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Banks set their own checks. Where the official pages we reviewed do not say what a bank requires, this guide says so; ask the bank before you visit.
At a glance
- Germany
- Basiskonto: decision in 10 business days; no fee cap
- Spain
- Cuenta de pago básica: fee cap €3 per month
- Italy
- Codice fiscale usually asked; bank sets the list
- Netherlands
- BSN needed if you pay Dutch tax; basic account at ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank, SNS
Your checklist
First steps
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Basic account rights differ
Germany, Spain and the Netherlands each describe a basic payment account for EU residents. Germany gives a right to a Basiskonto to everyone lawfully resident in the EU, including asylum seekers and people with Duldung status. Spain’s Consumo Responde says any consumer resident in the EU has a right to a cuenta de pago básica. In the Netherlands you apply at ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank or SNS after a refusal, and you need a clear connection to the Netherlands.
For Italy, the pages we reviewed describe the tax code and bank onboarding, not a statutory basic-account right, so we do not make a claim about it here.
Germany
A bank must enable a complete Basiskonto application or refuse in writing within 10 business days. A refusal must come in writing with the BaFin review form, and BaFin’s procedures are free. A poor Schufa record or garnishments are not lawful reasons to refuse.
There is no legal fee cap. Consumer organisations report that in 2023 German basic accounts cost up to €27.83 per month. The official sources we found do not make an Anmeldung a legal condition, but banks set their own checks.
Spain
The Banco de España says the maximum fee for the basic account is €3 per month, and it is free for customers in a vulnerable situation. The fee covers up to 120 euro payment operations a year within the EU.
A bank cannot make the account conditional on buying other products. The pages we found do not say whether an NIE or residence permit is required, which documents to bring, or how long the bank has to respond.
Italy
Banks usually collect the codice fiscale together with identity documents, and sometimes proof of address or of your status in Italy. The sources we reviewed list no legal rule fixing what a bank must ask, so treat the bank’s own list as the real requirement.
EU citizens in Italy request the code with form AA4/8 at an Agenzia delle Entrate office. Non-EU citizens usually receive it through the immigration procedure.
Netherlands
The government says you need a BSN to open a bank account if you pay tax in the Netherlands, because banks report data to the tax authority including your BSN. If your ID does not show it, ask the municipality for an extract.
A bank may refuse a regular account only if money-laundering and terrorist-financing risks are too high and cannot be reduced. For a basic account, refusal grounds include already holding a Dutch account or having a basic account closed in the past two years.
Common questions
Which country caps basic-account fees?
Spain: no more than €3 per month, according to the Banco de España. Germany has no legal cap, and the pages we reviewed give no cap for Italy or the Netherlands.
Which country gives a written decision deadline?
Germany: 10 business days from a complete Basiskonto application, according to the consumer advice centre. The pages we reviewed for Spain give no response time.
Do I need to be registered at an address first?
It depends on the bank. The German and Spanish pages we found do not make registration a stated condition, Italian banks usually ask for the codice fiscale, and Dutch banks ask for an ID showing your BSN, which comes from BRP or RNI registration.
What if my application is refused?
Ask for the refusal in writing. In Germany use the BaFin review or go to court, in the Netherlands complain to the bank and then Kifid, and in Spain use Consumo Responde (900 21 50 80) or the Banco de España’s enquiries form.
Official sources
Read this first
- Verbraucherzentrale: Was ist ein Basiskonto?Basiskonto rights, fees and refusal
- Verbraucherzentrale NRW: basic account for new arrivalsBasic account for new arrivals
- Banco de España: cuenta de pago básicaFee cap and included operations
- Consumo Responde: right to a basic payment accountEU residents’ right to a basic account
- Italian Revenue Agency: tax code and health cardTax code and bank onboarding in Italy
- Rijksoverheid: BSN and bank accountsBSN and Dutch bank accounts
- Rijksoverheid: refusal of a payment accountBasic-account refusal grounds and complaints
Rules can vary by nationality, work or study status, and city. Confirm your route with the official authority before you act.