Opening a German (or EU) bank account
Almost everything in German daily life runs through a local bank account: your salary is paid into it, rent and utilities are collected from it by direct debit (SEPA-Lastschrift), and many contracts require an IBAN. Opening an account can feel like a chicken-and-egg problem, because traditional banks often want your address registration (Anmeldung) first, while you need an address and sometimes an account to get settled. Modern app-based neobanks solve this neatly by letting you open an account before you have completed registration. Setting this up early smooths every other step of your move.
Why you need a German or EU account
A German current account (Girokonto) with a German or at least EU IBAN is effectively essential. Employers pay salaries by bank transfer, landlords expect rent by transfer or direct debit, and recurring bills (electricity, mobile, gym, insurance) are typically collected via SEPA direct debit, which needs an account that supports it smoothly. While any SEPA-zone (EU) account technically works for euro transfers, some German landlords and employers still prefer a German IBAN, so a local account avoids friction.
Having the account ready early also helps with the broader move: it gives you somewhere for your first salary, a card for everyday spending, and the IBAN you will need to sign rental and utility contracts.
Neobanks vs. traditional banks
Traditional banks (such as the large branch banks and savings banks) offer in-person service and a long product range, but they usually require you to appear in a branch with your passport and your address registration certificate (Anmeldebestaetigung) to open an account. That is the source of the classic chicken-and-egg problem for new arrivals.
App-based neobanks like N26 (and others such as bunq) are far more flexible. You can typically open an account from your smartphone in minutes with just a valid photo ID and a German address, before you have completed your Anmeldung. They identify you by video or photo, send the card by post, and may ask you to provide your tax ID (Steuer-ID) or confirm a definitive address later. This makes them the practical first account for most expats, who can later add a traditional bank if they want branch services.
Documents and the chicken-and-egg workaround
To open any German account you will generally need a valid passport or national ID, a German address, and usually your tax identification number (Steuer-ID), which is sent to you after your Anmeldung. Traditional banks add the registration certificate to that list. Some accounts also ask about your residence status.
The workaround is sequencing: open a neobank account first using just your ID and an address (for example your temporary or provisional accommodation), use that IBAN to sign your rental contract and get settled, complete your Anmeldung, then supply your Steuer-ID to the bank if requested. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens follow the same practical steps but without any visa to worry about. Once your registration is done, every other contract becomes far easier to set up.
- 1Decide between a flexible neobank (fast, no Anmeldung needed) and a traditional bank (branch service, needs registration).
- 2Gather your documents: valid passport/ID and a German address (temporary address is fine for neobanks).
- 3Open a neobank account online before you complete your Anmeldung to break the chicken-and-egg deadlock.
- 4Use the new IBAN to sign your rental and utility contracts and to receive your salary.
- 5Complete your Anmeldung and provide your tax ID (Steuer-ID) to the bank when requested.
- 6Optionally add a traditional bank account later if you need in-branch services.
- N26 - How to open a bank account in Germany
- Make it in Germany - Opening a bank account
- Handbook Germany - Bank account
- European Commission - Payment accounts (SEPA)
General information for expats in Germany, not individual advice. Rules and figures change; verify against the official sources above and your own situation.