Opening an Account

For legal alien like me, it’s easy to open an account in German Banks. It only needs a passport and one form to be filled in. For less than 1 hour, our account is ready. I don’t even have to put some amount of money in my account as a start. So, it’s not like in Indonesia!

A friend of mine tells me that not all Banks have the same requirements. There is a Bank that requires an evidence of city resident. Ouch, glad that I didn’t apply to that Bank!

So after we have an account, we’ll get a small card in the size of name card that contains our bank account and bank code like you can see on the right picture.


Then the Bank will send us the rest via post. The Bank will send 5 mails containing, in respective order: ATM card, PIN for ATM card, Internet Banking ID, PIN for Internet Banking, and a confirmation table for doing transaction in internet. The good thing is these mails will arrive within less than 2 weeks after your application. So it’s pretty efficient.

However I have an unpleasant experience. Well, it’s mainly my fault actually. I didn’t put my name in my post box as soon as I apply to the Bank. I thought these mails will start coming later. As a result, I never get my bank mails at all. I have to ask the Bank to send me again and it cost me an administration fee :( Another lesson learned…