Applying for Kindergeld (Child Benefit) in Germany

Researched from official sources · April 30, 2026

Applying for Kindergeld (Child Benefit) in Germany

Estimated time

About 30-45 minutes online via the Familienkasse portal once Steuer-IDs are at hand

Cost

€0

What You Need

Tap to check off items as you gather them

Additional Items

  • Aufenthaltstitel (for non-EU residents) — confirms entitlement to Kindergeld
  • Bund-ID account — required for paperless online submission without a signature
  • Marriage certificate or family book (helpful when both parents apply or when only one parent receives Kindergeld for shared children)
  • Anmeldebestätigung — proof of registered residence (Wohnsitz) used by the Familienkasse to verify residency
  • School/university enrolment certificate (for children over 18 still in education, where applicable)

Step-by-Step

  1. 1

    Confirm Eligibility

    1. You have a Wohnsitz or gewöhnlichen Aufenthalt in Germany (per § 62 EStG)
    2. Your child is under 18, lives in your household, and you regularly provide care
    3. EU/EEA citizens: confirm whether you are inside or outside the first three months — entitlement applies after that, or earlier with German-source income
    4. Non-EU residents: confirm your Aufenthaltstitel grants entitlement to Kindergeld

    ⚠️ Watch out: If your residency status is unclear, the Familienkasse pauses the application. Resolve residency or income proof before submitting.

  2. 2

    Gather Steuer-IDs and Documents

    1. Your eleven-digit Steuer-ID (request a resend from BZSt if needed)
    2. Each child's Steuer-ID (delivered by post automatically after birth registration)
    3. Birth certificate of each child
    4. Bank account IBAN in your name
    5. Personalausweis or passport (and Aufenthaltstitel for non-EU)

    💡 Tip: If your child's Steuer-ID has not yet arrived, request it through the BZSt website before applying — the Familienkasse cannot finalise without it.

  3. 3

    Choose Online or Paper Submission

    1. Online with Bund-ID: complete and submit directly without signature, fully digital
    2. Online without Bund-ID: complete the form online, print, sign and submit by post or at the Familienkasse counter
    3. Paper from scratch: download Antrag Kindergeld (KG 1) from the Familienkasse downloads page

    💡 Tip: Bund-ID streamlines future Familienkasse and federal benefit applications — set it up once and reuse for multiple services.

    Familienkasse — Online apply for Kindergeld (arbeitsagentur.de ↗)
  4. 4

    Complete the Kindergeld Application

    1. Enter parent and child(ren) personal details, Steuer-IDs, residence, and bank account
    2. Add the second parent's details and indicate which parent receives the payment
    3. Upload supporting documents — birth certificates, ID/Aufenthaltstitel, Anmeldebestätigung

    ⚠️ Watch out: Per § 64 EStG, only one parent receives Kindergeld per child — the application form requires both parents' agreement when both are entitled. Resolve that agreement before submitting.

  5. 5

    Submit and Track the Application

    1. Online: submit and download the receipt confirmation
    2. Paper: send by post (Einschreiben recommended) or hand in at the Familienkasse counter
    3. Track via the Familienkasse online dashboard or by phone using your Kindergeldnummer

    💡 Tip: If the Familienkasse contacts you within six weeks for missing documents, respond quickly — incomplete applications pause the entitlement.

  6. 6

    Receive Monthly Kindergeld

    1. First payment usually arrives one to two months after the application is approved
    2. Per the Familienkasse, payment dates are published in the annual Auszahlungstermine schedule
    3. Existing recipients see the 2026 increase applied automatically — no new application needed

Costs

Item Amount Payment Notes
Kindergeld application €0 N/A Per the Familienkasse, Kindergeld is a federal benefit — there is no fee to apply.
Kindergeld application €0
Payment:
N/A
Notes:
Per the Familienkasse, Kindergeld is a federal benefit — there is no fee to apply.
Total: €0

FAQ

General

How much Kindergeld will I receive in 2026?

Per the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, ab Januar 2026 steigt das Kindergeld einheitlich für jedes Kind um vier Euro auf 259 Euro pro Monat. Existing recipients see the increase applied automatically — the Familienkasse adjusts the payment without any new application.

Who is entitled to Kindergeld?

Per § 62 EStG, anyone with a Wohnsitz or gewöhnlichen Aufenthalt in Germany — or who is unbeschränkt einkommensteuerpflichtig without a domestic residence — can claim. The child must be under 18, regularly cared for and living in the applicant's household. EU and EEA citizens establishing residence in Germany have no entitlement for the first three months unless they can prove inländische Einkünfte.

Until what age is Kindergeld paid?

Per the Familienkasse, Kindergeld is paid for children under 18 by default. Special rules in the EStG extend the entitlement for older children — for example up to 25 years if they are in education, vocational training, voluntary service, or are seeking an apprenticeship. Each extension category has its own evidence requirements.

