Deutsche Rentenrückerstattungsberechtigung | Südkorea
As a South Korean citizen, you can claim a German pension refund if you contributed for fewer than 60 months in total, at least 24 months have passed since your last mandatory pension contribution in Germany, the EU, the UK, Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia, and you live outside the EU and the UK. Your NPS contributions in South Korea never block the claim and never restart the waiting period. Living in South Korea, the USA, Canada, Australia or anywhere else outside the EU and UK? The route is open.
⭐ 4.9/5 from 1,300+ verified client reviews
✅ Average refund in 2026: €11,438 — real results from under €200 to over €38,000
✅ Refund arrives ~8 weeks after submission, on average
✅ No German bank account required
✅ 100% digital when you claim through us — legal support included
✅ No refund, no fee — success-based only
Who can claim a German pension refund as a South Korean citizen?
As a South Korean citizen, you can claim a refund of your German pension contributions if you meet all of the following:
You live outside the EU and the UK. Any country beyond that — South Korea, the USA, Canada, Australia, Southeast Asia, anywhere — qualifies.
You contributed for fewer than 60 months in total. Every month you worked in Germany counts, including months covered by unemployment benefits or parental leave credits. If your total reaches 60 or more, you have earned a German old-age pension payable at retirement age worldwide — and a lump-sum refund is no longer available. Under 60 months, the refund route is open.
At least 24 months have passed since your last mandatory contribution in Germany, the EU, the UK, Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia,. The clock starts from the last contribution month itself — not from your deregistration date. One insured day makes the whole month count.
You do not hold a German, EU, EEA, Swiss or UK passport. Even a second passport you have never used blocks the refund.
Your NPS contributions in South Korea never affect the German claim — they do not block it and do not restart the 24-month wait.
The 60-month rule explained
Unlike citizens of Turkey, Morocco or Chile, South Korean citizens are subject to the 60-month cap. Here is what that means in practice:
Under 60 months contributed — you can claim the full lump-sum refund of your employee share, once the residence and waiting-period conditions are met.
60 months or more — the refund is no longer available. Instead, you have earned a German old-age pension, which will be paid to you at retirement age no matter where in the world you live at that point — including South Korea.
Not sure how many months you have? Every month you worked counts — even a single day in that month. Periods of unemployment benefit and child-raising credits also count toward the total. Our free eligibility check confirms your exact position in a minute.
How much can South Korean citizens claim?
In 2026, our clients received €11,438 on average — real results range from under €200 to over €38,000 depending on your salary level and how long you worked in Germany.
You receive back 100% of the mandatory contributions deducted from your salary while employed, and 50% of any voluntary or self-employed contributions you made. The employer's matching share is never refunded.
Since 2018, the contribution rate has been 9.3% of gross salary up to the monthly ceiling (€8,450 in 2026; €8,050 in 2025). Earnings above that ceiling were not subject to pension deductions and are not included in the refund.
Use our free refund calculator.
What are the costs?
We work on a success-only basis — nothing upfront. Our fee is 9.75% of the refunded amount, capped at €2,500, covering all legal representation, certified translations, VAT and correspondence with the German authorities. You pay only after your refund has been transferred to your account.
What documents do I need?
Your valid South Korean passport, your German pension number (Versicherungsnummer) — our German social security number guide explains where to find it — your approximate employment dates and employers, your current address and bank details, and your deregistration certificate (Abmeldung) if you have one. Missing something? We can recover your pension number and handle the deregistration in your name. You do not need your insurance record upfront — the final refund statement (Bescheid) shows it in full.
Is the process fully digital?
When you claim through Germany Pension Refund — yes, entirely. You submit your details and sign everything online, and we handle all communication with the pension office on your behalf. One document needs a notary: we prepare a short Certificate of Life and Nationality for you, which you can have notarized online or at any local notary — most clients simply walk in without an appointment and send us the scan the same day. No original documents ever need to be mailed.
If you submit a claim yourself directly to the German pension office, the process is different: self-filed claims require paper forms and wet signatures, which is one of the reasons self-filing typically takes six months or longer.
Is a German bank account required?
Not at all. Your refund is paid first into a secure escrow account managed by a licensed German law firm, then transferred to any bank account you choose — in South Korea or anywhere in the world, in the currency you prefer. A third-party account is also possible.
How long does it take?
Our average processing time is 8 weeks — compared to six months or longer for self-filed claims. We prepare each application so it can be processed as efficiently as possible, and our partner law firm handles all correspondence with the German pension offices directly.
