Your Kindergeld will be paid without applying from 2027
Germany's Bundesrat on Friday approved a law under which Kindergeld will in many cases be paid automatically, without a separate application. The Bundestag had already passed it before the summer break. The change is to take effect in 2027. According to the Federal Finance Ministry, around 300,000 applications a year could be dropped.
The switch comes in two stages during 2027. First, families who already receive Kindergeld for at least one child will no longer have to apply when another child is born. The payment will go automatically to the person who already receives Kindergeld. In a second stage, automatic payment will also apply to a family's first child.
For the first child to be paid automatically, three conditions apply: at least one parent must live with the child in Germany, at least one parent must work in Germany, and the family benefits office (Familienkasse) must know the bank details. If anything is unclear, parents will still have to apply.
Until the new system starts, nothing changes. Kindergeld still has to be applied for, and the usual rules apply.
What to do: if you are expecting a child before the new system starts, apply for Kindergeld as usual at the Familienkasse, online or on paper, with your child's tax ID. If you already receive Kindergeld, make sure the Familienkasse has your current address and bank account, because automatic payment depends on it. If no parent in your family works in Germany, expect to still need an application for your first child.