bank transfers take 2-3 business days. However, in some cases, the process can last up to 14 days. The speed mainly depends on the country from which the money is transferred and the channel which is used for the transaction. When choosing the domestic transfer option (if available), the money transfer usually takes 1-3 business days.

How do I know that the funds have arrived to my Blocked Account?

When the funds arrive at your Blocked Account you will immediately receive an automatic email confirmation. Such confirmation can be brought to your visa appointment as proof of your financial resources.

How long does it take to get the first payment from my Blocked Account?

From the point in time when you request to activate your Blocked Account by submitting all the necessary documents, it will take us 24 hours to validate them (otherwise we would come back to you asking to provide more details if something is missing). After the documents are validated, it would take 2-3 business days for the transaction to take place and the money to arrive.

What happens if my visa is rejected?

In case of visa rejection, Expatrio will transfer you back the whole amount from your Blocked Account as well as the service fees.

Footnotes:

* Based on the quantity and quality of customer reviews on Google Reviews, Facebook Reviews and Trustpilot Reviews.

* Please refer to the STCBA for further information on the Special Terms and Conditions for the Expatrio Mangopay Blocked Account.