Resident in Germany and travelling for work? This is information you need to know!
December • 6th, 2019
by The Expat in the City Team
Why you need to know about the A1 form
A while back the Expat in the City team were asked if we thought our expats living in Germany knew that when they travel abroad for work even for a day, they need to take with them an A1 form as this is an European requirement. And that if they didn’t they could be fined up to €10.000. Our reaction was a little along the lines of ‘sorry…what?’ And when asking around we got the same reaction. No-one really knew what this was all about.
We believe it is important information for our expats and that’s why we asked our Expert partner Matthias Wolf from MW Expat Solutions to clarify this topic. It’s quite a complicated topic, so bare with us. You will be happy you did when next time you travel you are asked to handover your A1 form.
What is the A1 form?
The A1 form is a certificate that is proof that you are paying your social security in the EU country of your residence and therefore do not have to be part of the social security system in the country that you are temporarily working in.
For whom is an A1 form relevant & when do you need it?
The A1 form is relevant for anyone living and working in one European country and then working in another European country for a limited period of time (even for just one meeting) whilst still being liable for social security in the European country of their residence. For example, you live and work in Munich and you need to work at your company’s office in Salzburg for a week. This applies for both employed and self-employed people.
Why is knowing about the A1 form important for expats living in Germany?
A lot of expats living in Germany have to travel for their work. Therefore if they are registered as living in Germany (or any other European country) it is relevant for them. Checks for A1 forms are being carried out more and more and fines are being charged, especially since January 2019 when carrying an A1 form became mandatory.
For example Austria imposes fines of between €1.000 and €10,000 for both the company and the employee when A1 certificates are missing. And France demands a fine of €3.269 euros from the employee for each missing A1 certificate.
Although other countries do not impose fines yet if the A1 certificate is missing, they do levy social insurance contributions for each day the activity is performed.
The A1 form is relevant for anyone living and working in one European country and then working in another European country.
What action do you need to take to get an A1 form?
You need to apply for an A1 form from your healthcare provider before travelling for work in the European Union. If you are privately insured then you need to get one from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. If you are employed you can check with your HR department if they can supply you with an A1 form.
When and how do you apply for an A1 form?
The A1 form has to be applied for electronically. The application is should not/ is not allowed to take more than 3 days.
For example: if you have to travel to the Netherlands for work then you apply for your A1 form online at least 3 days before leaving. Should you travel for up to one week and have not applied for an A1 form before you travel then you can still apply for one that is backdated.
Thank you Matthias for sharing this information with us. If you have more questions about this topic or any other topic related to insurances, Matthias and his team are happy to help. Get in touch with them via:
MW Expat Solution Services
Tel: 089 2104 3722
More from MW Expat Solutions
Insurances in Germany…of course you know they are important. And you know as an expat you need to get it sorted for both you and your family. Preferably sooner than later. But where to start? Read it in here.
