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    Health Insurance for Foreigners in Germany
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    Care Expatriate — recognised long-term prooffrom €58/month (up to 5 years)
    Missing one document at the Ausländerbehörde appointment delays the residence permit by 4–8 weeks — and the insurance certificate is the single most common reason for refusal

    Document Checklist for the Immigration Office (Expats) in Germany

    4.9/5· 10,000+ policies since 2009458 customer responses · our own survey
    Document checklist for the German Ausländerbehörde — passport, visa, photo, application form, Anmeldung, income proof, recognised health-insurance certificate, and €100 fee
    8 documents
    Standard checklist
    Insurance proof
    Entire permit duration
    Recognised lane
    Expatriate €58/mo

    Three rules that prevent every refusal at the Ausländerbehörde:

    1. 1Insurance covers the entire requested permit duration: Use Care Expatriate from €58/month (up to 5 years) (private side, up to 5 years) or a DAK 17.8% of gross (open-ended) Mitgliedsbescheinigung (statutory side).
    2. 2Anmeldung address must match the application: Bürgeramt registration within 14 days of moving in (§ 17 BMG). Even a missing apartment number triggers a refusal at the appointment.
    3. 3Bridge any gap before the appointment: Care Economy from €30 / 30 days (up to 2 years) Schengen-conform — cancellable monthly the day the long-term lane starts.

    Appointment booked? 30-second permit-document tariff finder →

    Inside: the one document the Ausländerbehörde refuses 1 in 3 of the time · why a 12-month policy quietly shortens a 3-year permit request · the bridge tariff that costs less than one inpatient day (~€830)

    Sources: § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 AufenthG (cover precondition) · § 16b / § 16f / § 18a / § 21 / § 36 AufenthG (permit categories) · § 17 BMG (Anmeldung deadline) · § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 SGB V (statutory employees) · § 6 Abs. 6 SGB V (JAEG €77,400 in 2025) · DAK-Gesundheit tariff sheet 2026 · HanseMerkur Care Expatriate / Care Economy AVB · Statistisches Bundesamt DRG 2024

    Long-Stay Coverage

    Care Expatriate by HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe / Advigon

    Residence Documents

    Proof for visa or immigration authority documents

    Fast Confirmation

    PDF confirmation available after successful application

    4.9/5458 customer responses · our own survey

    Over 10,000 policies issued · Since 2009

    Ausländerbehörde appointment ahead? Lock in the recognised insurance certificate this week — Care Expatriate from €58/month for § 21 / § 16f / § 36, DAK Mitgliedsbescheinigung for § 18a employed under JAEG, Care Economy from €30/30 days as the short bridge.

    🏛️ Authority-approved📄 Instant proof🔒 DAK / HanseMerkur🏷️ Transparent pricing
    4.9/5· Over 10,000 policies placed since 2009
    from 458 customer responses · our own survey, not independently verified · How this rating works

    8 documents to bring to the German Ausländerbehörde — full checklist

    Quick answer: "What documents do I need to bring to my residence-permit appointment in Germany?" — these eight items cover every standard permit category (§ 16b Study, § 16f Job-search, § 18a Skilled Worker, § 21 Self-employed, § 36 Family). The insurance certificate (item 7) is the single most common reason for refusal — bring a recognised long-term proof, never a travel-only or Schengen-only policy.

    1

    Valid passportOriginal + copy of the data page

    Must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the requested permit duration. Bring the original AND a clear copy of the data page (and any prior German visa pages).

    Compare every recognised lane →

    2

    Current entry visa or prior residence permitOriginal (in passport)

    If you entered on a national D-visa, the eAT (electronic residence permit) replaces it on first appointment. If you already hold an eAT, bring the card itself.

    Why insurance is almost always required →

    3

    Biometric passport photo1 photo, ICAO biometric (35 × 45 mm)

    Recent (within 6 months), neutral background, frontal pose. Most Bürgerbüros and Fotofix booths inside the Ausländerbehörde provide compliant photos for €5–10.

    Compare every recognised lane →

    4

    Residence-permit application formSigned Antrag auf Erteilung / Verlängerung

    Download from your local Ausländerbehörde website (typically a 4–6 page PDF). Fill in completely; the office no longer accepts handwritten partial forms in many cities (e.g. Berlin, Munich, Hamburg).

    What HR commonly requires on day 1 →

    5

    Anmeldung confirmation (Meldebescheinigung)Original, issued by the Bürgeramt

    Mandatory under § 17 BMG within 14 days of moving in. The Ausländerbehörde will not process the permit without it. The address must match the one on the application form.

