Apply for child benefit

If you have a child, you can apply for child benefit.

The payment of child benefit is not dependent on your income. It amounts to EUR 255.00 for each child.

In principle, you are entitled to child benefit from the birth of your child until their 18th birthday. You may also be entitled to child benefit after that, but only up to the child's 25th birthday:

• Children aged between 18 and 21: You receive child benefit if
  • your child is not gainfully employed and
  • is registered as a jobseeker.
• Children aged between 18 and 25: You will receive child benefit if
  • Your child is in education (school, vocational training or university),
  • your child is in a transitional period lasting a maximum of 4 months, for example between leaving school and vocational training,
  • your child cannot start or continue his/her training because he/she has not found a training place,
  • your child is completing a recognized voluntary service,
  • your child has already completed initial vocational training but is still in training, for example, and is working a maximum of 20 hours per week on the side.

If your child has a disability and is unable to support themselves financially, you are still entitled to child benefit after their 25th birthday. However, the disability must have occurred before the child's 25th birthday and be the reason why your child is unable to support him/herself financially.

Child benefit is paid to you if your child lives in your sole household. If the child lives with both parents, you can jointly decide which of you should receive the child benefit.

To apply for child benefit, you will need

• the tax identification number of the child or children,
• the tax identification number of the parent applying for child benefit and
• any additional documents, for example
  • Proof of the child's schooling or vocational training or
  • Proof of disability

Requirements that apply to you as parents:

• You are subject to unlimited income tax liability in Germany or are assessed as such. This also applies to nationals of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. Domestic residence is not mandatory.
• Further requirements apply to EU or EEA nationals who move to Germany from August 2019. From the 4th month after entry, the requirements of the Freedom of Movement Act must be met. EU citizens are entitled to freedom of movement if they
  • are self-employed or employed
  • are looking for work or are involuntarily unemployed
  • can derive their right to freedom of movement from a family member
  • have sufficient means of subsistence and adequate health insurance cover or
  • have acquired a permanent right of residence.

• You are not a citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, but have a valid settlement permit or a specific other residence title that entitles you to pursue gainful employment or
• You are a legally recognized refugee or entitled to asylum.

Requirements that apply to your child:

• Your child must generally be resident or ordinarily resident in Germany or in another EU or EEA state or in Switzerland.
• You may also be entitled to child benefit if your child lives in a household in the EU, EEA or Switzerland, but you or the other parent are subject to unlimited income tax liability in Germany or are assessed as such.

• Objection

You can apply for child benefit online via the eServices of the Family Benefits Office. You can also upload supporting documents there. The data will then be sent directly to the Family Benefits Office.

You can also submit your child benefit application in writing.

For an online application with electronic proof of identity:

• Go to the website of the Family Benefits Office of the Federal Employment Agency and access the online application. For authentication, you will need either
  • an identity card with online ID function or
  • an eID card for EU citizens and nationals of the European Economic Area or
  • an electronic residence permit or
  • an ELSTER certificate.
• Complete the online application. The completed online application will be sent to the family benefits office.
• When applying for child benefit from birth and for children who have reached the age of majority, you can also upload supporting documents and send them to the family benefits office.

For a written application:

If you do not wish to make use of the online application, you must apply for child benefit in writing. To do this, you can have the online application form sent to you for signature or you can print out the form yourself. Please send the signed application by post to your local family benefits office.

• Go to the website of the Family Benefits Office of the Federal Employment Agency, call up the online application and complete it accordingly.
• Print out the completed application or have it printed out and sent to you by the family benefits office.
• You can also print out the application form directly and complete it by hand.
• Please use the forms available from your local family benefits office or on the Federal Employment Agency website for your application.
• Send the signed application by post to the family benefits office responsible for you.

Once you have sent the application, the process continues as follows:

• The family benefits office will inform you by post whether you are entitled to child benefit. If you have created a family benefits office profile and agreed to online notification, the decision will be made available for you to access in your profile.
• If your application has been approved, the Family Benefits Office will pay you the child benefit each month.

You must inform your family benefits office immediately if there are any changes that could affect your child benefit. These are, for example Your child drops out of school or you or another parent take up gainful employment abroad.

There is no deadline. Please note that child benefit is paid retroactively for the last 6 months at the most after the application has been received.

There are no costs.

The responsible family benefits office will check at certain intervals whether you still meet the requirements for entitlement to child benefit.