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EU Blue Card

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All the information you need to apply for an EU Blue Card in Germany (VIsum & residence permit)

... what requirements you need to fulfil for the Blue Card

... what salary you need for the Blue Card

... how to apply for a Blue Card in Berlin

... what advantages the Blue Card has

... what special rights and obligations apply to holders of an EU Blue Card

HERE YOU LEARN ...

Written by: Attorney at Law (Berlin)
Publication date: 15.02.2024
Estimated reading time: 14 min.

1. What is the EU Blue Card?

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The EU Blue Card is a residence permit and visa that allows you to stay and work in Germany. The Blue Card was created specifically for highly qualified foreigners. However, since 18.11.2023 (EU Blue Card reform 2023), the Blue Card can no longer only be issued to academic specialists (i.e. foreigners with a recognized university degree), but in principle to all well-qualified foreigners (e.g. IT specialists or foreigners with vocational training). 

 

Around 70% of foreign academics and 57% of skilled workers have an EU Blue Card. The Blue Card is the equivalent of the US "Green Card" and is based on a European Union directive (Directive 2009/50/EC). Although the EU Blue Card was created by the European Union and is based on European law, it does not enable not allow you to work in the entire European Union, but only in the country in which it was issued. A recognition of the Blue Card in other European countries is, however, possible (so-called short-term and long-term mobility with the Blue Card).

 

Germany is the country that issues the most Blue Cards in the entire European Union. Most

Blue Card holders live in Bavaria and Munich, Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia (Frankfurt am Main).

Berlin in particular has a particularly high number of Blue Card holders in relation to the proportion of city dwellers.

The Berlin Immigration Office (Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA)) has therefore set up a separate department for the

application for residence permits (departments B1, B2, B3). Of the Blue Cards issued in Germany

Blue Cards issued in Germany were mostly granted to Indian nationals. In 2021, for example

27.5% of Blue Cards were issued to Indians. The majority of Blue Card holders also remain in Germany

and do not migrate further. Almost 50% of Blue Card holders successfully apply for a settlement permit

and can therefore stay in Germany indefinitely (see permanent residence with a Blue Card).

2. Advantages of the Blue Card

Compared to other residence permits, the EU Blue Card has numerous advantages, which is why it is very popular with foreigners. The most important advantages of the EU Blue Card are as follows:

 

  • Settlement permit/permanent residence permit after just 21 months (with B1 language level) or after 27 months (with A1 language level),

  • Naturalization is possible without applying for a settlement permit (if the required residence periods have been achieved),

  • even if the job is terminated, the EU Blue Card will remain valid for a further three months,

  • Family reunification is possible without German language skills and the spouse may work without restriction,

  • the foreigner can stay abroad for 12 months without the Blue Card expiring (normally 6 months),

  • Prioritized processing and preference in the administrative procedure (e.g. at the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB)),

  • no need to apply for a change of employer (only reservation of prohibition in the first 12 months (reform of 18.11.2023))

  • the EU Blue Card can also be recognized in other countries of the European Union.

 

There are many different small and only partially relevant advantages to the EU Blue Card, especially in other European countries. However, these advantages are usually very case-specific and are therefore not listed here.

3. Blue Card requirements (2024)

Due to the many advantages and privileges of the Blue Card and its status as a "premium residence permit", the Blue Card also has the highest requirements when applying for it. Originally, the EU Blue Card could only be issued to academic specialists in Germany. However, since the reform of 18.11.2023, other groups of people (especially IT specialists) can also obtain the EU Blue Card in Germany.  

 

The requirements for applying for the different versions of the EU Blue Card therefore differ as follows:

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  • Applying for the Blue Card with a recognized university degree (see under 1.)

  • Applying for the Blue Card as an IT specialist (see 2.)

  • Applying for a Blue Card with as a junor or trainee (see 3.)

 

The most important requirements for applying for an EU Blue Card are presented below.

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3.1 Blue Card with a university degree 

The most important requirements for obtaining an EU Blue Card are an employment contract with a German company (local employment relationship) and a German or foreign recognized university degree.
 
Overall, the requirements are as follows (Checklist EU Blue Card requirements):

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  1. legal employment contract with a German company,

  2. minimum salary of 45,300 euros in 2024 ("large" Blue Card) or 41,041.80 euros (in shortage occupations,
    so-called "small" Blue Card), 

  3. German accredited or foreign university degree recognized as comparable in Germany (Anabin recognition or
    certificate assessment by the ZAB),

  4. fulfillment of the general visa requirements (valid passport, no criminal record, valid (travel) health insurance in Germany)

  5. valid (travel) health insurance in Germany),

  6. professional license if you practice a regulated profession (see BERUFENET) (e.g. engineer, doctor, lawyer, etc.),

  7. adequate pension provision if you are over 45 years old,

  8. never submitted an application for humanitarian protection (e.g. asylum) in a country of the European Union,

  9. the application must appear "plausible" overall.

 

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Lawful employment contract with a German company

The most important requirement for applying for a Blue Card is a legal employment contract (min. 6 months) with a German company. The employment contract must be lawful, i.e. in particular it must not violate employee protection regulations or residence laws (e.g. with regard to salary (AufenthG), compliance with working hours (ArbZG) or the granting of minimum vacation (BUrlG)). 
 
