Every person legally residing in the EU has the right to a Basiskonto (basic payment account) under Section 31 of the Zahlungskontengesetz, regardless of nationality. Traditional banks (Deutsche Bank, Sparkasse) typically require an Anmeldung (address registration) and may request a Schufa credit report or proof of income for credit-related products, but neobanks (N26, bunq, Wise, Revolut) don't check Schufa and several — N26, bunq, Wise, Revolut — allow account opening without an Anmeldung, via a fully digital, webcam-based signup that can take as little as 8-10 minutes.
Everyone legally resident in the EU has a statutory right to a Basiskonto (basic payment account) under Section 31 of the Zahlungskontengesetz.
Traditional banks typically require Anmeldung (German address registration) and may check Schufa or request income proof for credit products.
Neobanks (N26, bunq, Wise, Revolut) don't check Schufa, and several let you open an account without an Anmeldung.
Digital-first signup (N26, bunq) can take as little as 8-10 minutes via webcam verification.
Steps
Choose account type — Neobank for speed/no-Anmeldung-needed, or traditional bank (Sparkasse/Deutsche Bank) for in-person service and wider merchant card acceptance.
Complete identity verification — Webcam-based ID check for neobanks, or in-branch verification for traditional banks.
Provide required documents — Passport/ID; Anmeldung if using a traditional bank or a neobank requiring it.
Timelines
Neobank signup (N26, bunq): 8-10 minutes
Required Documents
Valid passport or national ID
Anmeldung (address registration) — required by most traditional banks
Mobile number and email for digital verification
Common Mistakes
Assuming an Anmeldung is required to open any German bank account — several neobanks (N26, bunq, Wise, Revolut) do not require it.
Choosing N26 expecting a standard Girocard — N26 issues a Mastercard instead, which some German merchants don't accept.