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Apply for child benefit

Service Description

The payment of child benefit is not dependent on your income. It amounts to 250.00 euros for each child.

In principle, you are entitled to child benefit from the birth of your child until their 18th birthday. You may also be entitled to child benefit after that, but only up to the child's 25th birthday:

  • Children between the ages of 18 and 21: You receive child benefit if
    • your child is not gainfully employed and
    • is registered as a jobseeker.
  • Children between the ages of 18 and 25: You will receive child benefit if
    • Your child is in training (school/work/study),
    • your child is in a transitional period lasting a maximum of four months, for example between leaving school and vocational training or a recognized voluntary service,
    • your child cannot start or continue his/her training because he/she has not found a training place,
    • your child is completing a recognized voluntary service,
    • your child has already completed initial vocational training but is still in training, for example, and is working a maximum of 20 hours per week on the side.

If your child has a disability and is unable to support themselves financially, you are entitled to child benefit even after your child's 25th birthday. However, the disability must have occurred before the child's 25th birthday and be the reason why your child is unable to support him/herself financially.

Child benefit is paid to you if your child lives in your sole household. If the child lives with both parents, you can jointly decide which of you should receive the child benefit.

Process flow

You apply for child benefit in writing using the form provided. You also have the option of completing the applications for child benefit from birth and the application for child benefit for children when they reach the age of majority online. You can upload supporting documents directly. The data will then be sent directly to the family benefits office.

For an electronic application with electronic proof of identity:

  • Go to the website of the Family Benefits Office of the Federal Employment Agency and access the online application. For authentication, you will need either
    • the new ID card with online ID function or
    • the eID card for EU citizens and nationals of the European Economic Area or
    • an electronic residence permit or
    • an ELSTER certificate.
  • Complete the online application. The completed online application will be sent to the family benefits office.
  • When applying for child benefit from birth and for children who have reached the age of majority, you can also upload supporting documents and send them to the family benefits office.

For an analog application:

If you do not wish to make use of electronic application, you must apply for child benefit in writing. To do this, you can have the online application form sent to you for signature or print out the form yourself. Please send the signed application by post to your local family benefits office.

  • Go to the website of the Family Benefits Office of the Federal Employment Agency, call up the online application and complete it accordingly.
  • Print out the completed application or have it printed out and sent to you by the family benefits office.
  • You can also print out the application form directly and complete it by hand.
  • Please use the forms available from your local family benefits office or on the Federal Employment Agency website for your application.
  • Send the signed application by post to the family benefits office responsible for you.
  • The family benefits office will inform you by post whether you are entitled to child benefit.
  • If your application is approved, the family benefits office will pay you the child benefit each month.
  • If you work in the public sector or receive a pension, you may receive your child benefit from your employer, unless they have waived their special responsibility. In this case, you must also submit the application to your employer.

You must inform your family benefits office immediately if there are any changes that could affect your child benefit (e.g. child drops out of school, you or another parent take up employment abroad).

Who should I contact?

You can find the family benefits office responsible for you using the office finder on the website of the Family Benefits Office of the Federal Employment Agency.

If you work in the public sector and your employer or employer has not yet waived its special responsibility, please contact the department of your employer or employer responsible for your child benefit.

Competent authority

You can find the family benefits office responsible for you using the office finder on the website of the Family Benefits Office of the Federal Employment Agency.

If you work in the public sector and your employer or employer has not yet waived its special responsibility, please contact the department of your employer or employer responsible for your child benefit.

Requirements

Requirements that apply to you as parents:

  • You are subject to unlimited income tax liability in Germany or are assessed as such. This also applies to nationals of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland. Domestic residence is not mandatory.
  • Further requirements apply to EU or EEA nationals who move to Germany from August 2019. From the 4th month after entry, the requirements of the Freedom of Movement Act must be met. EU citizens are entitled to freedom of movement if they
    • are self-employed or employed
    • are looking for work or are involuntarily unemployed
    • can derive their right to freedom of movement from a family member
    • have sufficient means of subsistence and adequate health insurance cover or
    • have acquired a permanent right of residence.
  • You are not a citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, but have a valid settlement permit or a specific other residence title that entitles you to pursue gainful employment or
  • You are a legally recognized refugee or entitled to asylum.

Requirements that apply to your child:

  • Your child must be resident or ordinarily resident in Germany or in another EU or EEA state or Switzerland.
  • You may also be entitled to child benefit if your child lives in a household in the EU, EEA or Switzerland, but you or the other parent are subject to unlimited income tax liability in Germany or are assessed as such.

Which documents are required?

  • The tax identification number of the child or children,
  • the tax identification number of the parent applying for child benefit and
  • any additional documents (e.g. proof of the child's schooling/vocational training, certificate of severe disability).

What are the fees?

None

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

There is no deadline. Note: Once the application has been received, child benefit is paid retroactively for the last six months at the most.

Processing duration

Processing Time: 1 Month
Processing usually takes place within one month of receipt of the complete application for child benefit. Note: Use the online service of the Family Benefits Office to shorten the processing time.

Legal basis

Applications / forms

  • Objection

Appeal

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance necessary: No
Online services available: Yes

What else should I know?

The responsible family benefits office will check at certain intervals whether you still meet the requirements for entitlement to child benefit.

Further Information

Author

Forwarding service: Deep link to the original portal

Family Fund of the Federal Employment Agency

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Technically approved by

Family Fund of the Federal Employment Agency

Professionally released on

28.11.2022