Quick Answer
As of 14 September 2026. Requirements, Schufa rules and timelines come from American Express Germany’s Platinum product page, the Schufa clause, the membership terms and the customer service FAQ (sources below).
The 4 requirements, verbatim
Right above the apply button, American Express asks four questions. Only apply if you can answer yes to all of them:
- “Are you over 18 years old?”
- “Is your primary residence in Germany?”
- “Do you have a euro-denominated bank account in one of the SEPA participating countries?”
- “Are you aware that you’re not eligible for the welcome bonus if you hold, or held within the last 18 months, the corresponding German American Express card you’re applying for?”
Question 3 means: the account does not have to be with a German bank. A euro account in another SEPA country is enough for the personal cards. The Business Cards, by contrast, require an account with a German bank.
Which Amex first? The application order
The order decides hundreds of euros in bonus. The reason is the upgrade offer: hold a cheaper card for at least 10 months and switching to the Platinum gets you up to 95,000 points, versus up to 85,000 for a new application via friend referral.
| Your plan | Apply for first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lounges and hotel status right away | Platinum via friend referral | 85,000 points now instead of 95,000 in 10 months |
| Test first, Platinum later | American Express Card or Gold | upgrade after 10 months with up to 95,000 points |
| No fee, but still Amex | PAYBACK American Express | €0, its own product, no effect on the Platinum bonus |
| Just points, small fee | American Express Card | €60 a year, free the following year at €9,000 in spend |
Not sure which card fits your spend? The card finder in the Amex comparison asks you four questions.
Schufa: what American Express checks and reports
Schufa is Germany’s largest credit bureau; it stores data on loans, credit cards and payment behavior. American Express uses it on every application.
Per the Schufa clause, Amex passes “personal data on applying for, running and ending this business relationship” to SCHUFA Holding AG, plus data on non-contractual behavior. Per the clause, the exchange also serves the creditworthiness check under Sections 505a and 506 BGB.
What that means in practice:
- The inquiry gets stored. Per the Schufa fact sheet, information about inquiries is “deleted to the day after 12 months.”
- The card itself is listed with Schufa for as long as the contract runs.
- Negative entries are, per Amex, the biggest risk for a rejection: “So you shouldn’t have negative Schufa entries.”
Income: is there a minimum threshold?
American Express doesn’t publish an income threshold in euros for the personal cards. The product pages don’t name one either. Anyone who reads a fixed figure for the Platinum online is reading an estimate.
More important than a figure is the billing model. German Amex personal cards are charge cards: a charge card is a credit card whose entire month’s spend is due all at once. The membership terms say the amount “must be settled in full by the due date.”
For your application that means: your income needs to realistically cover your card spend every month. Per one Amex article, the monthly statement is debited from your checking account roughly five days after month end.
The application, step by step
- Choose a card and check the offer. Friend referral (points) or a direct offer (welcome credit); not both at once.
- Fill out the online form. Personal details, address, occupation and income, IBAN. Per the Amex FAQ, this takes “around 15 minutes.”
- Identify yourself. Amex names three ways: Video-Ident via smartphone or webcam, eID with the online ID card, and Post-Ident at a post office branch.
- Wait for the decision. Amex checks your details and creditworthiness. Per the terms, the contract is formed when Amex sends you the card.
- Receive the card. “Usually within 5-10 business days” once all documentation is in.
- Activate and plan the bonus. The bonus period starts on receipt of the card; on the Platinum it’s 6 months for up to €10,000 in spend.
Welcome bonus: the rules before you apply
| Rule | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New customer | no primary card of the same German product in the last 18 months | Platinum product page |
| Bonus period | 6 months from card receipt | Platinum product page |
| What counts | card spend excluding annual fee, cash and credits | Platinum product page |
| Clawback | cancellation or card switch within the first 12 months | Platinum product page |
| Upgrade bonus | its own rule: 10 months | Upgrade page |
One detail to note on the new-customer definition: the current product page speaks of “the same German card product.” Older contract documents in the Platinum PDF phrase it more broadly (“a German American Express card”). When in doubt, what applies is whatever the application page says on the day you apply. Take a screenshot.
