Leaving Germany involves the same offices as arriving, in reverse. Deregistering your address is the step most other cancellations depend on.
Deregister your address (Abmeldung)
- You can deregister at the Bürgeramt from one week before you move out until two weeks after.
- It's free, and many cities accept it by post or online, so you can do it after you've left.
- Keep the deregistration certificate (Abmeldebestätigung). Banks, insurers and the Rundfunkbeitrag office ask for it.
What to cancel
Cancel or close
- Rundfunkbeitrag: deregister with the Abmeldebestätigung.
- Health insurance: public insurance ends when you prove you've left; send the Abmeldebestätigung.
- Phone and internet: contracts past their minimum term end with one month's notice. Moving abroad doesn't automatically end a contract still in its minimum term.
- Electricity and gas: give your final meter reading on your moving-out day.
- Your rental contract: notice is normally three months for tenants. See What to check in a Mietvertrag.
- Your blocked account: close it and have the remaining balance paid out.
- Your bank account: keep it open until your deposit and any tax refund have arrived.
Getting your pension contributions back
If you're not an EU citizen and you leave Germany, you can often claim back the employee share of your pension contributions. You apply once 24 calendar months have passed since your last German contribution. Citizens of countries with a social security agreement with Germany may have different rules, and contributions may count towards a pension there instead.
Deutsche Rentenversicherung
Information on refunds for people living abroad, and form V0901.
Go to Deutsche RentenversicherungTax
File a tax return for the year you leave. Your employer deducted tax as if you'd earn a full year's salary, so a refund is likely. See Your first tax return.
Sources
Rules and amounts change. Check the official source before you rely on a figure.