Germany is the new hot spot for students planning to study in Europe. The no tuition fee structure and invaluable international experience is something that is drawing more and more students towards Germany. Currently, to study in Germany you need a student visa, and among the various other requirements to obtain the visa the most important is to prove that you have enough financial means to support your stay in Germany. The visa office asks the students to open a blocked account before they apply for the visa. So let me explain what is a 'Blocked account'.

Blocked Account (Sperrkonto) is required for financing your study and living costs in Germany. This account is called blocked since you are required to show that you have enough money to survive in the country for a year and only a certain sum of money will be released per month for your usage. You cannot withdraw more than the set monthly limit. Certainly, you can transfer more money than what is required for the German visa.

Several banks in Germany offer this account (Deutsche Bank, Sparkasse Aachen and BW Bank) but since Deutsche bank is most widely used I will take you through their process.

Two ways to Open a Blocked Account

1. A Through German consulate

  1. Download 'Bank's application form' for Deutsche Bank from the bank website. 
  2. Book an appointment by sending an E-mail to your local German Consulate for getting the required documents attested.
  3. Fill in the application form (Caution: Don’t write the place, date and signature. It needs to be filled at German Consulate.)
  4. On the day of appointment, go to the German Consulate with :
    a. Two copies of duly filled in Bank’s Application Form.
    b. Passport Xerox Copy & Original.
    c. Any other ID proof, if asked in your country.
    d. 2 passport size photos.
    e. Admission letter from university (only if available).
    f. Attestation Fee 20€ (payable in local currency in cash. Subject to current day’s exchange rate).
    g.Appointment mail copy which you got reply about date confirmation.
  5. Once the documents get attested, courier them to the address on the Deutsche Bank’s application form.
  6. In around a week you will get a mail from the Deutsche Bank, confirming your account details. You can transfer the funds after you have received the mail.

For any further FAQ's you can check the website.

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2. Directly through local branch of Deutsche Bank:

This process is easy and hassle free. In case you want to save the fees, courier charges and travelling expenses (in case if the Deutsche Bank is not in your city). But it is not mandatory to open a local DB account and take their services. The steps for opening blocked account through local DB is:

  1. Visit the nearest Deutsche Bank branch, you can visit any branch in India for that matter and inform them that you want to open the German Student Blocked Account, they will explain you the complete procedure.
  2. You will have to open a Savings Bank Account with the Deutsche Bank India, which always has a minimum balance requirement. This minimum balance is excluding the blocked amount of 7,908 €  (This balance needs to be maintained to keep your local DB account active.) The relationship manager will help you in filling up the form and also guide you through the procedure.
  3. You will need the following documents:
  • Passport Xerox Copy & Original.
  • ID proof as asked by the relationship manager.
  • 2 passport size photos.
  • Admission letter from university (only if available).
  • Minimum balance, in cheque or cash.

The blocked account will be opened in 4-5 days and then you can transfer the money to your local DB account and they will transfer it to the blocked account.

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Additionally for India they have a new provision wherein you can contact any branch of Kotak Mahindra in India and request opening of a blocked account for student visa for Germany. You will have to present proof of opening of such account at the time of applying for your visa. After having arrived in Germany, you can request Kotak Mahindra Bank to transfer the full deposited amount into.

Try to start the procedure prior to your visa application process to avoid unnecessary troubles. I had personally faced a lot of issues due to lack of information, so I hope this information might be helpful for you. Comment below if you have any other queries. I will be happy to help. Wish you all the very best for the new journey.

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