In Germany, very little works without a current account (Girokonto): wages, rent, your phone contract and electricity instalments usually run through one. Still, newcomers are sometimes turned away by a bank. That is what the basic account – the Basiskonto – is for.
Who is entitled
Every consumer legally residing in the EU is entitled to a Basiskonto. This explicitly includes people without a permanent address, asylum seekers and people with a Duldung (temporary suspension of deportation) (1)(2). There is no entitlement if you mainly want to use the account for business purposes (1). The obligation applies to all institutions offering payment accounts to consumers – savings banks (Sparkassen), Volksbanken, commercial banks and online-only banks (1).
How to apply
- You apply in writing using the official form set out by law. BaFin, Germany’s financial supervisor, provides it on its website (1)(4).
- You need to prove your identity, for example with a passport or ID card. Asylum seekers can show their Ankunftsnachweis, people with a Duldung their Duldung notice (1).
- The bank has ten business days to review your complete application and make the account available to you (1)(2).
What the account does – and doesn’t
With a Basiskonto you can deposit and withdraw cash, make transfers, use standing orders and direct debits, and pay by card. If the bank offers online banking, it must offer it for the Basiskonto too (1)(2). The bank does not have to give you an overdraft (Dispo) (1)(2). The account does not have to be free, but fees must be reasonable (1)(2). A Basiskonto can also be run as a garnishment-protected account (P-Konto) (1).
If the bank says no
A bank may refuse only for a few reasons set out in law – for example if you already have a usable payment account in Germany or cannot sufficiently prove your identity (1)(3). If the bank refuses or does not respond within ten business days, you can ask BaFin to open administrative proceedings. They are free of charge and there is no deadline for applying (3). BaFin can order the bank to open the account for you (1)(3). You can also turn to a dispute resolution body or a civil court (2)(3).
Keep a copy of your application and any written refusal: both belong with your application to BaFin (3).
More: Guide: opening, comparing and switching a bank account. We do not give advice and do not recommend any particular bank; the decision is yours.
Sources (checked on 13 October 2026)
- Verbraucherzentrale – Fragen und Antworten zum Basiskonto (as of 28 October 2024)
- BaFin – Basic payment account
- Federal administration portal – BaFin administrative proceedings after a Basiskonto refusal (Section 48 ZKG)
- BaFin – Form: Antrag auf Abschluss eines Basiskontovertrags