Questions & Answers

Do you want to have detailed information before opening your GBA Blocked Account? In this section, we collected a number of frequently asked questions about the GBA Blocked Account. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us.

• General questions

  Here you will find the most frequent general questions about the GBA Blocked Account.

  • What is the GBA Blocked Account?

    The GBA Blocked Account is offered by DR-WALTER and Expatrio in cooperation with the escrow services and payment provider Aion. Students and other visitors from abroad often need a German blocked account for their visa application.

  • Do I need a blocked account for my stay in Germany?

    Proof of a blocked account is usually one of the prerequisites for obtaining a visa. If you do not know whether you need a visa for your stay in Germany, please look at this official list of the Federal Foreign Office. Here you can find all countries for which a visa is required as well as additional information.

  • How much money do I have to deposit in my blocked account?

    In general, €934 for every month of your stay in Germany are required as a monthly blocked amount. Please have a look at our example calculation for a 12-months' stay. If you plan to stay in Germany for more than one year, you can renew your blocked account after the end of 12 months.

  • Can I send more than the blocked amount?

    You should not transfer more money than required. The total blocked amount already includes €100 buffer, all fees, and the additional basic sum if needed. If you are requested to deposit more than €934 each month by a visa authority, Expatrio needs an official document from them stating the request.

  • What fees do I have to pay for my blocked account?

    You only need to pay a one-off set-up fee of €49 for your GBA Blocked Account. In addition to that, there are monthly costs of €5 for the management of the account.

    Moreover, a safety buffer of €100 has to be paid. However, this amount is no additional expense for you because it is usually refunded when you close your blocked account.

  • Is my money safe?

    Yes, the money on your GBA Blocked Account is safe. Aion has a European banking license and cooperates with the supervisory authority. Thus Aion fulfills the requirements of the second Payment Services Directive (PSD2), which was implemented by the EU. One of the aims of this directive is strengthening the rights of clients. Moreover, regular scans guarantee that no sensitive payment details are saved on the websites of Aion. All money is deposited in safe escrow accounts.

  • Why is there a safety buffer of €100?

    The safety buffer will be used to pay transfer charges in case we need to refund money. If there are no extra costs, the money will be refunded to you when you close your blocked account.

  • Who is Aion?

    Aion is an online payment technology designed for marketplaces, crowdfunding platforms and sharing economy businesses. Aion provides the trustee services and payment technology underlying Expatrio’s blocked account. Expatrio's blocked account is tailored to each customer and it enables individual accounts for each customer, including an individual IBAN. With the Aion technology, funds can be held securely for as long as needed.

    Aion holds an E-Money Issuer license, which enables Expatrio to accept payments, hold the funds in escrow and pay out with ease, speed and efficiency.

• Questions about the online opening of the GBA Blocked Account

  Here you will find answers to the most frequent questions regarding the online opening of the GBA Blocked Account.

  • Why is the opening of the blocked account in English?

    We ask for your understanding that the online opening of the GBA Blocked Account is only offered in English at the moment. The reason for this is that many students who need a German blocked account are more familiar with English than with German.

  • Which documents will I have to submit?

    You need to upload a copy of your passport when you open your blocked account. After arriving in Germany, please send us your enrollment certificate, your confirmation of your registration with the residents' registration office, and the activation order (07 Activation Order).

  • Do I have to transfer the amount in one lump sum?

    Yes, please transfer the amount in one lump sum in order to make sure that we can send you the confirmation of the account opening on the next day at the latest.

  • How do I transfer the money? In which currency should I transfer the money?

    We recommend you use TransferWise (online money transfer service) in order to transfer your money to your blocked account. TransferWise only charges a fee of about 0.5 - 1.1% of the transferred amount so it is cheaper than many bank institutes. Alternatively, you can transfer the money directly from your bank account.

    The money will be converted into euros because the blocked account will be opened in Germany. The amount you transfer in the currency of your home country needs to be identical with the amount in euros. Please note: conversion fees and transfer charges must be added to the required blocked amount on your blocked account. Example: €11,208 (minimum total sum for a year in Germany including set-up fee, monthly bank charges and safety buffer) + €95 (conversion fees and transfer charges) = €11,303 (amount of the transfer). The fees differ from bank to bank. Please contact your bank concerning this matter.

  • My relatives or friends want to transfer the money for me. Is that possible?

    Your relatives or friends can transfer the money for you. Thanks to the individual IBAN, additional verification of the transferring person by handing in additional documents is not necessary. However, it is possible that we ask for additional documents in some cases in order to check the source of capital.

  • Which personal details do I need to indicate on the transfer form?

    Please indicate your first and last name as account holder and your individual IBAN.

  • How do I get access to the money on my GBA Blocked Account?

    You will not get direct access to the money on your blocked account. In addition to your blocked account, you will need a conventional bank account at a bank of your choice. The agreed monthly amount will be transferred from your blocked account to this account on the 1st of each month. Many German banks offer free accounts for students.

• Praise, questions, criticism or suggestions?

  Your opinion is important to us!

  • Do you feel in good hands with DR-WALTER?

    We would be pleased if you would take the time to write a review on Google, Facebook or Trustpilot. In this way you will not only help us to further improve our service, but also help other customers who are looking for the right insurance.

  • In which areas can we still improve?

    If you still have unresolved issues or are not satisfied with our service, you can of course contact the relevant specialist department or the complaints management department (sandra.karnstedt-panienka(at)dr-walter.com). You can also reach us via our Contact form. For further information on questions regarding complaint handling, please see our legal notice.