German pension insurance for employees working abroad: applying with form V0035

German rules on compulsory insurance apply, where they presuppose employment, to people employed WITHIN THE TERRITORY covered by the Social Code (§ 3 no. 1 SGB IV) — they reach abroad only through posting (Ausstrahlung, § 4 SGB IV). § 4(1) sentence 1 no. 2 SGB VI closes that gap: nationals of an EU state, the EEA or Switzerland employed abroad for a limited period become compulsorily insured on application — where the insurance is applied for by a body whose SEAT IS IN GERMANY. The applicant is therefore not the employee but that body, using form V0035 of the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. If the application is made within three months, the obligation runs from day one (§ 4(4) sentence 1 no. 1 SGB VI). The applying body bears the contributions (§ 170(1) no. 4 SGB VI).

Up to date for 2023 — verified on September 23, 2026Official formGuide: about 30 min

Deadlines

Cover from day one: application within three months: § 4(4) sentence 1 no. 1 SGB VI — the obligation starts on the day the conditions are first met if applied for within three months afterwards; otherwise on the day after the application is received
End: at the end of the day on which the conditions cease: § 4(4) sentence 2 SGB VI — typically when the limited employment abroad ends
Contribution base other than salary: only for current and future pay periods: § 166(1) no. 4a SGB VI — an agreement with the applying body has no retroactive effect

Documents to prepare

Pension insurance number and personal details of the person to be insured
Address abroad, if different
Name, address and reference of the applying body with its seat in Germany
The person's health insurance fund during the employment abroad — or the one they would belong to at the employer's seat
Establishment number (Betriebsnummer) of the applying body
Type of employment, employer and country abroad, start and duration
Last pension insurer and date of the last contribution
For development workers or seconded persons: details of the sending organisation and the preparatory service
Where pension entitlements are guaranteed: the body and its file reference
If the decision should be sent to the applying body: a power of service (Zustellungsvollmacht)

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1 Person for whom compulsory insurance is requested

Pension insurance number (Versicherungsnummer)(optional)

Digits and uppercase letters, up to 14 characters

Reference code (Kennzeichen), if known(optional)

Surname(optional)

First name(s)(optional)

Name suffix (e.g. Freifrau, Graf)(optional)

Name prefix (e.g. von, van, de)(optional)

Title (e.g. Prof. Dr. med.)(optional)

Birth name(optional)

Former names(optional)

Name suffix of the birth name(optional)

Name prefix of the birth name(optional)

Date of birth(optional)

DD.MM.YYYY

Sex(optional)

Nationality (and former nationality until, if any)(optional)

Place of birth(optional)

Country of birth(optional)

Street and house number(optional)

Additional address line(optional)

Postcode(optional)

5 digits

Town of residence(optional)

Daytime telephone (optional)(optional)

6 to 20 characters: digits, spaces, + and .

Fax (optional)(optional)

6 to 20 characters: digits, spaces, + and .

Different address abroad

Address abroad: street and house number(optional)

Address abroad: postcode(optional)

Address abroad: town(optional)

Address abroad: country(optional)

2 Applying body

Name of the applying body (company, designation)(optional)

Reference (Geschäftszeichen)(optional)

Street and house number of the body(optional)

Telephone of the body (optional)(optional)

6 to 20 characters: digits, spaces, + and .

Postcode of the body(optional)

5 digits

Town of the body(optional)

Registered seat (town), if different(optional)

3 Collecting body (health insurance fund)

Name of the health insurance fund(optional)

Address of the health insurance fund(optional)

Establishment number (Betriebsnummer) of the applicant(optional)

8 digits

4 Employment abroad

4.1 Type of employment abroad(optional)

4.1 Employer / company abroad(optional)

4.1 Country of employment(optional)

4.2 Employment as a posting under an employment relationship in Germany (Ausstrahlung)?(optional)

4.3 Start of the employment abroad (or since when it has been carried out)(optional)

DD.MM.YYYY

4.4 Employed abroad for a limited period only?(optional)

Details of the duration of the employment abroad(optional)

