How can I get my German pension contributions refunded after leaving Germany?

If you hold no EU, EEA or Swiss passport and live outside those countries, you file form V0901 with the Deutsche Rentenversicherung once 24 full calendar months have passed since your last compulsory contribution (§ 210 SGB VI). The DRV then pays back the share you paid yourself, 9.3% of your gross pay for every insured month, to a bank account in Germany or abroad; the employer's share stays in the system. With the form you send a certified copy of your passport, proof of your address abroad, your pension insurance number and your bank details, with SWIFT/BIC for an account outside Germany. The form asks its questions in German and English, every letter after it is in German, and the DRV may take up to six months to decide. With a passport from a treaty country such as the US, Canada or India, the refund usually only works with fewer than 60 contribution months, so check your case before you file; Fundsback files it for you through an external lawyer.