Blue Card for Germany

How to obtain a Blue Card for Germany.

The EU Blue Card provides opportunities for highly-qualified or skilled workers from non-EU countries who want to work in Germany.

Our Health Insurance Service Explained

 

Public or Private Health Insurance Plans for Employees, Freelancers, Students & Visa Holders.

 

In brief:

  • If you are unemployed, self-employed or currently looking for a job and you’ve just moved to Germany from a non-EU country, then you should sign up for Expat Health Insurance (limited to 5 years). Once you have a steady income, you can easily cancel and switch to Public or Private Health Insurance. Get expat health insurance now!

  • If you need health insurance to get a visa or residence permit then we recommend that you take out Expat Health Insurance. You can cancel anytime. Once you find a job in Germany, you can easily cancel and switch to public health insurance. Get expat health insurance now!

  • If you are a university student under the age of 30, be sure to take out Public Health Insurance. TK has an incredibly affordable offer made just for students so be sure to take advantage of it! Sign up here. [Add-on: Dental Insurance].

  • If you are in any other situation (job seeker, au pair, holiday workers, language student, guest researcher, tourist, etc.), we recommend that you take out Expat Health Insurance. This will not only make sure that you are covered in case of an accident, but it will also fulfil the legal requirement for living in Germany. You can switch easily to Public or Private Health Insurance at a later stage. Get expat health insurance now!

What is the EU Blue Card?

Similar to the Green Card in the USA, the EU Blue Card is a special residence permit that gives highly qualified non-EU nationals the opportunity to work and live in the European Union. 

What are the requirements to issue an EU Blue Card for Germany?

  • You must have a German degree OR a recognised foreign university degree. To evaluate your foreign degree and check recognition of foreign professional qualifications in Germany, check this website before applying for the Blue Card.
  • You must have a concrete job offer that would provide annual gross earnings of at least 55,200€ (in 2020) and the position must be related to your higher education degree. If you have a background in IT, mathematics, natural sciences, engineering or human medicine (medical doctors), your annual gross salary would need to be at least 43,056€ (in 2020). In this case, the approval of the Federal Employment Agency is required.

What happens if all prerequisites above are fulfilled?

You will first receive a German visa for a period of 3 to 6 months after successful application at the diplomatic mission in your country of origin. Once in Germany, you will have to convert your visa into a residence permit at the immigration office of your city of residence (Ausländerbehörde). Here you will find the contact details of your responsible immigration office.

If you are from Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the United States of America, you can enter Germany without a visa and directly apply for the EU Blue Card within the country. However, you cannot start working before receiving the Blue Card. It can take a while!

Check here to see if you need to apply for a visa before entering Germany.

What are the pros of the EU Blue Card compared to a simple German work permit?

  • Family reunions are easy to arrange (less bureaucratic).
  • There are no German language requirements.
  • The spouses of Blue Card holders have the right to carry out any kind of work in Germany.
  • It’s much quicker to obtain a settlement permit. In fact, after only 33 months in Germany and a A1 level in German, it is possible to obtain a permanent residence permit.
    With a B1 level, permission can even be granted after only 21 months.

Which documents do I have to submit with my visa application?

(Provide original plus 2 copies per document)

# Valid passport.

# Visa (if applicable).

# 2 passport pictures according to biometric specifications.

# 2 completed and signed application forms.
Please fill out this online application form, print it out, sign it and submit it along with the other documents.

Please ensure that the barcode is printed in high quality. Alternatively, you can print out this application form and fill it out by hand.

# Curriculum vitae of professional career, including certificates, diplomas, etc.

# German or otherwise recognised equivalent university degree.

# Contract/binding job offer with details of gross annual salary.

# Proof of stay in your country of origin (e.g. employment/ student confirmation).

# [Once your visa has been accepted] Travel health insurance for the time frame from arrival in Germany until beginning of employment.

The travel insurance needs to include details about coverage (at least € 30,000 and including repatriation costs).

# [Once your visa has been accepted] Proof of German health insurance valid from date of employment (not to be confused with the travel insurance).

# Visa fee: 75 € (in 2020).

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Make sure that your application documents are complete! Incomplete applications may result in rejection of the visa.

Depending on your country of origin, you may be requested to provide additional documents. Please check the website of your German mission abroad to see if you need to provide other documents.

Please note that German Embassies reserve the right to ask for additional documents at any time during the processing. Submission of the above-mentioned documents does not guarantee that a visa will be granted.

Need help with your visa application?

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