Residence permit "EU Blue Card Germany"

Highly qualified foreign nationals who wish to pursue employment in Germany commensurate with their qualifications can obtain an EU Blue Card.

Exception:Citizens of EU member states have access to the labor market due to their right to freedom of movement. They can be self-employed or employed in Germany under the right of establishment or freedom of movement for workers. This also applies to other nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals. For nationals of the EU member states Bulgaria and Romania, there are still transitional regulations regarding the free movement of workers and the freedom to provide services. You must obtain a work permit from the relevant employment agency before taking up employment.

You can obtain the EU Blue Card for a maximum of 4 years when it is first issued. If your employment contract has a duration of less than 4 years, you will receive the EU Blue Card for the duration of the employment contract plus 3 months.

Please note:If you want to change your job in the first 2 years after the EU Blue Card has been issued, you must obtain permission from the immigration authorities.

Holders of an EU Blue Card can obtain a settlement permit if they

• have been employed for at least 33 months,
• have paid contributions to the statutory pension insurance scheme or another pension scheme with comparable benefits for this period and fulfill the following additional requirements:
  • Their stay does not jeopardize or impair the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany.
  • You are allowed to pursue gainful employment and have all the necessary permits.
  • You have sufficient knowledge of German and basic knowledge of the German legal and social system.
  • They have sufficient living space for themselves and their family.

If you can prove that you have B1 level language skills and meet the other requirements, you can obtain a settlement permit after just 21 months of employment and payment of contributions.

• Proof of fulfillment of passport and visa requirements
• Proof of minimum salary
• Proof of your university degree
• Proof of employment or job offer
• Proof that there are no grounds for deportation against you
• Proof that you do not jeopardize or impair the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany

• Issue: 100,00 Euro
• Extension up to3 months: 96,00 Euro
• Extension of more than3 months: 93,00 Euro

It takes about five weeks to issue the residence permit. Therefore, please apply for it in good time. Otherwise, a fictitious certificate can be issued temporarily. The fee is 13 €.