Kindergeld: Claiming Child Benefit in Germany

This guide is for parents of any nationality who have recently moved to Germany and want to understand Kindergeld (child benefit). By the end, you will know who is entitled, how much is paid, how to apply at the Familienkasse (Family Benefits Office) and how long payments continue.

• Who is entitled to Kindergeld
• How much is paid and how
• How to apply at the Familienkasse
• How long Kindergeld lasts
• Changes, repayments and objections
• FAQ

Who is entitled to Kindergeld

Handbook Germany’s guide to child benefit sets out three basic conditions. The child is under 18, lives with the parent, and the parent is responsible for their care. The child does not have to be a biological child. Adopted children, grandchildren, foster children and stepchildren also qualify. The child must live in Germany, the EU, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland. The child’s nationality does not matter.

The parent must also meet one of these residence conditions:

• German citizenship.
• Citizenship of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
• A residence permit that allows work in Germany for at least 6 months. What matters is the permission to work, not whether the person is actually working.
• Citizenship of Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Morocco, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia or Turkey, combined with employment in a job subject to social security contributions, or receipt of Unemployment Benefit I or sick pay.

People with a Beschäftigungsduldung (toleration for the purpose of employment) can apply whatever their country of origin. This does not apply to people with an Ausbildungsduldung (toleration for vocational training). The Familienkasse decides whether a particular permit meets these conditions. Questions about residence status itself belong with the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners’ authority) or a migration advice service. For cross-border cases, the Federal Employment Agency publishes an information sheet in German on its website.

How much is paid and how

From 1 January 2026, Kindergeld is €259 per month for each child. The amount is the same for a first, second or third child. It is only paid for children who live with the applicant. For example, if a parent has three children and the eldest lives with the other parent, no Kindergeld is paid to that parent for the eldest child.

Only one caregiver can apply. Parents who raise a child together must decide which of them makes the claim. If parents are separated, Kindergeld goes to the parent the child lives with most of the time. If the other parent pays child maintenance, half of the Kindergeld is deducted from the maintenance they owe.

The money goes straight into a bank account. Families with several children receive a single transfer each month covering all of them. The payment date depends on the last digit of the Kindergeld number, and the full payment schedule is on arbeitsagentur.de.

How to apply at the Familienkasse

Kindergeld is a federal benefit handled by the Familienkasse, which is part of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency). The office responsible for each family is determined by postal code. Other early tasks, such as address registration or finding childcare, are organised by the federal state (Land), the city or the local office, and they follow separate rules. The application works like this:

1. An application can be made immediately after a child’s birth or after entering Germany, as long as the conditions above are met.
2. The form can be completed online on the Federal Employment Agency website, or downloaded, printed and filled in by hand. Both the main form, Antrag auf Kindergeld (application for child benefit), and the supplement Anlage Kind zum Hauptantrag Kindergeld (child annex to the main application) are available on arbeitsagentur.de in many languages.
3. The application must include the parent’s and the child’s tax identification numbers (Steuer-Identifikationsnummer). The guide explains this number in its chapter on the German tax system rather than on the child benefit page.
4. If the child was born abroad or currently lives in another EU country, the child’s birth certificate is also required.
5. The completed application and documents go to the responsible Familienkasse. Entering a postal code on arbeitsagentur.de shows which office that is.

The Familienkasse checks that the documents and data are complete. If anything is missing, staff get in touch by phone or letter. In principle, applicants should hear back within 6 weeks at the latest. After that, they can ask about their application on the free helpline, 0800 4 555530 (in German).

How long Kindergeld lasts

In principle, Kindergeld is paid until the child turns 18. It continues until the 21st birthday if the child is registered as unemployed and looking for work. It continues until the 25th birthday if the child is still at school or in vocational training, at university, or doing a recognised voluntary service.

For children over 18, the Familienkasse must also be told if the child finishes school, training or university, finds a job, gets a training or university place, changes or interrupts their training or studies, or becomes pregnant and goes on maternity leave.

The Familienkasse regularly checks that families still qualify. It sends out a questionnaire asking, for example, whether the family is still in Germany, whether the child still lives in the household and whether the child is still at school or in training. It may also ask for documents such as a confirmation from the school. Replies must arrive within the deadline the Familienkasse sets, or payments may stop. Anyone who cannot meet the deadline can ask the Familienkasse for an extension in good time.

Changes, repayments and objections

Recipients are legally obliged to report relevant changes to the Familienkasse immediately. These include a parent taking a job abroad or in public service, a parent or child moving abroad, the child receiving benefits from another country, separation or divorce, the child moving out, a change of address and new bank details. Failing to report changes can be treated as a misdemeanour or even a criminal offence.

When circumstances change, the Familienkasse may issue an Aufhebungsbescheid (cancellation notice) or an Erstattungsbescheid (reimbursement notice). Overpaid amounts must be paid back through the Inkasso-Service der Bundesagentur für Arbeit (collection service of the Federal Employment Agency). The money must be repaid immediately even if the recipient objects. If the demand later turns out to be wrong, the money is returned.

Recipients who disagree with a decision can lodge an objection within one month of receiving the notice. The period begins three days after the postmark date on the envelope. Objections can be made in writing or in person at the Familienkasse, and they are free. If the objection is rejected, the next step is a court appeal, which must be filed within one month of receiving the rejection. Court proceedings cost money, although low-income families may qualify for legal aid. Advice is available from a Jugendmigrationsdienst (Youth Migration Service), whose staff speak many languages.

FAQ

Can non-German parents receive Kindergeld?

Yes, if they meet one of the residence conditions. These cover EU, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian and Swiss citizens, holders of a residence permit that allows work for at least 6 months, certain employed citizens of eight named countries, and people with a Beschäftigungsduldung. The child’s nationality does not matter. The Familienkasse decides on each case.

Can Kindergeld be claimed for months before the application?

Yes, but only for the last six months. Kindergeld can be paid retrospectively, but no further back than six months before the application.

How long does the Familienkasse take to respond?

In principle, applicants should get feedback within 6 weeks at the latest. If they have heard nothing by then, they can call the free helpline on 0800 4 555530, which operates in German.

Is Kindergeld the same as Elterngeld?

No. Elterngeld (parental allowance) is a separate benefit. It compensates parents who work less or not at all while caring for a young child, and it has its own conditions. It can only be applied for after the birth and is paid retroactively for no more than 3 months before the application. Applications go to the Elterngeldstelle (parental allowance office), not the Familienkasse.

Sources: handbookgermany.de · handbookgermany.de

Last verified: 15 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the responsible authority always has the final word.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. For your own situation, ask the foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) of your city, a recognised migration advice service or a lawyer (Rechtsanwalt).