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Child benefit; application

If you have a child, you can apply for child benefit.

Online services & Forms

Online services

Responsible for you

Familienkasse Bayern Nord - Standort Hof

Familienkasse Bayern Nord - Standort Hof

Street address

Ostpreußenstr. 16
95032 Hof

Postal address

90316 Nürnberg

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Procedure details

The payment of child benefit does not depend on your income. It amounts to 250.00 euros for each child.

In principle, you are entitled to child benefit from the birth of your child until the 18th birthday. Even after that, you may be entitled to child benefit, but at most until your child's 25th birthday:

  • Children between 18 and 21 years of age: You will receive child benefit if
    • your child is not gainfully employed and
    • is registered as a job seeker.
  • Children between 18 and 25: You get child benefit if
    • Your child is in training (school/job/study),
    • your child is in a transitional period lasting a maximum of four months, for example between leaving school and vocational training or a recognized voluntary service,
    • your child cannot start or continue his/her training because he/she has not found a training place,
    • your child is doing a recognized voluntary service,
    • your child has already completed initial vocational training but is still in training, for example, and is working a maximum of 20 hours per week on the side.

If your child has a disability and cannot support himself or herself financially, you are still entitled to child benefit after your child's 25th birthday. However, the disability must have occurred before the child's 25th birthday and must be the reason why your child cannot support himself or herself financially.

Child benefit will be paid to you if your child lives in your sole household. If the child lives with both parents, you can decide together which of you should receive the child benefit.

Requirements that apply to you as parents:

  • You are subject to unlimited income tax liability in Germany or are assessed as such. This also applies to nationals of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland. A domestic residence is not mandatory.
  • For EU or EEA nationals moving to Germany as of August 2019, further requirements apply. From the 4th month from entry, the requirements of the Freedom of Movement Act must be met. EU citizens are entitled to freedom of movement if they are
    • are self-employed or employed
    • are job-seeking or involuntarily unemployed
    • can derive their right to freedom of movement from a family member
    • have sufficient means of subsistence and adequate health insurance coverage, or
    • have acquired a permanent right of residence.
  • You are not a citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, but hold a valid settlement permit or a specific other residence title that entitles you to pursue gainful employment, or
  • You are a legally recognized refugee or entitled to asylum.

Requirements that apply to your child:

  • Your child must be resident or ordinarily resident in Germany or in another EU or EEA country or Switzerland.
  • You may also be entitled to child benefit if your child lives in a household in the EU, EEA or Switzerland, but, for example, you or the other parent is subject to unlimited income tax liability in Germany or is assessed as such.

  • Required Documents
    • The tax identification number of the child or children,
    • the tax identification number of the parent claiming the child benefit, and
    • any additional documents (for example, proof of the child's school/vocational training, severely disabled ID).

You apply for child benefit in writing using the form provided. You also have the option of completing the applications for child benefit from birth and the application for child benefit for children upon reaching the age of majority online. You can upload supporting documents directly. The data will then be transmitted directly to the family benefits office.

For an electronic application with an electronic proof of identity:

  • Go to the website of the Family Benefits Office of the Federal Employment Agency and access the online application. For authentication, you will need either
    • the new ID card with online ID function or
    • the eID card for EU citizens and nationals of the European Economic Area or
    • an electronic residence permit or
    • an ELSTER certificate.
  • Fill out the online application. The completed online application will be sent to the family benefits office.
  • For the application for child benefit from birth and for children when they reach the age of majority, you can also upload supporting documents and send them to the family benefits office.

For analog application submission:

If you do not wish to use electronic application, you must apply for child benefit in writing. To do this, you can have the completed online application sent to you for signature or print out the form yourself. Please send the signed application by mail to your responsible family benefits office.

  • Go to the website of the family benefits office of the Federal Employment Agency, call up the online application and fill it out accordingly.
  • Print out the completed application or have it printed out and sent via the family benefits office.
  • You can also print out the application form directly and fill it out by hand.
  • Please use the forms for your application that you can obtain from your responsible family benefits office or on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.
  • Send the signed application by mail to the family benefits office responsible for you.
  • The family benefits office will inform you by mail whether you are entitled to child benefits.
  • If your application is approved, the Familienkasse will pay you the child benefit each month.
  • If you work in the public sector or receive pension benefits, you may receive the child benefit from your employer or employer's employer, unless the employer has waived its special responsibility. In this case, you must also submit the application to your employer.

You must inform your family benefits office immediately if there is any change in your situation that could affect the child benefit (for example, child drops out of school, you or another parent take up gainful employment abroad).

None

There is no time limit. Note: After receipt of the application, the child benefit will be paid retroactively for the last six months at the most.

Processing usually takes place within one month of receipt of the complete application for child benefits. Note: Use the online service of the Familienkasse to shorten the processing time. (1 month)

The responsible family benefits office checks at certain intervals whether you still meet the requirements for child benefit entitlement.

  • Objection

  • Parental leave; advice

    Mothers and fathers are entitled to parental leave. This must be notified to the employer in writing at least seven weeks before the start of parental leave. If you have any questions about parental leave, you can contact the Zentrum Familie Bayern und Soziales.

  • Family allowance; application

    Parents can apply for family allowance for every child between the ages of two and three.

  • Full-time care; receipt of care allowance and benefits

    If the child lives in a foster family as part of full-time care, the youth welfare office must ensure that the child receives the necessary maintenance. This is done by paying a care allowance.

Status: 17.04.2023
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bundesagentur für Arbeit
Source: Federal Portal
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