4.5 Previously insured in the pension scheme?(optional)

Last pension insurer(optional)

Date of the last contribution (month and year)(optional)

MM.YYYY

5 Development workers and seconded persons

5.1 Is the applicant a recognised development organisation or seconding body?(optional)

5.2 Is the person a development worker or seconded person?(optional)

5.3 Does the application also cover a preparatory service?(optional)

Type of preparatory service(optional)

Duration of the preparatory service (from - to)(optional)

6 Further details

6.1 Are pension entitlements guaranteed for the period abroad?(optional)

By which body(optional)

File reference(optional)

6.2 Should the decision be served on the applicant?(optional)

7 Declaration of the applying body and enclosures

7 Place, date(optional)

Enclosures (line 1)(optional)

Enclosures (line 2)(optional)

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Who this applies to

A body with its seat in Germany — such as a German company — applying for insurance for a person employed abroad (§ 4(1) sentence 1 SGB VI)
On behalf of nationals of an EU member state, an EEA state or Switzerland employed abroad for a limited period (§ 4(1) sentence 1 no. 2 SGB VI)
On behalf of development workers in development or preparatory service, and seconded persons (§ 4(1) sentence 1 nos. 1 and 3 SGB VI) — the form has a separate section for them
On behalf of staff of an official mission of the Federation or the Länder abroad, or of its head, members or staff — here on application by their employer (§ 4(1) sentence 2 SGB VI)
NOT needed where there is posting (Ausstrahlung): if someone is sent abroad for a limited period within an employment relationship existing in Germany, the compulsory insurance rules apply anyway (§ 4(1) SGB IV); for postings within Europe the A1 certificate is the proof
NOT for nationals of other states under no. 2 — the provision names only nationals of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland
NOT where no body with its seat in Germany makes the application (§ 4(1) sentence 1 SGB VI)

Worked example

Musterbau GmbH of Stuttgart and its engineer Tobias Reuter on a site abroad

Tobias, a German national, was employed by Musterbau GmbH in Stuttgart. For a two-year project he signs, from 1 March 2027, an employment contract directly with the foreign subsidiary; his German contract ends. There is therefore no posting: § 4(1) SGB IV requires a posting within an employment relationship existing IN GERMANY. Without further steps Tobias would drop out of the German pension scheme for two years. Musterbau GmbH has its seat in Germany and so files form V0035 for him (§ 4(1) sentence 1 no. 2 SGB VI). It is received on 15 April 2027 — within three months, so compulsory insurance starts retroactively on 1 March 2027 (§ 4(4) sentence 1 no. 1 SGB VI). The contribution base is his salary of 6,000 euros a month, unless the body agrees otherwise under § 166(1) no. 4a SGB VI; Musterbau GmbH bears the contributions as the applying body (§ 170(1) no. 4 SGB VI). They are compulsory contributions, which also count where a pension requires a set number of them (§ 55(2) no. 2 SGB VI). Whether a social security agreement with the country of employment provides otherwise, Musterbau checks separately — such rules remain unaffected (§ 6 SGB IV). The amounts are illustrative.

How to fill it in, step by step

Check first whether there is a posting (Ausstrahlung): sent abroad within an employment relationship in Germany, limited in time by the nature of the work or by contract in advance (§ 4(1) SGB IV). If so, compulsory insurance applies anyway and this application is the wrong route.
Check whether supranational or international law provides otherwise for the country of employment — it remains unaffected (§ 6 SGB IV).
Check the conditions of § 4(1) sentence 1 no. 2 SGB VI: nationality of an EU state, the EEA or Switzerland, employment abroad for a limited period, and an applying body with its seat in Germany.
Identify the health insurance fund the form asks for as the collecting body, and have the applying body's establishment number (Betriebsnummer) ready.
Complete form V0035: the person to be insured, the applying body, and the employment abroad with country, employer, start and duration.
File within three months of the start of the employment abroad so that cover runs from day one (§ 4(4) sentence 1 no. 1 SGB VI).
Decide whether the salary remains the contribution base or whether you agree a different amount — possible only for current and future pay periods (§ 166(1) no. 4a SGB VI).
Budget the contributions as a cost of the applying body (§ 170(1) no. 4 SGB VI).

