The amount tracks the BAföG rate and changes almost yearly — check the current figure on the embassy website before transferring: €50 short can cost you the visa appointment.
Who Needs It and How Much Goes In
The blocked account is the financial guarantee for a national visa: students in 2026 — €11,904 per year (€992/month), Opportunity Card — €13,092.
✓ Verified: 15/08/2026
WHAT TO DO
COSTS
- €Students, 2026 €11,904 per year
€992/month; Opportunity Card: €13,092
› Details and tips
👨🏻💻
Max recommends:
Opened the account 3 days before my embassy appointment — made it, barely. Providers promise a day, but compliance sometimes takes a week: plan a buffer.
👩🏼💼
Lea recommends:
If a parent funds you, transfer in YOUR name or attach a source-of-funds statement — third-party transfers get bounced.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
My visa is not a student visa — does a blocked account still fit? ▾
Yes: Chancenkarte, job-seeker visa, language courses, vocational training — anywhere you must prove funding without a German sponsor.
Why exactly 992 € per month? ▾
It is the BAföG maximum rate the legislator uses as a student subsistence benchmark. The amount is indexed — check the embassy site before applying.
Can a normal bank statement replace the blocked account? ▾
For a national visa usually not: embassies require a blocked account with a recognised provider, a scholarship or a sponsor declaration (Verpflichtungserklärung).
Is the money gone? Is it a fee? ▾
No — it stays YOUR money: after arrival you receive it back in monthly instalments of €992. The provider only charges fees (€50–150 once + ~€5/month).