The bank account for your au pair – what host families should know
Having their own bank account is, for many au pairs, one of the organisational matters to sort out after arriving in Germany.
It allows the au pair to manage their own payments during their stay and gives them an account in their own name.
An account of the au pair's own
It is important to note: the bank account is opened in the au pair's own name – not in the name of the host family.
When it comes to opening an account, it is often worth asking around at banks and savings banks (Sparkassen) in your region first.
The offers can differ quite noticeably. Depending on the bank, age and account model, there are often options for free accounts. Other banks charge a monthly account maintenance fee.
A quick comparison of the offers available in your region can therefore be worthwhile.
Not something to tackle straight after arrival
Opening a bank account requires certain conditions to be met and documents to be available. Some of these may not be on hand immediately on the first day after arrival.
Opening the account is therefore one of the organisational steps that should be dealt with at the right time after arrival, rather than straight away.
The documents a particular bank asks for can also vary.
Support them – but the account belongs to the au pair
Especially when the au pair has only recently arrived in Germany and does not yet understand all the German terms, it can be helpful for the host family to support them when opening the account, or to accompany them to an appointment.
Even so, it remains the au pair's personal bank account. Login details, bank card and PIN accordingly belong in their hands.
Our tip from Besondere Sterne
Compare the offers in your region and pay attention not only to whether an account is offered free of charge, but also to what conditions come with it.
As part of our support, our host families learn when the right moment for opening the account has come and which documents should be prepared for it.
This way, the organisational steps after arrival can be dealt with, one by one, in the right order.
