Germany Opportunity Card

Residence permit to look for work or for recognition of a foreign qualification, for skilled workers or for applicants who reach six points under the points table. It allows work of up to 20 hours a week on average and trial employment of up to two weeks each. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8}

What you must show and pay

• Savings of about EUR 1,091 a month (≈ $1,220) ⁴
• A fee of EUR 100 (≈ $110) · Fee for issuing the residence permit, regardless of validity. ⁹
• A fee of EUR 75 (≈ $84) · Fee for the national visa (category D), including multiple entries. ¹⁰

Requirements

• The applicant is a third-country national. ^{1 2 3 4}
• The applicant is a skilled worker, or reaches at least six points under the points table. ^{1 4}
• Points applicants also need a state-recognised foreign vocational qualification of at least two years, a recognised foreign degree, or a chamber-issued vocational diploma. ^{1 4}
• Points applicants also need basic German (A1) or English at B2. ^{1 4}
• Points applicants have their foreign qualification confirmed by a competent body in Germany. ¹
• Applicants already in Germany need an existing residence permit under sections 3 or 4 of the Residence Act. ¹
• Subsistence must be secured, normally EUR1,091 (≈ $1,220) net per month for a single person. ⁴
• The follow-up card is given only when the person does not qualify for another work-related residence permit under Section 4 of the Residence Act. ¹

Stay

• Search Opportunity Card issued for up to one year; it can be extended by up to two further years as a Follow-up Opportunity Card with an employment contract or binding job offer for qualified work and Federal Employment Agency approval. A new search card needs a period abroad or lawful stay in Germany at least as long as the previous stay.
• First stay: up to 36 months, decided case by case.
• Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
• Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

Nationality

Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.

Work

Employment of up to 20 hours a week on average and trial employment of up to two weeks each (qualified, training-oriented or recognition-related); the 20-hour limit does not apply to the Follow-up Opportunity Card.

Family

Accompanying spouse or registered partner may be assessed together; criterion 12 awards a point when the spouse meets the conditions and applies at the same authority. Your spouse or partner may work in Germany without a separate permit.

Checked 2026-10-12

Official sources

1. Section 20a AufenthG: Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) · Federal Ministry of Justice (Gesetze im Internet) · checked 2026-10-12
2. Section 20b AufenthG: awarding of points for the Opportunity Card · Federal Ministry of Justice (Gesetze im Internet) · checked 2026-10-10
3. Annex to the Residence Act: points table for the Opportunity Card (minimum six points) · Federal Ministry of Justice (Gesetze im Internet) · checked 2026-10-10
4. Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch): subsistence table (valid from 09/2025), Opportunity Card (01/2025), Working Holiday (06/2026) · Federal Foreign Office · checked 2026-10-10
5. AufenthG § 4a Zugang zur Erwerbstätigkeit · Federal Ministry of Justice (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 2026-10-11
6. AufenthG § 30 Ehegattennachzug · Federal Ministry of Justice (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 2026-10-11
7. Family reunification with third-country nationals (Nachzug zu Drittstaatsangehörigen) · Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) · checked 2026-10-12
8. Aufenthaltsverordnung (AufenthV) section 41: privileged nationals who may obtain the residence title after entry · Bundesministerium der Justiz / gesetze-im-internet.de · checked 2026-10-12
9. Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) section 45: fees for the residence permit, Blue Card EU and ICT card · Federal Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
10. Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) section 46: fees for the visa · Federal Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-11
11. Nationality Act (StAG) section 10: naturalisation after lawful residence · Federal Ministry of Justice (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 2026-10-11
12. AufenthG section 51: expiry of residence titles · Federal Ministry of Justice (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 2026-10-11