Germany Blocked Account Calculator

The amount is set by German law and is the same whichever bank or provider you use. It is reviewed periodically and does change, so rather than quoting a figure that may be out of date by the time you read this, the calculator above shows the current official amount along with the date it came into force and a link to the source it comes from. Enter how long you will be in Germany and it will work out your total.

No. That is what makes the account "blocked". The full sum must be in the account before you apply for your visa, but it is released to you monthly once you are in Germany, up to a fixed monthly maximum. The calculator shows that monthly figure alongside your total. Plan your first month's costs around the monthly release, not the full balance.

It can, but the deciding factor is who funds it, not how much it is worth. Official guidance recognises scholarships from public funds and from recognised awarding organisations for this purpose; a private or family award that happens to reach the same monthly figure is not automatically the same thing. So we show you the full requirement whatever you enter, and the mission handling your application is who confirms whether your award letter can stand in place of the account. Being short at the visa counter is an expensive mistake, and it is not one we will risk on your behalf by assuming.

No, and this is one of the commonest and most costly mix-ups. A Verpflichtungserklärung is a formal undertaking that a sponsor already in Germany files with a German authority, which then issues the document. An affidavit of support prepared in India on stamp paper is a different instrument entirely and does not substitute for proof of funds for this purpose. If someone in Germany is sponsoring you, they begin the process there, not you here.

A shorter stay is generally covered pro rata, month by month, rather than requiring a full twelve months' worth. Enter your actual duration in the calculator and it will scale the total. A stay longer than a year does not increase what you block up front — the requirement caps at twelve months.

Before you apply, not after. The confirmation that the funds are in place is part of the visa application itself, so the account has to be opened and funded first. Opening and funding times vary by provider and by how quickly your own bank clears an international transfer, so start this earlier than you think you need to — it is a common cause of a delayed application.

Yes. It is tied to a statutory rate that is revised periodically, which is why so many pages on this topic quote figures that are no longer correct. The calculator above reads the current amount from a single maintained record and prints the date it took effect and the source it came from, so you can see for yourself how current it is rather than taking our word for it.

Galvanize does not open blocked accounts and does not recommend a provider. Several are recognised for this purpose, and they differ on opening fees, transfer costs and how quickly they confirm. Since the amount you must block is fixed by law and identical whoever you go through, the provider choice is about cost and speed rather than about meeting the requirement. Compare them yourself against current published terms before you commit.