German child benefit for non-EU resident children

If you have a child living outside of the EU, you can still be entitled to German child benefit. To do this, you must meet one of the following requirements:

• You are a national of one of the following countries: Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Morocco, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia or Turkey.
• You have a valid settlement or residence permit with which you can work in Germany.

In addition, you are employed in Germany subject to social security contributions or receive unemployment benefits or sickness benefits.

How much money can you get?

Child benefit can only be applied 6 months back and the amounts are the followings since July 1, 2019:

• first child and second child 204 EUR per month
• third child 210 EUR per month
• every additional child 235 EUR per month

Unless your non-EU country has a social security agreement with Germany, you can't claim child benefit for a foreign child living abroad. For example, there is no such agreement between Germany and Ukraine. It means the whole Ukrainian family must be living and working with a valid settlement or residence permit in Germany in order to receive the entire child benefit.

Exceptions

Children in Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Morocco, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia or Turkey are only entitled to child benefit if the applicant is an employee within the meaning of the Agreement on Social Security between Germany and the given country.

The German child benefit rates for children in these countries or for children who are staying in Germany only temporarily are:

• for the first child 5.11 EUR per month
• for the second child 12.78 EUR per month
• for the third and fourth child 30.68 EUR per month
• and 35.79 EUR per month for each additional child

For which children can you get German child benefit?

Children up to the age of 18 years:

• own children (including adopted children),
• children of the spouse living abroad (stepchildren), if they already lived in the foreign household of the employee before he/she took up work in Germany, and
• children of the spouse (stepchildren) whom the applicant has taken into his household in Germany.

Grandchildren and foster children can only be considered if the applicant has taken them into his or her household in Germany.

Once the child turns 18, child benefit will only be paid under certain circumstances, for example due to a disability or studying at a university until the age of 25.

I want to apply for child benefits