Processing times depend on the responsible pension office. Some claims take longer due to workload or internal checks — that is normal. From the seventh month after a complete application, the pension office owes 4% annual interest on the outstanding amount. If your claim has not progressed within about three months, we contact the pension office directly; at six months, we escalate to office management. If no formal decision has arrived by six months, we invoke §88 SGG — the Social Court Act — and file for inactivity, compelling the authority to act.
Did your spouse or parent work in Germany?
If a family member died with German pension contributions on record, those contributions may be claimable by you. If their German record stayed under the five-year qualifying period, the closest family — spouse or registered partner first, then children — can claim a refund of the contributions. There is no waiting period, but this claim expires four years after the end of the year of death, so don't wait. If the record reached five years or more, a refund is not possible — but a German widow's or widower's pension may be payable instead, anywhere in the world, including India. Both routes in detail: our German widow's pension guide → and the survivors section of the complete guide →
When can you apply?
24 full calendar months after your last mandatory pension contribution in Germany, the EU, the UK, Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia — counted from the last month of employment or credited benefits, not from your deregistration date. Eligibility is checked at the date of your application: you can take up work in the EU again the day after submitting, and a later return does not undo a claim that was valid when filed.
One honest note: the German pension office can see EU and UK insurance records — the systems are digitally connected. Claiming while actually living or insured in the EU or UK surfaces retrospectively, the refund is reclaimed, and legal consequences can follow. Your NPS contributions in South Korea never cause this problem. If your situation is unclear, ask us first.
Can I return to Germany after applying?
Yes. Filing for a German pension refund does not stop you from returning to Germany or moving elsewhere in Europe afterward. You can submit your application today and move back tomorrow — your claim remains valid, because eligibility is checked at the date of application. And if you work in Germany again later, a new pension record simply starts from zero.
Frequently asked questions
Can South Korean citizens claim a German pension refund?
Yes, if you contributed for fewer than 60 months in total, live outside the EU and UK, and at least 24 months have passed since your last mandatory pension contribution in Germany, the EU, the UK, Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia. NPS contributions in South Korea never block the claim.
What is the 60-month rule for South Korean citizens?
If you contributed for fewer than 60 months, you can claim a lump-sum refund of your employee share. If you contributed for 60 months or more, the refund is no longer available — instead you have earned a German old-age pension payable at retirement age worldwide, including in South Korea.
Do my NPS contributions in South Korea block the German refund?
No. NPS contributions never block the German pension refund and never restart the 24-month waiting period.
How do I know if I have fewer than 60 months?
Every month you worked in Germany counts — even a single day in a month. Unemployment benefit periods and child-raising credits also count. Add those up and if the total is under 60, the refund route is open.
Is there a minimum number of months I need to have contributed?
No minimum — even a single contribution month is claimable.
Is the claim process paperless?
When you claim through Germany Pension Refund — yes, entirely. You submit everything online and we handle all correspondence with the pension office. One document needs a notary stamp: we prepare a Certificate of Life and Nationality for you, which you can have notarized online or at any local walk-in notary and send us the scan the same day. No originals ever need to be mailed. Self-filed claims are different: the German pension office requires paper forms and wet signatures, which is one of the main reasons self-filing typically takes six months or longer.
Do I need a German bank account?
No. Your refund is transferred from a German law firm escrow account to any bank account you choose — in South Korea or internationally, in the currency you prefer. A third-party account is also possible.
What is the fee?
9.75% of your refund, capped at €2,500, covering all legal fees, translations, VAT and correspondence. Nothing is charged upfront — you pay only after your money arrives.
Can I return to Germany after getting my refund?
Yes. Your refund only clears your past contribution record. If you return to Germany and work again, a new pension record starts from zero — your refund does not affect future employment, visas or pension entitlements.
My late spouse worked in Germany — can I claim their pension refund?
Possibly, yes. If your spouse or registered partner passed away with fewer than five years of German pension contributions on record, the closest surviving family — spouse or registered partner first, then children — can claim a refund of those contributions. There is no waiting period, but this right expires four years after the end of the year of death, so don't wait. If the record reached five years or more, a lump-sum refund is not available — but a German widow's or widower's pension may be payable instead, anywhere in the world, including South Korea.
Claim your pension refund today
One clear promise: you pay only when your money arrives. In 2026, our clients received €11,438 on average — and starting takes less than five minutes.
Use the free refund calculator →
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Want the full rules, forms and process in detail? Read our complete guide: How to Claim a German Pension Refund: Complete 2026 Guide