Good to know

Insurance on application under § 4(1) SGB VI is COMPULSORY insurance: the compulsory contributions paid for it also count where a pension entitlement requires a set number of compulsory contributions (§ 55(2) no. 2 SGB VI).
Anyone guaranteed pension entitlements (Versorgungsanwartschaften) for the period of employment abroad is treated as compulsorily insured for subsequent insurance (Nachversicherung) even without an application (§ 4(1) sentence 3 SGB VI) — which is why the form asks about it.
The A1 certificate and this application solve different problems: the A1 shows that German law continues to apply during a posting within Europe; V0035 creates German compulsory insurance where it would otherwise not exist.
The contribution base is normally the salary; a different amount under § 166(1) no. 4 SGB VI can be agreed with the applying body (§ 166(1) no. 4a SGB VI). For other persons employed abroad and insured on application, it stays the salary (no. 4c).
The applying body, not the employee, bears the contributions (§ 170(1) no. 4 SGB VI).
The condition is employment abroad for a LIMITED period (§ 4(1) sentence 1 no. 2 SGB VI); the provision sets no fixed maximum.

Common mistakes

Applying where there is a posting. In that case the compulsory insurance rules already apply (§ 4(1) SGB IV).
Having the employee apply. The application must come from a body with its seat in Germany (§ 4(1) sentence 1 SGB VI).
Applying after more than three months and expecting cover from day one. The obligation then starts only on the day after the application is received (§ 4(4) sentence 1 no. 1 SGB VI).
Trying to agree a different contribution base retroactively. That is possible only for current and future pay periods (§ 166(1) no. 4a SGB VI).
Applying for someone who is not a national of an EU state, the EEA or Switzerland. No. 2 covers only them.
Treating the A1 certificate as enough where there is no posting. It documents which law applies; it does not create compulsory insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Who files the application?

A body whose seat is in Germany (§ 4(1) sentence 1 SGB VI) — in practice usually the German company sending the person abroad. For staff of official missions abroad it is the employer (sentence 2).

When do I not need this application?

Where there is a posting: if the person is sent abroad within an employment relationship in Germany, limited in time by the nature of the work or by contract in advance, the compulsory insurance rules apply anyway (§ 4(1) SGB IV).

From when does compulsory insurance apply?

From the day the conditions are first met if the application is made within three months afterwards; otherwise from the day after the application is received (§ 4(4) sentence 1 no. 1 SGB VI). It ends at the end of the day on which the conditions cease (sentence 2).

Who pays the contributions, and on what?

The applying body bears them (§ 170(1) no. 4 SGB VI). The base is the salary, or a different amount agreed with the body, for current and future pay periods only (§ 166(1) no. 4a SGB VI).

How long may the employment abroad last?

§ 4(1) sentence 1 no. 2 SGB VI requires employment for a limited period but sets no maximum.

How does this differ from the A1 certificate?

The A1 shows, for a posting within Europe, that German law continues to apply. Form V0035 creates German compulsory insurance for employment abroad where it would otherwise not exist.

Go further

Related forms

Official sources

§ 3 SGB IV — personal and territorial scope (Gesetze im Internet, Federal Ministry of Justice) — September 23, 2026
§ 4 SGB VI — compulsory insurance on application — September 23, 2026
§ 4 SGB IV — posting (Ausstrahlung) — September 23, 2026
§ 6 SGB IV — reservation for diverging rules — September 23, 2026
§ 166 SGB VI — contributory income of other insured persons — September 23, 2026
§ 170 SGB VI — who bears contributions for other insured persons — September 23, 2026
§ 55 SGB VI — contribution periods — September 23, 2026
Deutsche Rentenversicherung — form V0035, application for compulsory insurance of employees abroad under § 4(1) SGB VI — September 23, 2026

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