Worked in Germany and abroad: What happens to your pension entitlements?

Insurance periods from several countries can help you meet eligibility requirements. This does not simply transfer contributions. Each responsible provider assesses and calculates its own benefit; this draft does not replace an individual assessment.

What happens to entitlements from several countries?

How are German and Croatian periods connected?

Example: A person was first insured in Croatia and later in Germany. They provide both insurance numbers and the periods when clarifying their pension record and applying for a pension. Croatian periods remain recorded with HZMO and German periods with the DRV. Both may be relevant to a required qualifying period under EU law. Nevertheless, this does not automatically result in either a single payment or a common pension start date. This also applies when a German person works in Croatia for a time.

Which rules apply in the EU, EEA and Switzerland?

European coordination connects national systems but does not standardise them. Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009 are generally authoritative; the corresponding agreements extending their application apply to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Croatia has been an EU member since 1 July 2013, and Bulgaria since 1 January 2007. Periods in countries such as Romania, Austria, Poland or Italy may also form part of a European case. The same national retirement age or benefit rules do not automatically apply everywhere.

Example: Worked in Bulgaria and Germany

A person was first insured in Bulgaria and then in Germany. The Bulgarian provider NOI/NSSI confirms its periods; the DRV confirms the German periods. When assessing relevant eligibility requirements, German periods may also be taken into account in Bulgaria. If you live in Germany, you disclose both countries to the DRV. The coordinated application may initiate both procedures, but each provider decides separately. Because retirement ages may differ, do not automatically plan on both payments starting in the same month.

What applies to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

In relations with Germany, the social security agreement with the former Yugoslavia of 12 October 1968, in force since 1 September 1969, continues to apply. It is not EU law. Eligible periods from Bosnia and Herzegovina may help meet German requirements, and German periods may help meet requirements there. Each country assesses its own benefit under the applicable rules. Contributions are not simply transferred.

Example: 15 years in Bosnia and Herzegovina and ten years in Germany. These figures alone predict neither an amount nor the exact start date. The person requests both insurance histories, names the responsible Bosnian providers and obtains confirmation of the periods that can count towards the intended pension type. If the requirements are met, separate German and Bosnian-Herzegovinian benefits may arise.

What applies to Serbia?

The agreement with the former Yugoslavia of 1968 also continues to apply to Serbia. The Serbian pension provider is the Republički fond za penzijsko i invalidsko osiguranje (RF PIO). Eligible Serbian and German periods may be taken into account for entitlement requirements under the agreement. This does not turn the Serbian pension into a German pension; retirement age and amount remain separate assessments.

Example: A person has worked in Serbia and Germany and later moves back to Serbia. Where possible, they clarify both accounts before moving, inform the DRV of their future address and, when resident in Serbia, generally use the responsible local pension provider for the coordinated procedure. Before moving, they have it checked whether and how German benefits will be paid there, including any special periods.

What applies to North Macedonia?

The separate German-North Macedonian social security agreement has applied since 1 January 2005. In this relationship, it replaced the continued application of the former Yugoslav agreement. North Macedonia is not an EU member; its rules must not be equated with those for Croatia or Bulgaria. The pension and disability insurance provider there is PIOM.

Example: A person works first in North Macedonia and then in Germany. They provide both insurance numbers and employment periods. The providers assess the respective entitlements and, where applicable, aggregate eligible periods under the agreement. German periods may also be relevant to a North Macedonian entitlement. Historical employment before 2005 and other successor states must be expressly included in the information provided.

What applies to old Yugoslav insurance periods?

The dissolution of Yugoslavia does not automatically erase earlier insurance periods. First, it must be established which present-day provider records them or took them over. Old employment record books, reports, insurance numbers used at the time, employers and places of employment, periods and name changes are helpful. Fully disclose periods in several present-day successor states as well. The DRV liaison office can coordinate exchanges with the responsible organisations.

What applies to other agreement countries and cases involving three countries?

According to the DRV overview, as of the source cross-check the following agreement areas include pension coordination: Albania, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, India, Israel, Japan, Canada and Québec, Kosovo, Morocco, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Philippines, Serbia, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay and the USA. This does not mean that every agreement covers all branches of social insurance. Particularly for Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey, the personal scope must also be considered. The current official list and country guidance are authoritative.

How do I prepare my account and international application?

If you live in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you generally apply to the provider in your country of residence. If you were never insured there, the application is forwarded to the responsible provider in the last country where you were insured. In an agreement country, the relevant coordinated procedure applies. One application can initiate further national procedures, but not in every country without an agreement. Under EU rules, it may be possible to expressly defer a particular national old-age pension. Clarify this in advance if the pension start dates differ.

What applies without a relevant agreement?

Without applicable EU/UK coordination law or a pension agreement, foreign insurance periods are generally not aggregated with German periods for German qualifying periods. Your own German periods nevertheless remain in place. The other country may provide its own pension under its national law; you must clarify that there. Special rules of German law, for example for certain recognised periods under the Foreign Pensions Act (Fremdrentengesetz), are separate cases and not a general credit for periods abroad.

Example: Three years in Germany, followed by a return home. Three German years alone normally do not yet meet the general five-year qualifying period. Eligible EU/agreement periods can help; a case without an agreement does not offer the same possibility. Whether voluntary contributions are possible or another refund route may later exist depends on your personal legal circumstances and residence. There is no automatic refund after two years. Before deciding, ask the DRV to assess retained entitlements and the consequences of a refund.

Sources cross-checked: 4 November 2026. Editorial draft; no individual legal assessment. The other language versions have been prepared but have not yet been reviewed by native speakers and subject-matter experts.