V0060 Voluntary German Pension Contributions Application

What is V0060 — Antrag auf freiwillige Versicherung?

Not everyone in Germany pays into the statutory pension automatically. Many self-employed people, homemakers, civil servants and people who have moved abroad don't. Voluntary insurance (freiwillige Versicherung) lets them pay contributions anyway. The DRV's explanatory notes (V0061) say anyone aged 16 or over who usually lives in Germany and isn't compulsorily insured can join, whatever their nationality, and that Germans can also join while living abroad. Form V0060 is the application.

The form has five working parts. You give your personal details and say whether you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen; if not, you enclose your residence title. You report any contributions to a foreign pension system. Section 3 checks that nothing already makes you compulsorily insured: a job, a minijob, sickness or unemployment benefit, raising a child under 3, unpaid care, or certain kinds of self-employment. Then you choose when contributions start, how much you pay each month, from the minimum to the maximum contribution, and whether you pay by direct debit or bank transfer.

FileIt explains each question in English with the German wording alongside, follows the form's 'weiter bei Ziffer 4' skips for you, and prints your answers onto the official PDF, including names with Polish, Romanian or Turkish letters, before saving it in your vault. You sign it by hand and post it to the Rentenversicherung.

Who fills it: Someone who isn't compulsorily insured in the German pension scheme and wants to pay voluntary contributions
Given to: Deutsche Rentenversicherung (your pension insurance carrier)
Length: 4 pages
Signatures: The applicant's handwritten signature, with place and date
Edition: V0060-00, Version 29015

Who needs to fill out V0060 — Antrag auf freiwillige Versicherung?

Self-employed people who aren't compulsorily insured and want to build up a German pension.
Homemakers, students over 16 and others without compulsory insurance who want to keep their pension record going.
Germans living abroad who want to keep paying into the German pension.
People with a minijob from which they were exempted from compulsory insurance, who want to top up with voluntary contributions.

When to use V0060 — Antrag auf freiwillige Versicherung

When you want voluntary contributions to start, either ongoing or for a limited period.
Before 31 March, if you also want to pay for the previous year. The explanatory notes say that is possible when you apply by then.
When you want to change how you pay, by direct debit or transfer, together with a new mandate.

What you need before you start

Your pension insurance number if you have one, your names (including birth and former names), date and place of birth, nationality and address.
A copy of your residence title if you aren't an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.
The country, end date and insurer's address of any foreign pension contributions.
Start dates of any employment, minijob, benefit, child-raising or care that applies since the date you want to start.
For self-employment: what you do, evidence such as a business registration, and whether you have employees or mainly one client.
The month and year to start, the monthly amount you want, and the SEPA mandate V0005 if you pay by direct debit.

What’s on V0060 — Antrag auf freiwillige Versicherung

The 2025 edition has 4 pages. FileIt asks for it in 7 parts, and it is signed by Applicant (antragsteller/-in):

1 · About you (Angaben zur Person)Applicant (antragsteller/-in)
2 · Contributions to a foreign pension insurance (Beitragszahlung zur ausländischen Rentenversicherung)Applicant (antragsteller/-in)
3 · Employment and activity (Angaben zur Beschäftigung / Tätigkeit)Applicant (antragsteller/-in)
4 · Start and amount of the voluntary contributions (Beginn und Höhe der freiwilligen Beitragszahlung)Applicant (antragsteller/-in)
5 · How you pay (Angaben zum Zahlungsweg)Applicant (antragsteller/-in)
6 · Documents for blind and partially sighted people (Dokumentenzugang)Applicant (antragsteller/-in)
7–8 · Declaration and enclosures (Erklärung, Anlagen)Applicant (antragsteller/-in)

How to fill out V0060 — Antrag auf freiwillige Versicherung, step by step

1 1 · Angaben zur Person

Your insurance number, names, date of birth, sex, whether you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen from the start date you want, your nationality, place and country of birth, address and phone.

2 2 · Beitragszahlung zur ausländischen Rentenversicherung

Whether contributions have been paid for you to a foreign pension system, until when (month and year), in which country, and the foreign insurer's address.

3 3.1 · Situations that mean compulsory insurance

Tick each that applies since the start you want, with its start date: employment above minijob level, a minijob with or without an exemption, wage-replacement benefits, raising a child under 3, or unpaid care. Or tick 'keiner der Sachverhalte liegt vor'. The notes explain that voluntary contributions aren't possible while compulsory insurance applies.

4 3.2–3.6 · Self-employment

If you are self-employed: what you do, whether you are in the register of craftspeople (Handwerksrolle), whether you employ anyone, and whether you work for only one client or get at least 5/6 of your income from one. FileIt shows only the questions the form's skips leave.

5 4 · Beginn und Höhe

Ongoing from a month, or for a limited period from and to. Then the monthly amount: maximum, standard, minimum or half standard contribution, or a fixed or dynamic amount in euros that you choose.

6 5 · Zahlungsweg

Direct debit, which needs the SEPA mandate V0005, or bank transfer. With a transfer, every payment must carry your insurance number, name, the kind and amount of contribution and the period.

7 6–8 · Documents, declaration and enclosures

Optionally ask for documents in large print, Braille, on CD or as audio. Then sign the declaration that your answers are true and that you have read the explanatory notes, and list what you enclose.

Common mistakes to avoid

Applying while a job, benefit or child-raising period already makes you compulsorily insured. Section 3.1 is there to check this.
Choosing direct debit and forgetting to enclose the SEPA mandate V0005.
Leaving out the residence title copy when you aren't an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.
Not sending evidence of self-employment, such as a business registration or tax registration.
Expecting a refund later. The explanatory notes say validly paid voluntary contributions can't be refunded or changed afterwards.

After you fill it out

Print the form, check it, and sign it by hand on page 4. Add V0005 and the other enclosures you listed.

Post it to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. Your insurance number is printed on every page. FileIt doesn't send it for you.

The DRV sends a decision on the contributions. The notes say transfers should only go to the account named in it. Keep the application and the decision in your FileIt vault.

Fill out V0060 — Antrag auf freiwillige Versicherung online with FileIt

Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 63 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Deutsche Rentenversicherung form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start V0060 — Antrag auf freiwillige Versicherung now — it’s free

V0060 — Antrag auf freiwillige Versicherung: frequently asked questions

What is V0060?

The Deutsche Rentenversicherung's application to pay voluntary contributions to the German statutory pension insurance (Antrag auf Beitragszahlung für eine freiwillige Versicherung).

Can I fill out V0060 online?

Yes. FileIt guides you through V0060 in English and fills the official PDF, which you print, sign and post to the Rentenversicherung yourself.

How much can I pay?

The explanatory notes say you choose the monthly amount yourself, between the minimum and the maximum contribution. Both are set again each year.

What is the difference between a static and a dynamic amount?

A static amount stays the same. A dynamic amount follows the development of the standard contribution (Regelbeitrag), as the explanatory notes explain.

Can I pay voluntary contributions while living abroad?

The notes say Germans can, even with their usual residence abroad. Foreign nationals living abroad can only when international or supranational law allows it.

Can I get the contributions back later?

The explanatory notes say validly paid voluntary contributions can't be refunded, and their amount can't be changed afterwards.

Official sources

Blank form (PDF), published by Deutsche Rentenversicherung: https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/SharedDocs/Formulare/DE/_pdf/V0060.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
Official instructions and guidance: https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/SharedDocs/Formulare/DE/_pdf/V0061.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
Edition shown on this page: V0060-00, Version 29015 (PDF of 17.06.2025) (checked 2026-10-19).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Deutsche Rentenversicherung or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.