FAQ Overview
This article covers an overview of the most frequently asked questions on opening and setting up the Expatrio Blocked Account.
- How do I transfer money? What currency do I have to send it in?
- How long does it take for my money to arrive?
- Can you send me the 06 Blocked Amount Confirmation Document earlier?
- A friend or relative is sending the money on my behalf.
- What documents do I have to provide?
- Can I send more than the Total Blocked amount?
- What is the buffer?
- How much does Expatrio charge for the service?
- How do I access the blocked account money?
How do I transfer money? Can I send it in my home currency?
- With Expatrio, in many countries you have the possibility to transfer the required funds via domestic bank transfer in your home currency. All of our users have the option to transfer the funds in EUR, and most of them will also have an USD payment option too.
- You can initiate your money transfer via your Expatrio User Portal.
- To enable you to transfer funds as fast and convenient as possible while maintaining a low price (cheaper than international bank wire), we have partnered with education payment provider Cohort Go.
- Should you wish to use a remittance service, please choose the EUR transfer option when setting up your payment process on your Expatrio portal. Afterward, you will receive your Blocked Account details (Blocked Account IBAN, etc.), and you are free to choose how to transfer the funds to your Blocked Account.
- Click here for more information and a detailed description on how to initiate your money transfer.
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Please note: for certain countries, it is not possible to transfer the funds via domestic bank transfer in your own currency. For other countries, it is not possible to send the funds directly to your Blocked Account. In such cases, you will see the available possibilities when initiating your transfer. Should you have questions at this point, feel free to contact our support team.
- Please always set up your payment process on your Expatrio portal to ensure that you get the correct transfer details for sending funds to your Expatrio blocked account.
How long does it take for the money to arrive at Expatrio?
- When performing an international bank transfer, it usually takes 1-5 business days for the money to arrive in your Blocked Account.
- Domestic bank transfer inside Germany usually takes 0-3 business days. Using the domestic transfer option for your payment will also take 0-3 days.
- In some countries, we even offer real-time transfers (e.g., via Alipay in China).
- It is also dependent on the time you made the transfer (morning or evening for example). Please note that weekends are not included when counting the processing time.
- We are automatically booking our incoming transfers, therefore once we receive and confirm your transfer, you will receive the '06 Blocked Amount Confirmation' document automatically.
Can you send me the '06 Blocked Amount Confirmation' document earlier?
No, we can not send you the 06 Blocked Amount Confirmation document until your transfer successfully arrived. This is because we need to follow the official Blocked Account regulations and want to ensure a safe visa application for you.
My relative or friend is sending the money on my behalf
We recommend you transfer the funds from your personal account and, if not possible, from a very close family member like your parents and siblings' account to significantly lower the chance of a transfer rejection. Should you use the domestic transfer option, please indicate who will send the funds throughout the payment initiation process. More Information
Which documents do I have to provide at sign-up?
We kept the sign-up process as convenient as possible for you. That means, during the application process for your Blocked Account, the only document you have to provide is your passport for identification purposes.
Can I send more than the blocked amount?
Yes, you can transfer up to 25,000 Euros to your Blocked account.
Please note: For a Blocked Account balance of over €25000, our banking partner requests a written confirmation from the authority handling your visa application confirming the amount you need to be blocked.
What is the buffer?
The buffer is part of your Total Blocked Amount and has been implemented for your own safety and to make sure that a sufficient amount will be credited to your Blocked Account even in case of some unexpected fees during the international money transfer. It has two major use cases.
- If we need to send money back, we will use this to cover the costs of transferring fees.
- If the sender bank or an intermediary bank charges unexpected fees on your incoming transfer and the amount is less than €100 short, we will use the buffer to cover the difference and you will not have to transfer additional funds.
Do not worry: If both cases do not happen, we will return the buffer with the last monthly transfer from your blocked account to your connected bank account.
How much does Expatrio charge for the service?
The Expatrio Blocked Account has two different kinds of fees.
- Set-up fee: €69
- Monthly service fee: €5
Value Package: in case you have opted for the Expatrio Value Package, you will have the option to request a cashback for the blocked account set up fee via your Expatrio user portal for the set-up fee after you activate both the blocked account and the health insurance.
Fair use policy: in case your visa should get rejected, we will refund the full amount of fees (set-up fee + monthly account fee).
Monthly service fee is applicable from when the account is open, but we start to charge only when you start to use the account, i.e. when your first funds reach the blocked account
How can I activate the Blocked Account?
The money from the blocked account is not directly accessible. You are not able to use this account to pay for rent or pay for food with a card like you would with a bank account like a debit card or 'Girokonto.' Expatrio opens a free Bank Account* during the activation therefore you do not need to open any other account in another bank to receive your monthly payouts.
To check the steps to activate the payouts for your blocked account, please visit this article.
The following disbursements are scheduled automatically for each usage month for the last days of the previous month. Should you have transferred more than the required Total Blocked Amount, you will receive the excess amount with the first disbursement. More Information
The payout start date can only be from the month that you arrived in Germany. If you arrived in Germany some months ago and would like to receive the funds for those past months that you have been in Germany, please choose the payout start date on the activation process accordingly. In your first monthly payout, you are eligible to get up to 3 monthly disbursements.
Please note: You can only receive two past months' payments. If you arrived in Germany earlier than two months ago and would like to receive funds from earlier than two months, we need a written confirmation from foreign offices.
*Banking services are provided by AION bank.