General Information

This visa type is the correct for you if you intend to work in Germany, but have not yet received a job offer or contract but are looking for employment. If you already have a job offer or work contract, please apply for the correct employment visa according to your training.

Experience since establishing the Opportunity Card shows that job seekers that go to Germany without having researched available job opportunities or possible employers rarely are successful in finding employment in Germany. An excellent start for you research is the “Looking for a job” section of the website “Make it in Germany”. Also, at least some knowledge of German has proven to be tremendously helpful.

Once you are confident in having employment options in Germany, please visit the website “Make it in Germany” here for in-depth information on the “Opportunity Card” for job search. Once you have done the self-check on that website (also found here) , below you can find information on necessary documents.

As there are basically two options to obtain an Opportunity Card, as a first step in the Consular Service Portal, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire called “your score counter” that determines which is the option suited to you.

If you have a recognized university degree or professional training, you fall under the option “Skilled professional”; if you have a university degree or professional training that is not recognized in Germany, you require a specific minimum score obtained through language skills and meeting other requirements. The Consular Service Portal will let you know which option is available to you. It will also let you know if you reached sufficient points for option 2. You will be given a personalized list with documents to upload according to your option.

Necessary and optional documents

The Consular Service Portal will guide you through the process and give additional information to each upload. You can stop, safe your progress and return to your application at any time during the uploading process.

When making your application through the Consular Service Portal, you will be asked to upload the following documents:

• valid passport (issued within the last 10 years and with at least 2 empty pages for visa) – page with your photo and personal details

• Proof of secure livelihood – sufficient funds to cover your living expenses in Germany

  You need to show proof of currently at least 1,091,-- EUR per month to cover your living expenses. Proof can be uploaded for example in form of a blocked account or a formal declaration of support from someone already residing in Germany.

• Certificate about compulsory health insurance (Gesetzliche oder private Krankenversicherung) valid from date of entry.

Option 1 – skilled worker

• your university degree

  This means your highest university degree. If you have more than one, please chose the one whose subject relates to your intended work in Germany.

  Please note: you must include your mark sheets for every semester.

  Please note: If you have a degree from an Indian university, you must also include confirmation by your university that you completed your studies on-site or in “regular mode” and not by distance learning. If you completed your degree by distance learning, please enclose a confirmation from the relevant Indian authority that this distance learning programme was approved at the time of your graduation. If you are unable to provide that, you must obtain and upload a recognition certificate by the Central Office for Foreign Education, ZAB.

• Recognition of the university degree in Germany:

  Please use the Anabin website of the recognition of the academic degree. Your degree must be rated as “entspricht” or “gleichwertig”

  Recognition needs to be carried out through the anabin website

OR

If you can’t find it or it does not meet the criteria, obtain a Statement of Comparability (“Zeugnisbewertung”) of the non-German degree by the Central Office for Foreign Education, ZAB (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen).

More information on anabin and the process can be found here

• Recognition of a higher education institution, e. g. of the university where you obtained your degree

  Please use the Anabin website to check whether or not your university is recognized in Germany. It must have an Anabin rating of “H+”. If it has a rating of “H+/-”, your degree program must be explicitly listed in the comments for your university.

  Again, if you can’t find your university or it does not meet the criteria, you would need to obtain a Statement of Comparability by the Central Office for Foreign Education, ZAB (Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen)

  Option 2 – reached minimum required score; required documents depend very much on where you score your points. Some examples for the most common required documents are:

• Proof of qualified professional experience

  A CV in English or German that includes all previous professional experience, training and qualifications. Work experience has to be confirmed by a letters from previous employers or work contracts, showing the complete and exact duration of employment and work description.

• Proof of German language skills

  This has to be a certificate of a recognized provider, for example Goethe Institute / Max Mueller Bhawan, ÖSD, telc

• Proof of English skills

  This has to be a certificate according to the standards of ALTE (Association of Language Testers of Europe) or a TOEFL. Please note, test results from Pearson PTE, Duolingo or TOEFL online are not accepted as proof in India.

Optional documents

• In “Other documents” you can upload additional relevant documents to support your application. Examples would be proof of knowledge of German or previous long-term German or EU visa or residence permit if you have previous long-term stays.

Please note that the German Missions reserve the right to ask for additional documents or the verification of certificates, for which additional fees would be charged.

Submission of the above-mentioned documents does not guarantee that a visa is granted.

Submission of incomplete documentation or refusal to appear for a visa interview may result in the rejection of your application.