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International Pension Coordination

If you worked in multiple countries, periods of service can be totalized to meet the minimum 5-year threshold for German pension. In the EU this works automatically, with other countries — through bilateral agreements. Without an agreement, foreign service is not counted, and less than 60 months of German contributions means loss of pension rights (with option for contribution refund).

EU/EEA/Switzerland​

Social security coordination in the European Union, European Economic Area, and Switzerland is governed by Regulations (EC) No 883/2004 and 987/2009 [1].

BenefitDescription
Period aggregationYears of work in any EU/EEA/Switzerland country count toward meeting the minimum 5-year threshold (60 months of contributions) in Germany [2]
Pension exportGerman pension paid to EU residents without deductions and restrictions
Pro-rata calculationEach country pays pension based on contribution period in its system

Example​

  • 3 years Germany + 3 years France + 2 years Spain
  • Total: 8 years → exceeds 5-year threshold in all countries
  • Receive 3 separate pensions, each calculated on local periods

Countries with Agreements (Bilateral Agreements)​

Germany has concluded social security agreements (Sozialversicherungsabkommen) with 22 countries outside the EU [3].

Countries with totalization agreements: Albania, Australia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada/Quebec, Chile, India, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Philippines, Serbia, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, Uruguay, USA [3]

BenefitDescription
TotalizationWork periods in partner country count toward meeting the minimum 5-year threshold in Germany
Posted workersA1 Certificate (Certificate of Coverage) allows staying in home country insurance system during temporary work in another country (duration depends on treaty, usually up to 60 months) [4]
Pension exportGerman pension can be received in partner country without restrictions

Example: US-Germany​

  • 3 years Germany + 10 years USA
  • Germany counts US years → 3-year German pension payable
  • USA counts Germany years → separate Social Security calculation

Countries Without Agreements​

Examples: China (except temporary postings), Mexico, Russia, South Africa

RiskDescription
No aggregationOnly German contribution periods count toward threshold
Risk of lost contributionsLess than 60 months of contributions — no pension rights. Possible contribution refund
Export restrictedPension transfer to these countries may be difficult due to banking restrictions or sanctions

Taxation of Pensions Abroad​

All tax matters for non-resident pensioners are handled by specialized tax office: Finanzamt Neubrandenburg (RiA — Rentenempfänger im Ausland, pensioners abroad) [5].

Tax StatusDescriptionBasic Tax-Free Allowance (Grundfreibetrag)?
Limited tax liability (Beschränkt steuerpflichtig)Default for non-residentsNo — tax charged from first euro
Unlimited tax liability (Unbeschränkt steuerpflichtig)If 90% or more of worldwide income is taxed in Germany or foreign income doesn't exceed €12,096Yes — tax-free allowance €12,096 per year (2025) [6]

Priority of Double Taxation Agreements​

Many double taxation agreements (DTA, German: Doppelbesteuerungsabkommen) grant exclusive taxation rights to country of residence [7]:

  • US-Germany: US residents pay tax only in USA. To be exempt from German tax, file Certificate of Residence with Finanzamt Neubrandenburg [8]
  • Specific rules depend on agreement between Germany and your country of residence

Proof of Life (Lebensbescheinigung)​

Pensioners living outside the EU must prove they are alive annually [9]:

  • German pension office (DRV — Deutsche Rentenversicherung) sends proof of life form (Lebensbescheinigung) in June-July each year
  • Form must be certified by German consulate, notary, or local police
  • Failure to submit form results in pension payment suspension

FAQ​

Not legal or financial advice.

I worked 3 years in Russia, now in Germany — will my Russian work count?​

Russia has NO bilateral social security agreement (Sozialversicherungsabkommen) with Germany. Russian work periods are not aggregated for reaching the German 5-year minimum threshold. Only German contributions count. If you accumulate fewer than 60 months of German contributions and leave, you can apply for a Beitragserstattung (contribution refund) — but only after a 24-month waiting period and only if you are no longer subject to German social insurance obligations. Russian pension rights remain in the Russian system and can be claimed separately from Russia's Social Fund (SFR, formerly Pension Fund / PFR). The absence of a bilateral agreement is one of the most significant gaps for Russian-speaking immigrants in Germany.