    Compare every recognised lane →

    6

    Proof of income or financingWork contract / freelance contracts / Sperrkonto / Verpflichtungserklärung

    § 18a Skilled Worker → signed work contract (with salary stated). § 21 Self-employed → freelance contracts and business plan. § 16b Study → Sperrkonto certificate (€11,904 in 2025) or Verpflichtungserklärung. § 16f Job-search → bank-account proof for 18 months of living costs.

    Self-employed vs employed: what changes →

    7

    Recognised health-insurance certificateLong-term cover for the entire requested permit duration

    Mandatory under § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 AufenthG. § 18a employed under JAEG (€77,400 in 2025) → DAK Mitgliedsbescheinigung (~17.8% of gross). § 21 / § 16f → Care Expatriate from €58/month (HanseMerkur, recognised, German + English certificate). Travel-only and Schengen-only policies are routinely refused as long-term proof.

    Care Expatriate from €58/month →

    8

    Appointment confirmation + fee (€100)Bring your Termin-PDF and €100 cash / EC card

    First-issue residence permit fee: €100 (€56 for renewals). Many offices only accept EC card, no credit cards. Keep the receipt — it is needed if you collect the eAT card 4–6 weeks later.

    Compare every recognised lane →

    Avoid the mistakes that can delay your application

    Visitor insurance may be too short

    For multi-month or multi-year stays, Care Expatriate can be a better fit than short visitor coverage.

    Statutory or private?

    Freelancers, self-employed people and some incoming long-stay cases may need private incoming coverage instead of German statutory insurance.

    Residence proof requested?

    Care Expatriate can provide PDF confirmation after successful application for visa or immigration documents.

    Renewal stress later

    A longer coverage term can reduce repeated renewal pressure during projects, residence processes or long stays.

    What missing or wrong insurance proof at the appointment can cost

    One wrong insurance choice can cost you money, time and your application deadline

    A medical incident can become expensive fast — but the wrong certificate can also delay your visa, enrollment, residence permit or work start.

    🏥

    €500–€1,500

    Emergency doctor visit

    One urgent doctor or emergency-room visit can already create a painful bill — before tests, medication or follow-up treatment are added.

    🏨

    €2,000–€10,000+

    Hospital treatment

    If observation, surgery, overnight stay or specialist treatment is needed, costs can quickly move from hundreds to thousands of euros.

    🧳

    Up to 5 years

    Short visitor cover may be too weak

    For long stays, freelance work or residence documents, short visitor insurance may be too short or not the right proof.

    • Wrong or incomplete proof can delay your visa, enrollment or authority process.
    • Cheap home-country policies may miss the exact coverage, dates or repatriation wording required.
    • The cheapest policy can become expensive if it is the wrong proof for your situation.

    Before you apply, check: coverage amount, validity dates, destination area and repatriation cover.

    Appointment in the next weeks? Order the long-term certificate today — the Ausländerbehörde checks every page on the spot

    Why act before your residence documents are due

    Long-stay proof can become urgent during visa, residence permit, project or relocation steps. Short visitor cover may not be enough.

    🧳

    Long stay, different proof

    Care Expatriate can fit longer incoming stays up to 5 years, depending on age and selected plan.

    📄

    Residence documents need clarity

    Your proof should match destination, coverage period and long-stay purpose.

    ⚡

    Do not wait for renewal stress

    Preparing longer coverage early can reduce repeated extension pressure.

    ✅

    Private or statutory?

    Freelancers, self-employed people and employees on assignment without German statutory insurance may need a different route than employees.

    From document list to recognised certificate — in 3 steps

    10 minutes online for Care Expatriate (long-term, § 21 / § 16f / § 36) or Care Economy (short bridge), the certificate is issued by email in German + English within 24 hours and is accepted by every Ausländerbehörde for the appointment. For § 18a employed under the JAEG, request the DAK Mitgliedsbescheinigung directly from your Krankenkasse the day the contract is signed.

    Long-term stay covered in 3 steps

    Care Expatriate can cover longer incoming stays up to 5 years, depending on age and selected plan.

    1. Choose your plan

      Care Expatriate for expats, freelancers, self-employed people, employees on assignment without German statutory insurance, or seniors up to entry age 74.

    2. Complete the application

      Enter passport, destination, stay details and requested coverage period online. Additional questions may apply depending on the plan.

    3. Submit your proof

      Receive PDF confirmation after successful application and submit it to the embassy, consulate or immigration authority if requested.

