The biggest newcomer myth: new here, so no pension. In fact 5 years is a low bar, and EU years count. Even a modest German record guarantees a lifelong, small but real and index-linked payment.
Pension: Entitlement and Minimum Period
The old-age pension opens with the qualifying period — at least 5 years. EU periods count, and citizenship is irrelevant.
✓ Verified: 18/07/2026
WHAT TO DO
AUTHORITY
Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV)
Public bodyPension, account clarification and rehabilitation all run through the Deutsche Rentenversicherung — with in-person advice and online services (eService).
› Details and tips
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Max recommends:
I was 8 months short of the qualifying period before leaving — the DRV suggested voluntary contributions and the entitlement held. Otherwise the contribution years would have been almost lost.
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Lea recommends:
If you worked in several EU countries, keep proof of periods from everywhere: they are combined at pension time, and a lost certificate means lost years.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
3 years in Germany, 4 in another EU country — do I qualify? ▾
Yes: under EU coordination the periods add up (3+4=7 > 5), meeting the German minimum. Each country later pays its share.
Does citizenship affect entitlement? ▾
No. The pension depends on contributions, not your passport. A non-EU citizen with German periods gets a pension like a German.
A few months short of 5 years — what to do? ▾
The gap can be closed with voluntary contributions (next step). Even missing months often open the entitlement to the whole pension.