I worked in the UK before Brexit — do those years still count under EU coordination?​

Yes, with conditions. UK work periods before December 31, 2020 (end of Brexit transition period) are fully protected under the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement (Trade and Cooperation Agreement, TCA). These periods count for aggregation toward the German 5-year minimum. UK periods AFTER January 1, 2021 are covered by the UK-Germany bilateral Sozialversicherungsabkommen (social security agreement), which also includes totalization provisions. Practically: you need a UK National Insurance record (request from HMRC) to prove the contribution periods. German pension applications (Rentenantrag) include a section for foreign periods — the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV, German pension insurance) contacts the UK authorities through the Verbindungsstelle (liaison body) to verify.

I have less than 5 years in Germany and plan to leave — can I get a contribution refund?​

Beitragserstattung (contribution refund) is available under specific conditions (§ 210 SGB VI). Requirements: (1) you have fewer than 60 months of German pension contributions (no aggregation with foreign periods for this purpose); (2) you are no longer subject to German mandatory pension insurance; (3) at least 24 months have passed since leaving the German system. The refund covers only the employee's share (approximately 9.3% of gross salary), not the employer's share. For EU/EEA citizens: refund is generally NOT available because EU coordination rules preserve the right to a future proportional pension. For non-EU citizens without a bilateral agreement: refund is available. File the application at Deutsche Rentenversicherung using form V900. The 24-month waiting period cannot be waived.

How does the Lebensbescheinigung (proof of life) work practically abroad?​

The Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV, German pension insurance) sends the Lebensbescheinigung (proof of life) form annually — usually June-July — to your registered foreign address. You must: (1) fill out the form; (2) have your identity and signature verified by a German consulate, notary, or in some countries the local police or municipal authority; (3) return the signed form to DRV within the deadline (usually 4-6 weeks). Failure to return the form results in pension payment suspension — not cancellation, but payments stop until the form is received. Within the EU/EEA, DRV increasingly uses electronic verification through the EESSI system, reducing paperwork. For non-EU countries: the paper process remains. Keep a copy of every submitted form. If your address changes abroad, notify DRV immediately — a form sent to the wrong address and not returned triggers payment suspension.

I worked in two EU countries — do I need to apply for pension in both?​

No, one application suffices. Under EU Regulation 883/2004, you apply for pension in the country where you currently reside or the country where you last worked. The application triggers the coordination process: the receiving pension authority contacts all other EU member states where you had contributions through the Verbindungsstelle (liaison body). Each country then independently calculates your pension based on its own contribution periods and rules (Pro-rata-temporis calculation). You receive separate pension payments from each country — there is no single "EU pension." Processing time varies: Germany typically takes 3-6 months, some countries longer. Apply at least 6 months before your planned retirement date. The Deutsche Rentenversicherung form R0100 includes sections for all EU work history.

Sources​

  1. EUR-Lex — Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems — European Commission, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32004R0883

  2. Rente im Ausland: EU, EWR und die Schweiz — Deutsche Rentenversicherung, https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/DE/Rente/Ausland/ausland.html

  3. Sozialversicherungsabkommen — Deutsche Rentenversicherung, https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/DE/Rente/Ausland/Sozialversicherungsabkommen/sozialversicherungsabkommen_node.html

  4. A1-Bescheinigung für Entsendungen — Deutsche Verbindungsstelle Krankenversicherung - Ausland (DVKA), https://www.dvka.de/de/arbeitgeber_arbeitnehmer/a1_bescheinigung/a1_bescheinigung.html

  5. Finanzamt Neubrandenburg — Rentenempfänger im Ausland — Finanzamt Neubrandenburg, https://www.finanzamt-rente-im-ausland.de/

  6. Grundfreibetrag 2025 — Bundesministerium der Finanzen, https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Monatsberichte/Ausgabe/2025/01/Inhalte/Kapitel-2-Fokus/die-wichtigsten-steuerlichen-aenderungen-2025.html

  7. Doppelbesteuerungsabkommen — Bundesministerium der Finanzen, https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Web/DE/Themen/Steuern/Internationales_Steuerrecht/Staatenbezogene_Informationen/staatenbezogene_informationen.html

  8. USA-Germany Social Security Agreement — U.S. Social Security Administration, https://www.ssa.gov/international/Agreement_Pamphlets/germany.html

  9. Lebensbescheinigung für Rentenempfänger im Ausland — Deutsche Rentenversicherung, https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/DE/Rente/Ausland/Rentenzahlung-ins-Ausland/rentenzahlung_ins_ausland.html