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Residence · GermanyGermanyEUSchengen
From €1,20010–30 working days
Government fees are paid separately at cost and are listed below with their source.
Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case.
For qualified job seekers, founders and freelancers without a German employment contract.
Check your eligibilityThe Opportunity Card lets a qualified foreigner look for work in Germany for up to a year: 6 points, a foreign qualification of at least 2 years, A1 German or B2 English, and €1,091 a month in proof of means for 2026. Founders and freelancers use the § 21 permit instead.
Updated
GermanyEUSchengen
How it works
Germany has no investor visa and no digital nomad visa. These two permits cover most people who arrive without a contract.
Introduced on 1 June 2024, the card needs 6 points unless you are already a recognised skilled worker. Proof of means is €1,091 a month, €13,092 for 12 months, usually in a blocked account.
You may work part-time up to 20 hours a week and do trial work of up to 2 weeks per employer. Once you find qualified work, a follow-up card of up to 2 years is possible.
There is no fixed minimum investment. The authority looks at economic interest or regional need, expected positive effects and secured financing; applicants over 45 need adequate retirement provision.
The first permit runs up to 3 years; settlement is possible after 3 years if the business runs successfully and income is secured.
We score your points for the Opportunity Card or review the business case for § 21, assemble the file and file the visa application.
What you getEUSchengen
Requirements
Four conditions for the card; § 21 is assessed on the business.
Legal basis:Chancenkarte – Informationen der Deutschen Vertretung TaipeiAufenthG § 20a – Chancenkarte
Minimum income€1,091/month
Proof of means is usually shown with a blocked account of €13,092 for 12 months.
Points counted wrongly and proof of means short of the 2026 figure.
Cost
Our fee from the package; German state fees are not in our reference.
| Who applies | Our fee from | Government fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single applicant | €1,200 | Not published | Not publishedGerman state fees for these permits are not published in our reference. |
| Couple | €1,200 | Not published | Not publishedGerman state fees for these permits are not published in our reference. |
| Couple with two children | €1,200 | Not published | Not publishedGerman state fees for these permits are not published in our reference. |
| Who applies | Our fee from | Government fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single applicant | Not published | Not published | Not publishedGerman state fees for these permits are not published in our reference. |
| Couple | Not published | Not published | Not publishedGerman state fees for these permits are not published in our reference. |
| Couple with two children | Not published | Not published | Not publishedGerman state fees for these permits are not published in our reference. |
Follow-up permit:1 year
Government fees are paid separately at cost and are listed below with their source.
The blocked account is your own money, not a fee.
Proof of means is required; there is no fixed investment for § 21.Conditions
Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case. We usually reply within one business day.
From €1,20010–30 working days
Process
Four steps.
We score the Opportunity Card points or review the § 21 case.
Written route note
You open the blocked account or show financing.
Proof of means
We prepare the national visa application.
Filed application
Refusals
Three grounds.
Checked on
| Reason for refusal | What closes it | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 6 points | We score the points before filing. | Not published |
| Proof of means below the 2026 figure | We check the blocked account amount.€1,091/month | Chancenkarte – Informationen der Deutschen Vertretung Taipei |
| § 21 business case not convincing | We review financing and the plan before filing. | Not published |
Long term
Settlement is possible after 3 years on a successful § 21 business.
Changes
Updated
Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte, § 20a AufenthG) – job searchOpen
| Date | What changed | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReformEU Blue Card salary thresholds 2026: EUR 50,700 standard, EUR 45,934.20 reduced. | Whole country | Bundesagentur für Arbeit | |
| TransitionEnd of the German MiCA transitional period for existing crypto service providers. | Whole country | Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) | |
| Closure3-year fast-track naturalisation abolished; minimum 5 years residence for all applicants. | Whole country | Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) | |
| ReformTax investment programme (StInvSofortPG) in force: 30% degressive depreciation for 2025–2027 acquisitions; corporate tax to fall 1 point a year from 15% (2027) to 10% (2032). | Whole country | Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) | |
| ReformKleinunternehmer VAT exemption reformed: EUR 25,000 prior-year / EUR 100,000 current-year turnover limits. | Whole country | Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) | |
| ReformMiCA CASP regime applies; KMAG companion law in force; BaFin is the competent authority. | Whole country | Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) | |
| ReformCitizenship modernisation act in force: naturalisation after 5 years instead of 8, dual citizenship allowed. | Whole country | Bundesverwaltungsamt | |
| ReformOpportunity Card (Chancenkarte) introduced: points-based job-search permit for up to 1 year. | Whole country | Auswärtiges Amt | |
| ReformSkilled Immigration Act stage 1: EU Blue Card moved to § 18g AufenthG with lower salary thresholds and easier conditions. | Whole country | Auswärtiges Amt |
Documents
Five documents.
Checked on
| Document | Who issues it | Apostille | Translation | Who prepares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant | ||||
| Valid passport | Country of citizenship | No | No | You provide |
| Qualification certificate | University or training body | No | Yes | You provide |
| German A1 or English B2 certificate | Test provider | No | No | You provide |
| Blocked account confirmation | Bank | No | No | You provide |
| Visa application and points sheet | Prepared from your documents | No | No | We prepare |
Send us your qualification; we reply with your points.Get a quote
Request
Qualification, languages and savings are enough for a first answer.
The information on this site is general and is not legal advice for your specific situation.
Legal disclaimerQuestions
From the Residence Act as in force on our check date.
€1,091 a month in 2026, €13,092 for 12 months, usually in a blocked account.
Part-time up to 20 hours a week, plus trial work of up to 2 weeks per employer.
No. Founders and freelancers use the § 21 permit.
Sources
German law and government pages behind this page.
| Source | Publisher | Type | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laws and regulations | |||
| AufenthG § 20a – Chancenkarte | Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) | Laws and regulations | Checked on |
| Government sites | |||
| Chancenkarte – Informationen der Deutschen Vertretung Taipei | Auswärtiges Amt | Government sites | Checked on |