Upgrade instead of a new application
If you already have a Blue Card, American Express Card or Gold Card, an upgrade is often the better path to the Platinum. Per American Express, you need at least ten months of card ownership.
- Bonus: up to 95,000 points, per the upgrade page 50,000 after €6,000 and another 45,000 after an additional €4,000 in spend.
- Card number and PIN stay the same, subscriptions keep running.
- Clawback: on cancellation or a product switch within the first 10 months.
What to do if you’re rejected
American Express doesn’t publish rejection reasons or a waiting period before the next application. Here are the levers you actually control:
- Get your Schufa self-disclosure. The data copy under Article 15 GDPR is free. Have incorrect entries corrected.
- Don’t reapply right away. Every inquiry is stored for 12 months.
- Start with a free card. The PAYBACK American Express costs nothing and builds a payment history with Amex.
5 mistakes when applying for Amex
- Applying direct and giving up points. A friend referral gets you points instead of welcome credit on the Platinum and Gold, with the card and fee identical.
- Missing the bonus window. €10,000 in 6 months on the Platinum is around €1,667 a month. Plan large purchases into that window.
- Withdrawing cash toward the minimum spend. Cash withdrawals don’t count and cost 4%, minimum €5.
- Counting on installment payment. The whole bill is due every month.
- Canceling again after 11 months. The bonus gets clawed back retroactively. How to cancel correctly: Cancel Amex.
Sources
All figures checked on 14 September 2026:
- American Express: Platinum Card (application questions, welcome bonus, 18- and 12-month rule)
- American Express: Schufa clause, PDF
- American Express: Platinum Card information, PDF (contract formation, payment in full, default interest)
- American Express FAQ: duration of the online application
- American Express FAQ: card shipping time
- American Express AMEXcited: applying for a credit card (creditworthiness, identification)
- American Express AMEXcited: switching cards (upgrade)
Frequently Asked Questions
What requirements do I need for an American Express card?
American Express Germany asks four questions before you apply: you’re over 18, your primary residence is in Germany, you have a euro-denominated account in a SEPA country, and you know there’s no welcome bonus if you’ve held the same German Amex within the last 18 months. On top of that comes a creditworthiness check with data shared with Schufa.
Does American Express run a Schufa check?
Yes. Per the Schufa clause, American Express passes data on applying for, running and ending the card contract to SCHUFA Holding AG, including for the creditworthiness check under Sections 505a and 506 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Per the Schufa fact sheet, information about inquiries is deleted to the day after 12 months.
Is there a minimum income for the Amex Platinum?
American Express doesn’t publish a euro threshold for the personal cards. What matters per Amex is your ability to pay, and you shouldn’t have negative Schufa entries. Because the entire monthly spend on any German Amex is due in full, your income needs to cover your card spend every month.
How long does it take until the Amex card arrives?
The online application takes around 15 minutes, per American Express. Once every legally required piece of information and proof is in, the card usually arrives within 5 to 10 business days. Identification runs via Video-Ident, eID with your ID card, or Post-Ident.
Is the Amex a real credit card with installment payment?
No. The German American Express personal cards are charge cards: the entire monthly statement balance is due in full on the due date and collected by direct debit. There’s no installment feature. Anyone who doesn’t pay within 30 days owes default interest of 5 percentage points above the base rate.
Can I upgrade from the Gold to the Platinum?
Yes, if you’ve held a Blue Card, American Express Card or Gold Card for at least ten months. You keep your card number and PIN and, per Amex, get up to 95,000 Membership Rewards points instead of 85,000. If you cancel or switch within 10 months of the upgrade, the upgrade bonus is forfeited retroactively.
Verdict
The hurdles for a German Amex are low: 18 years old, residence in Germany, a euro account, a clean Schufa record. The real decision is the order. Anyone who wants the Platinum right away applies through a friend referral link for up to 85,000 points; anyone who wants to test first starts with the American Express Card and upgrades after 10 months. All the cards side by side: Amex card comparison Germany.