Find out which category your nationality belongs to
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When finding out whether you are eligible for a pension refund in Germany or not, you have to find out which category your nationality applies to. Therefore, you will find a list of all three categories – EU nationals, contracting state nationals and non-contracting state nationals.
These countries differ in terms of eligibility for a pension refund as it depends on whether they have a social security agreement with Germany or not.
EU Countries
EU state nationals have the same rights and obligations as nationals of the country they stay in (and where they have social security).
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Sweden
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Contracting States
Contracting states have a bilateral social security agreement with Germany which regulates the acquisition of pension rights and the payment of pensions to the respective country.
Albania
Australia
Bosnia Herzegovina
Brazil
Canada/Quebec
Chile
Iceland
India
Israel
Liechtenstein
Japan
Kosovo
Macedonia
Montenegro
Morocco
Norway
Philippines
Serbia
South Korea
Switzerland
Tunisia
Turkey
Uruguay
United States
Non-Contracting States
Non-contracting states don’t have a bilateral social security agreement with Germany and hence, different rules and regulations apply social security matters – including pension rights.
Afghanistan
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Equatorial Guinea
Argentina
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Ethiopia
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bolivia
Botswana
British overseas territories
Cambodia
Cameroon
Chad
Central African Republic
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cuba
Djibouti
Ecuador
El Salvador
Eritrea
Eswatini
Fiji
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Iraq
Iran
Jamaica
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kyrgyzstan
Kuwait
Laos
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Macau
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Monaco
Mongolia
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Qatar
Russia
Russia
Rwanda
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
South Africa
Sudan
South Sudan
Suriname
Syria
Tajikistan
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe