If you want to settle in Germany, it is necessary to open a bank account. Commerzbank offers many advantages for expats, which we will present to you in this article.
In addition, we will explain to you under what conditions you can open a bank account at Commerzbank, and how to fill in the German online application form step by step. Therefore, we prepared a free English guide.
Competent, English-speaking customer service in about 450 branches across Germany seven days a week
Access to English online and mobile banking 24/7, with an excellent banking app and instant payments
Easy payment with your smartphone or smartwatch because Google Pay and Apple Pay are supported
Unlimited free cash withdrawals at over 6,000 Cash Group machines and free deposits at Commerzbank ATMs
Open an account directly online in several minutes.
Open account nowSwitch now to the leading brick-and-mortar bank in Germany.
Great service for our customers. We are shaping the future of banking by giving you the ability to decide what you want and when you want it. Benefit from having a strong and safe partner at your side, as well as our excellent banking app.
Test winner of the economic and financial title €uro as the best branch bank for the 8th year in a row.
Test winner in the category "highest security" – awarded by Focus Money Deutschland Test.
Commerzbank offers everything an English-speaking customer could wish for. Customer service and online banking in English and many additional advantages.
We are happy to help you with our free guide to open your Commerzbank account now.
Hi, we will send your guide shortly!
Your registration could not be saved. Please try again.
First 3 months free. Permanently free with €50,000+ assets.
There are no fees¹ for the Commerzbank Basic account, provided the following conditions are met. Additionally, you get a 50€ starting credit² + 100€ per referral, via the customer recruit customer program. To take advantage of these benefits, you must meet the following conditions:
¹You have a credit balance of at least €50,000 in your call money, fixed-term deposit and savings accounts as well as current accounts and assets in the custody account, which are managed under one customer number and totalled. Negative balances on current accounts are not taken into account. A review is carried out monthly on the last bank working day. If the assets have fallen below the minimum value of €50,000, the monthly price will be calculated with the next account statement. Otherwise, a monthly fee of €4.90 applies.
The primary condition to open a German bank account is that you must be registered in Germany. The reason: You must provide your German home address. Additionally, you must be at least 18 years old and have a valid passport or European ID card.
To open an account at Commerzbank you also need to provide your first and last name, nationality, email address and phone number
You can open your bank account at Commerzbank easily and quickly in 6 steps:
The first step is to fill out the German online application form and set your Commerzbank login data for your account. You will then receive your new IBAN and a confirmation of your order. Here you find our free guide for this application form.
After you have saved your application, you will receive all important documents by email.
In the third step you must confirm your identity. This can be done either via video chat, PostIdent procedure or in a Commerzbank branch. You will receive more information by email.
After the verification follows the activation of the photoTAN, which will be sent to your online banking within 1 -2 business days.
For security reasons, the PIN of your new card will be sent to you first and independently of your Girocard.
About four working days later, your new Girocard will arrive in a separate letter.
You can usually use online banking 1-2 business days after you have legitimized yourself, as soon as you have activated the photoTAN procedure.
You can usually withdraw cash and pay in stores with your new Girocard after one week.
Once you have verified yourself and activated the photoTAN procedure, it usually takes only 1 – 2 working days until your online banking is completely ready for use.
After about a week, you can use your new Girocard to withdraw or deposit money and make contactless payments in all stores.
Visit the self-service area in your branch. The machines are available for cash deposits and withdrawals. All you need is your Girocard. Simply insert your card, enter your PIN and choose your language. Select the "Deposit money" or "Withdraw money" option in the menu and follow the instructions.
In case you lose your card, it is important to have it blocked as soon as possible. If you are a customer at the Commerzbank, you can contact the customer service. The service hotline is available 24 hours a day. Alternatively, you can also have your cards blocked in your online banking account, after logging in — with a TAN.
Girocard: The Girocard is a contactless debit card. You can use it to make contactless payments with compatible card readers. The amount is then charged to your account immediately.
Virtual debit card: The virtual debit card is completely digital, meaning you no longer receive a physical plastic card. You can use the virtual debit card with Apple Pay and Google Pay without needing a traditional credit card. All you need to do is activate the virtual debit card in the banking app to start paying contactless in shops and use it at cash machines around the globe. Transactions are authorised by and charged directly to your current account.
At Cash Group ATMs (6,000+): You can withdraw cash for free from all Commerzbank and Cash Group cash machines in Germany. The Cash Group includes Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank, Postbank and their subsidiaries. In total, there are over 6,000 ATMs nationwide.
At participating supermarkets: You can also withdraw cash for free when shopping at:
Minimum purchase value varies between €5 and €20 depending on the store.
Yes! If you have a good credit score and request an overdraft, we can set up one for you. The overdraft interest rate for the GiroKonto account is currently 12.20% p.a.
The Commerzbank security promise: The Commerzbank security promise makes online banking, via the website and the banking apps, a secure process. All customers are optimally protected by the photoTAN and mobileTAN procedures and can use all Commerzbank services without any worries.
Benefit from optimal protection for online banking on our website and in our banking app with our photoTAN authentication process. We'll refund any money lost due to phishing scams or malware in full if the necessary conditions are met.
Commerzbank was awarded test winner in the category "highest security" by Focus Money Deutschland Test.
Commerzbank is the perfect choice for expats moving to Germany because it combines traditional German banking reliability with modern, expat-friendly features:
Whether you're a student, professional, or starting a new life in Germany, Commerzbank makes banking accessible and straightforward for non-German speakers.