The Blocked Account (Sperrkonto), Explained Properly
€11,904, €992 per month, one non-negotiable document. What the blocked account is, how to open it without delays, and the mistakes that stall visas.
If you take one financial document seriously in your German student visa file, make it this one. The blocked account — Sperrkonto — is Germany's proof that you can support yourself for your first year. No blocked account, no visa. It's that binary.
The numbers for 2026
- Required deposit: €11,904 for a 12-month visa.
- Monthly release: €992 — paid out to your regular German account each month after you arrive.
- The figure follows Germany's BAföG reference rate and is reviewed periodically — always confirm the current amount with your embassy before transferring.
From experience
Transfer slightly more than the minimum — around €12,000–12,100. International bank fees are sometimes deducted from the transferred amount, and if even €20 less than €11,904 arrives, your confirmation stalls until you top it up.
How it actually works
You open the account online from India before your visa appointment, transfer the amount, and receive a blocking confirmation — the document the embassy wants. After you land in Germany and activate the account, €992 flows to your current account every month. You cannot withdraw it all at once; that's the entire point of the design.
Choosing a provider
The established providers — Expatrio, Fintiba, Coracle, Deutsche Bank — all produce embassy-accepted confirmations. Compare setup fees and monthly fees, check recent reviews, and prefer providers your university has experience with. Don't choose on the prettiest website; choose on reliability of payout after arrival.
The mistakes I see every intake
- Opening the account too late — start 6–8 weeks before your embassy appointment, not two.
- Name mismatches between passport and account application — one spelling difference can mean redoing the process.
- Transferring the exact minimum and losing €30 to bank charges on the way.
- Assuming €992/month is a comfortable budget in Munich or Frankfurt — it's a legal minimum, not a lifestyle. Budget cities are your friend in year one.
Handled early and precisely, the Sperrkonto is a formality. Handled casually, it's the single most common reason visa files stall. Do it the German way: early, exact, documented.
Written by Jeet Jalu — German coach and Germany career mentor. Lived it, failed parts of it, mastered it, teaches it.