What do I need to bear in mind when opening a blocked account?

A blocked account can be opened at a bank or similar provider. You are free to choose where to open your account. Usually, you can open a blocked account online. Blocked accounts are offered in Germany and many other countries with varying conditions. We therefore recommend you choose your provider carefully following detailed research. In addition to the amount blocked in the account, you have to pay the requisite banking fees.

The blocked account must have sufficient credit in order to cover the costs of daily life in Germany (unless other proof of financial support is presented in addition). The amount to be paid into the account varies depending on the purpose of your stay and is based on the maximum rates for support received by German students. The blocked account is usually opened for a year, unless your planned stay is shorter.

To secure financing in the visa process, an amount of € 992/month must currently be deposited in the blocked account for students/scholarship holders/interns. For example, if a stay of six months is planned, an amount of €5,952 must be deposited.

If you receive a scholarship that does not cover this amount, you must open a blocked account and deposit the amount that is still missing to cover the financing. For example, if you receive a monthly scholarship of €300 for six months, you still have to provide proof of an amount of €692 per month, i.e. for six months an amount of €4,152 (€692 x 6).

For applicants applying for the Opportunity Card or as a researcher, a monthly amount of € 1,091/month must be proven.

Only a certain amount can be withdrawn every month from the blocked account. This is to make sure that the minimum amount for each month is available and that the money that is meant to last for a whole year, for example, cannot be withdrawn right at the start of the stay.

When you open a blocked account, you need to name an account beneficiary. That is either the mission abroad where you applied for the visa (before the granting and/or use of the visa) or the competent foreigners authority/Ausländerbehörde (after arrival in the country). The account beneficiary is not, however, able to withdraw your money.

You can freely choose the provider. According to the embassy's knowledge, no institution in Italy currently offers blocked accounts for Germany. Providers in Germany are e.g. Fintiba or X-patrio, Sparkasse or Deutsche Bank.Fintiba and Expatrio allow you to open an account online; a blocked account with Deutsche Bank requires a (chargeable) signature certification from a German embassy or consulate.

For Iranian and Syrian citizens, it may be advantageous (based on the embassy's experience) to select Fintiba and use their Italian address, not their Iranian or Syrian address, when filling out the application form (to open a blocked account).

How do I close a blocked account?

To close the blocked account, the blocking notice has to be lifted. This can only be done with the agreement of the account beneficiary (the Embassy/Consulate abroad or the foreigners authority/Ausländerbehörde in Germany).

If your visa application was rejected, the rejection letter is sufficient to lift the blocking notice.

Otherwise, the mission abroad can issue a consular certificate for the lifting of the blocking notice at your bank if

1. You have not applied for a visa to enter the country and therefore did not travel to Germany or
2. You applied for a visa but withdrew your application or
3. You applied for and received a visa but did not use it or
4. You applied for and received a visa to enter the country but left the Schengen area before being issued with a residence permit by the foreigners authority.

Please contact the competent mission abroad in your place of residence (point 1) or the mission abroad where you applied for the visa (points 2 to 4).
If you are in Germany, contact the foreigners authority/Ausländerbehörde so that the blocking notice can be lifted.
If you would like to close the blocked account you have opened at the German Embassy in Rome, please book an appointment here. Fill out the relevant application and bring it with you to your appointment along with a copy of your passport (and your visa processing number, if applicable). The form for the application can be found here.
Processing the application costs € 34,10. You will then receive a consular certificate that you can submit to the banking institution where you opened the account to have it closed.