    What expats say about Care Expatriate as recognised proof for the Ausländerbehörde

    4.9/5458 customer responses · our own survey
    5/5
    “My biggest worry was that the embassy wouldn't accept the insurance.
    The proof was accepted immediately — no questions asked.
    That saved me a lot of stress.”
    Georges from Cameroon

    Georges

    Cameroon

    5/5
    “I needed proof of insurance urgently for my visa appointment.
    The confirmation arrived within minutes by email.
    Everything worked first time at the embassy.”
    Olga from Russia

    Olga

    Russia

    5/5
    “Found the best solution and best service for health insurance for foreign visitors and guests in Germany.
    Fast, simple and affordable.
    Highly recommended!”
    Michael from Germany

    Michael

    Germany

    5/5
    “The online sign-up was done in just a few minutes.
    When I actually had to see a doctor, the billing went smoothly.
    I was really covered — not just on paper.”
    Yunhee from Australia

    Yunhee

    Australia

    Now choose your plan

    4.9/5458 customer responses · our own survey

    Full price tables — Care Expatriate · DAK-Gesundheit · Care Economy

    Quick answer: Three recognised products cover every Ausländerbehörde permit category: Care Expatriate from €58/month for the private side (§ 21 / § 16f / § 36), statutory DAK at ~17.8% of gross under the JAEG for § 18a employed, and Care Economy from €30/30 days as the universal short bridge before the appointment.

    § 21 / § 16f / § 36 permit — Care Expatriate

    HanseMerkur incoming, ages 0–74, up to 5 years, accepted by every Ausländerbehörde for the private-side permit categories, certificate issued in German + English (3 tiers — Basic / Comfort / Premium):

    Care Expatriateworldwide without USA, Canada and Mexico
    Basic
    BestsellerComfort
    Premium
    Deductible / yr
    150,–
    Deductible / yr
    150,–
    Deductible / yr
    500,–
    Deductible / yr
    0,–
    Deductible / yr
    500,–
    Deductible / yr
    1.000,–
    Entry age:0–12 (€ / month) 64,– 104,– 81,– 191,– 149,– 117,–
    Entry age:13–40 (€ / month) 58,– 84,– 63,– 181,– 141,– 109,–
    Entry age:41–60 (€ / month) 68,– 103,– 77,– 256,– 201,– 156,–
    Entry age:61–74 (€ / month) 246,– 322,– 248,– 432,– 336,– 263,–

    All prices per month/person in euros. Deductible applies per insurance year. As of 2026.

    § 18a employed under JAEG — DAK-Gesundheit

    Statutory under § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 SGB V, ~17.8% of gross salary, employer pays half, free Familienversicherung for spouse and children (DAK button price: 17.8% of gross (open-ended)):

    DAK-Gesundheit for employees (statutory)
    General contribution rate
    14.6 % of gross
    + 3.2 % DAK supplement = 17.8 %
    Employer / employee share
    8.9 % each
    Paid 50/50
    Compulsory long-term care
    approx. 3.6 % standard
    4.2 % childless from age 23 · reductions depending on number of children
    Total (incl. care, childless)
    ≈ 22.0 % of gross
    Depending on long-term care variant
    Family co-insurance
    possible
    Spouse & children covered under statutory conditions
    Sickness pay (Krankengeld)
    from day 43
    70 % of gross, max 78 weeks
    Compulsory insurance limit (JAEG)
    €77,400 / year
    = €6,450 / month (as of 2026)
    Income-based
    No flat rate — contribution scales with gross salary
    Family covered free
    Spouse without income + children co-insured
    Mandatory under JAEG
    Gross < €77,400 / year → statutory insurance required

    2026 contribution rates: 14.6 % general + 3.2 % DAK supplement = 17.8 %; split 50/50 between employer and employee (8.9 % each). Compulsory long-term care approx. 3.6 % standard, 4.2 % childless from age 23, reductions depending on number of children. Family co-insurance possible under statutory conditions. As of 2026.

    Short bridge — Care Economy

    Schengen-conform incoming, ages 0–74, 1 day to 2 years, cancellable the day the long-term lane (DAK or Care Expatriate) is in place:

    Care Economy
    Duration
    Bestsellerup to 64
    up to 64
    Bestseller65+
    65+
    no deductible with deductible no deductible with deductible
    up to 90 days €1.18/day €1.00/day €3.48/day €2.95/day
    91–180 days €1.59/day €1.35/day €4.37/day €3.70/day
    181–365 days €2.30/day €1.95/day €5.84/day €4.95/day
    366–730 days €2.83/day €2.40/day €9.32/day €7.90/day

    All prices per day/person in euros. Minimum premium €10 per person and term. Deductible is the share you pay yourself. Entry age 0–74. As of 2026.

    How long should the health insurance run?

    Quick answer: Usually for as long as the stay is planned to last — and not shorter. The premium is set by the entry age at the start of the contract and stays in that age band for the whole term. Anyone who extends later typically signs a new contract at the age they are by then.

    Term comparison over five years — example values, Basic, age band 13–40 (€58/month)
    Term Premium/month Total Renewals needed Pre-existing-condition gap
    12 months €58 €696 4 possible (2×)
    24 months €58 €1,392 2 possible (1×)
    60 months €58 €3,480 0 none

    Is a 41st birthday coming up?