How do I apply?

Per the Familienkasse, you can apply for Kindergeld online. With a Bund-ID, you can submit the online application without a signature directly to the Familienkasse. Without a Bund-ID, you complete the form online, print it, sign it, and submit it to the Familienkasse — postal or in-person at the local Familienkasse counter.

Why do I need to provide a Steuer-ID?

Per the Familienkasse, since 01.01.2016 it is a Voraussetzung that the applicant and the child are identified by their steuerliche Identifikationsnummern. The eleven-digit Steuer-ID is issued by the BZSt — newborns receive theirs automatically after birth registration at the Standesamt.

Can I claim Kindergeld for past months?

Yes. Per the Familienkasse, you may apply rückwirkend (retroactively) for up to six months. Older periods cannot be paid retroactively — submit the application as soon as you become eligible to avoid losing months.

We are a couple — who applies, and can both parents receive payments?

Per § 64 EStG, only one parent receives Kindergeld for each child. Where both parents are entitled, they jointly designate which of them receives the payment. The Familienkasse asks for the agreement and pays one parent — typically into the parent's bank account that they specify on the application.

What if my income is high — does Kindergeld still apply?

Yes. Per the Familienkasse, Kindergeld is not income-dependent. At the year-end Einkommensteuererklärung, the Finanzamt performs the so-called Günstigerprüfung, comparing the Kindergeld received with the Kinderfreibetrag — whichever is more favourable for the family is granted. No separate filing is needed for the comparison.

After This Process

  • → Notify changes — moving abroad, child finishing education, or change of bank account — to the Familienkasse promptly
  • → Year-end taxes — the Finanzamt runs the Günstigerprüfung between Kindergeld and Kinderfreibetrag in your annual tax return
  • → If your tax class also changes — see our Steuerklasse change guide; a single parent may move to class II via the Anlage Kind
  • → Apply for Kinderzuschlag if your income is low — a separate top-up benefit administered by the same Familienkasse

Sources

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More in Germany

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5 sources cited last accessed 2026-04-30

T1 official portal · T2 embassy/consulate · T3 news · T4 community — higher tier wins on conflict. methodology →

  1. T1
    Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Familienkasse 2026-04-30

    Kindergeld is paid by the Familienkasse, part of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. Eligibility: the child is under 18 years old, you regularly provide care for the child and the child lives in your household; this includes stepchildren, grandchildren and foster children. Residence must be in Germany, in an EU country, or in another listed state such as Switzerland or Norway. Per § 62 EStG, claimants must have a residence or regular place of stay in Germany, or be unbeschränkt einkommensteuerpflichtig without a domestic residence. Kindergeld can be applied for retroactively for the past six months (Sie können Kindergeld auch rückwirkend beantragen).

    arbeitsagentur.de
  2. T1
    Bundesagentur für Arbeit 2026-04-30

    Ab Januar 2026 steigt das Kindergeld einheitlich für jedes Kind um vier Euro auf 259 Euro pro Monat. Wer die Leistung bereits erhält, muss sich um nichts kümmern — die Familienkasse passt die Beträge automatisch an und zahlt sie ab Januar in der neuen Höhe aus.

    arbeitsagentur.de
  3. T1
    Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) — Einkommensteuergesetz 2026-04-30

    § 62 EStG (Anspruchsberechtigte): Anspruch auf Kindergeld hat, wer im Inland einen Wohnsitz oder gewöhnlichen Aufenthalt hat oder ohne Wohnsitz im Inland nach § 1 Abs. 2 EStG unbeschränkt einkommensteuerpflichtig ist oder nach § 1 Abs. 3 EStG als unbeschränkt einkommensteuerpflichtig behandelt wird. Bürger eines anderen EU-Mitgliedstaats oder eines EWR-Staats, die in Deutschland einen Wohnsitz oder gewöhnlichen Aufenthalt begründen, haben in den ersten drei Monaten keinen Anspruch, es sei denn, sie können inländische Einkünfte nachweisen.

    gesetze-im-internet.de
  4. T1
    Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) — Einkommensteuergesetz 2026-04-30

    § 66 EStG sets the Höhe and the Zahlungszeitraum of Kindergeld; the monthly amount is determined by federal law and is paid for each Anspruchsmonat for each Kind.

    gesetze-im-internet.de
  5. T1
    Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt) 2026-04-30

    The eleven-digit steuerliche Identifikationsnummer (Steuer-ID) is issued by the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern. Per the Familienkasse, since 01.01.2016 the Voraussetzung für den Anspruch auf Kindergeld is that the anspruchsberechtigte Person and the Kind are identified by their Steuer-IDs. The Familienkasse automatically receives the child's Steuer-ID from the Federal Tax Office after birth registration.

    bzst.de
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