Filling In the Kinderzuschlag Application – The Three Forms Explained

Kinderzuschlag, the child supplement, is aimed at a family that works and earns enough for the adults but not enough for the children. It is among the least-claimed benefits in Germany — not because it is hard, but because so many families do not know they qualify.

The application is not one sheet but a set of forms, and that is where the confusion lies: anyone who sends the main form alone receives a request for more weeks later.

What Kinderzuschlag is and who administers it

The responsible office is the Familienkasse within the Federal Employment Agency — the same office that pays Kindergeld. Kinderzuschlag comes on top of Kindergeld, not instead of it, and has its own conditions tied to income, the number of children and housing costs.

What the video explains

• When a family qualifies, and how it relates to Grundsicherungsgeld, formerly Bürgergeld
• The main form KiZ 1 and the order to work through it
• The child annex KiZ 1-AnK — one per child
• The applicant and partner annex KiZ 1-AnA
• The employer’s earnings certificate (KiZ 5) and when it is asked for
• The mistakes that lead to refusal or delay

The official form and the responsible office

All forms come from the Familienkasse itself. One point many people miss: the agency publishes an Arabic translation of the core forms on the same page, alongside English and Turkish. An online application is also available:

• Official Kinderzuschlag forms page — includes the Arabic translation and the online application
• Official Kindergeld forms page

Common mistakes that delay a case

• Sending the main form alone, without an annex for each child
• Writing an approximate income instead of what the payslips show
• Leaving out the housing costs, which are a core part of the calculation
• Applying without having claimed Kindergeld first or alongside
• Skipping the partner annex when the partner has income

Frequently asked questions

Do I get it together with Kindergeld?
Yes. Kinderzuschlag is paid on top of Kindergeld when the conditions are met; it is not a replacement.

Can it be combined with Grundsicherungsgeld (formerly Bürgergeld)?
Its whole purpose is to keep a working family off Grundsicherungsgeld — the benefit that was called Bürgergeld until 1 July 2026. Your case is assessed individually and the offices coordinate.

Are there Arabic forms?
Yes. The Familienkasse publishes an Arabic translation of the core forms on the official forms page above — although the German form is the one you fill in.

How long does an award last?
It is granted for a fixed period, after which it must be extended. Where circumstances are unchanged, the short form KiZ 1-K is usually enough.

Please note: Conditions and amounts change with the law. What binds is the Familienkasse’s decision in your case.

Watch the video

The video is on the OK+ channel on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aucYLAWRRT8

Also on OK+

• The short form for extending Kinderzuschlag
• Applying for Kinderzuschlag online
• Basic child benefit – Kindergeld

A tool that shortens the road

The OK Plus DE app gathers German administrative calculators and form templates in one place, free, ad-free, in seven languages. Android and iPhone, from the same page:
Get the OK Plus DE app