    In the 13–40 age band the Basic premium is €58/month; in the 41–60 band it is €68/month (example values). The difference is around €10 a month — roughly €600 over 60 months. What counts is the age at the start of the contract, not the age during the term. Concretely: someone who chooses a 60-month term at 40 pays the 13–40 band for five years, rather than the 41–60 band from their 41st birthday onwards.

    When the renewal falls due

    A policy with a twelve-month term typically expires at close to the point the residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) also needs extending. Both then fall in the same weeks: new contract, new proof of cover, new appointment at the foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) — often under time pressure. A longer term decouples the two dates. There is also the practical effort: every renewal means passport details, proof of address and personal information again — usually gathered by relatives in Germany while the insured person is still abroad.

    What is different at renewal

    Conditions that first arise during a running contract are, as a rule, covered within that contract. In a contract taken out later they typically count as a pre-existing condition — and pre-existing conditions are usually excluded in incoming tariffs. The older the insured person, the more likely it is that a diagnosis falls between two contracts, and that diagnosis then usually counts as pre-existing in the follow-up contract. A continuous term avoids that gap.

    A gap can also open up between two contracts — days without cover, which may become visible when the residence permit is next extended. A continuous term avoids that.

    A fixed term also means planning certainty for the family: the premium is set for the whole duration, with no annual recalculation.

    For context: Care Expatriate can be taken out up to the age of 74.

    Monthly or a single payment?

    Quick answer: Both are possible, and the price is the same — there is no discount for paying in one go. The difference lies in the risk: if a direct debit goes unpaid, that can affect the insurance cover — and the residence permit rests on that cover. With a single payment the cover no longer depends on an ongoing bank debit. That matters above all where the premiums are paid by relatives in Germany: a job change, a change of bank or one tight month then has no bearing on the insured person's residence status.

    Where the premium is transferred from abroad, one payment replaces up to sixty individual transfers — each with its own bank charges and exchange rate.

    What happens on an early return?

    If the stay ends earlier than planned, the contract can be cancelled in writing. The overpaid premium is, as a rule, refunded minus a €5 processing fee (source: Care Concept FAQ). So someone who pays 60 months in advance and returns after two years gets the premium for the unused months back — the financial risk of paying in one go is therefore €5, not the remaining balance.

    And if the visa is not granted?

    If the entry visa is not granted, or entry does not take place for other reasons, the application can be cancelled in writing before the insurance cover begins. Premiums already paid are, as a rule, refunded minus a €5 processing fee (source: Care Concept FAQ).

    FAQ — Document checklist for the German Ausländerbehörde

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which documents does the Ausländerbehörde request from expats in Germany?

    Passport, biometric photo, Anmeldebestätigung (Bürgeramt), insurance certificate (Care Expatriate from €58/month or DAK-Gesundheit at 17.8% of gross), employment/freelance contract, and proof of income — all required under § 5 AufenthG for the residence permit.

    What's the deadline for submitting insurance proof to the immigration office?

    Usually 2–4 weeks after appointment or on the Fiktionsbescheinigung due date. Care Expatriate issues the § 5 AufenthG certificate as a PDF the same day — safer than waiting for DAK-Gesundheit's Mitgliedsbescheinigung which takes 3–5 working days.

    Is a scanned insurance certificate accepted by the German immigration office?

    Most Ausländerbehörden accept PDFs uploaded via the online portal. Care Expatriate and DAK-Gesundheit both issue digitally signed certificates. Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt request the original at the counter appointment only.

    What happens if I submit insurance proof late to the German immigration office?

    Bridging with Care Expatriate from €58/month (same-day PDF) or Care Economy from €30/30 days keeps the § 5 AufenthG chain intact. The residence permit is either refused, delayed, or issued as a short Fiktionsbescheinigung with a resubmission deadline.

    Which tariffs does the Ausländerbehörde accept for expat residence permits?

    Care Expatriate (private, from €58/month), Care Economy (short-term bridge from €30/30 days), Care Visa Protect (from €0.85/day for entry) and DAK-Gesundheit (17.8% of gross, GKV). All four are recognized under § 5 AufenthG and carry the required certificate wording.

    What documents do I need for the immigration office in Germany?

    Typically: valid passport, health insurance proof, employment contract, registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung), income proof, biometric photos, and rental agreement. Care Expatriate provides instant PDF proof designed to satisfy § 5 AufenthG. See also our Expat Document Check tool.

    How do I get health insurance proof for the Ausländerbehörde quickly?

    With Care Expatriate (from €58/month), you receive your insurance certificate as a PDF immediately after enrollment – no waiting time, accepted for all residence permit types.