Blocked account
How a blocked account works, end to end
Follow the full lifecycle of a German blocked account — from checking your eligibility to your final monthly payout and closure — so there are no surprises along the way.
Overview
One account, two phases
Before your visa, you open and fund the account and collect your confirmation. After you arrive, you activate it and receive your allowance month by month. Here is every stage in order.
Phase 1 — before your visa
Set up and fund your account
Everything that happens while you are still preparing your visa application.
- 1
Check eligibility
Confirm a blocked account fits your visa purpose and see the amount required for your duration and country of application.
- 2
Apply
Complete a guided online application with your personal details and intended stay. Everything is checked before an account is requested.
- 3
Verify identity (KYC)
The regulated partner runs a standard identity check required by law. You confirm who you are with your passport and a short verification step.
- 4
Open the account
A restricted blocked account is opened in your name at the regulated partner, with clear terms on how funds are held and released.
- 5
Fund the account
You transfer the required amount using the funding instructions provided. Funds must fully settle before confirmation can be issued.
- 6
Confirmation issued
Once the money settles, the official confirmation is generated for you to submit with your visa application.
Phase 2 — after you arrive
Activate and receive your allowance
What happens once you are in Germany and ready to start using your funds.
- 1
Arrival & activation
After you reach Germany and register your local address and bank account, you activate the blocked account to unlock payouts.
- 2
Monthly payouts
Your living allowance is released to your German account on a fixed monthly schedule for the period you funded.
- 3
Closure & refund
When your funded period ends, or if plans change, the account is closed and any remaining balance is returned under the partner’s terms.
Before you start
What you'll need
Having these ready keeps your application and identity check moving without delays.
A valid passport
A current passport is needed for identity verification and to open the account in your legal name.
Identity verification
A standard KYC check by the regulated partner — a legal requirement before any account can be opened or funded.
Source of funds
The money you intend to block, ready to transfer. Some visa types accept funds from a sponsor or a partner study loan.
Funding
How funding your account works
Funding is the step most timelines hinge on. Here is exactly what to expect so your confirmation is not held up.
Clear funding instructions
You receive exact transfer details and a reference for your restricted account, so the payment is matched correctly.
Funds must settle
International transfers can take a few business days to arrive and settle. Confirmation is issued only once funds are fully settled.
Amounts shown separately
Your blocked amount, any setup fee and the total payable are itemised up front — you always know what goes where.
Rule-change protection
If the required amount changes before you commit, your figure is recalculated so your confirmation reflects the current rules.
Why a regulated partner
Your funds sit with a supervised institution
Custody of your money is provided by a regulated banking or payment partner under its own supervision — the structure German authorities expect for a Sperrkonto. LeilFinanz is the platform guiding the process, not the bank.
FAQ
Common questions about the process
Know the process? Get your amount next.
See exactly what you need to block for your visa, then apply and fund with a regulated partner.