Furthermore, the employment contract must be concluded with a German company. The company must therefore be based in Germany (so-called local employment relationship). Employment with a foreign company is not possible as long as this company does not have a branch in Germany. Whether the company is a German employer can be checked in the German commercial register.

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Required salary Blue Card

Applying for an EU Blue Card also requires that the required minimum salary is reached. The minimum salary is based on the contribution assessment ceiling for pension insurance and is adjusted every year by the Federal Government. In 2024, the minimum salary for the EU Blue Card has been 45,300 euros since the reform of 18.11.2023 (standard issue).

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However, this salary limit only applies if there are no exceptions. The most common exception when applying for a Blue Card is working in a shortage occupation (especially in STEM subjects). However, since the Blue Card reform of 18.11.2023, there are also these other exceptions:

IT specialists (Blue Card salary)

A special option for applying for the EU Blue Card created by the reform of 18.11.2023 applies to IT specialists. This means that IT specialists can even apply for the EU Blue Card if they do not have an academic degree. The salary required here is the same as for the "small" EU Blue Card, i.e. 41,041.80 euros (2024). However, to apply for an EU Blue Card as an IT specialist, you must also have worked in the IT sector for at least three years in the last seven years. You must provide evidence of this by submitting the relevant references and presenting them in your CV. If you have not received a reference from your employer, you will need to write your own experience report. Ideally, this should list and describe specific projects to show that you really do have the required professional experience.

Shortage occupation (salary blue card)
It is also not necessary to reach the salary threshold of 45,300 euros if you are working in a so-called shortage occupation or bottleneck occupation. If you work in a shortage occupation, the salary required to apply for an EU Blue Card is only 41,041.80 euros.  Which occupational groups constitute a shortage occupation is determined by the Commission Recommendation of October 29, 2009 on the use of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08). The shortage occupations change regularly.
 
When applying for a Blue Card visa in a shortage occupation, it should be noted that the job description must explain exactly why the job is one of the above-mentioned occupations. This applies in particular to borderline cases. If in doubt, a lawyer specializing in migration law can advise you on this.

Career starters (Blue Card salary)
Since the reform of the EU Blue Card on 18.11.2023, it is no longer mandatory for young professionals to reach the current salary threshold of 45,300 euros. This means that trainees who often do not reach this salary threshold can now also apply for an EU Blue Card. For this group, it is sufficient to reach a gross annual salary of 45.3% of the annual contribution assessment ceiling for pension insurance (in 2024: 41,041.80 euros) as guaranteed in the employment contract. However, the prerequisite for applying for an EU Blue Card as a young professional or trainee is that the university degree was obtained no more than three years before applying for the EU Blue Card.

Recognized university degree

A further requirement for the issue of the EU Blue Card is that the applicant has a recognized university degree. The simplest form of recognition is if the degree was completed in Germany. In this case, no separate recognition must be submitted. If the degree was completed abroad, the degree must be classified as comparable in "Anabin". 
 
If the degree is not listed in Anabin, a so-called certificate evaluation must be submitted to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). The ZAB then uses the documents submitted to check whether the foreign university degree meets the criteria for studying in Germany.

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There must also be a so-called "qualification connection" between the degree programme and the desired occupation. This means that the knowledge acquired during the degree programme must be used at least partially in the profession. For example, a chemist may not work as a language teacher. However, this requirement is often handled comparatively generously, for example the OVG Saxony-Anhalt ruled that a dentist may work as an authorised signatory (Sächsisches OVG, judgement of 11.02.2021, 3 A 973/18).

Professional license and other requirements

In certain cases, a professional license is required to apply for an EU Blue Card. This is required for the so-called "regulated" professions (e.g. doctors, lawyers, engineers). You can find out whether your occupation is a regulated profession on the website of the Federal Employment Agency (list of regulated professions on BERUFENET). In the case of engineers, however, the special feature is that the professional license is not required for the activity itself, but only for the use of the professional title. The professional license is therefore not necessary if you are working as a "project manager" in engineering, for example.

 

The work permit is checked and issued by the Federal Employment Agency by means of a declaration of employment. As part of the check, not only the employment contract is checked, but also the employer. For example, the Federal Employment Agency checks whether the employer has negative entries in the "Central Trade Register". For example, it is entered in the central trade register whether the employer has been convicted of social security, tax or labor law violations in the past. In these cases, the Federal Employment Agency can refuse approval. A visa will then not be issued.

 

Finally, in addition to the requirements listed above, the general residence requirements must also be met. In particular, a valid passport must be presented and the application must appear "plausible" overall. 

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3.2 Blue Card for IT specialists (2024)

Unlike other skilled workers, IT specialists do not need a university degree to apply for an EU Blue Card in Germany. IT specialists are therefore very strongly privileged in Germany (and even more so than the other occupational groups in the shortage occupations). In this way, the federal government is attempting to meet the demand for labor in the IT sector, which is particularly high in the major cities (Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main). This applies in particular to Berlin, which is the largest IT location in Germany with 71,000 skilled workers in the IT sector. Every year, an average of 700 new digital companies and 10,000 additional jobs are created in the IT sector in Berlin. This demand for labor cannot even begin to be met by the domestic labor market, which is why Berlin is heavily dependent on further immigration for continued economic growth.  In order to meet this demand, the German government has significantly simplified the immigration options for IT specialists once again at the end of 2023. In this respect, since 18.11.2023 the Blue Card can also be applied for without a recognized university degree, which was previously a prerequisite for all variants of the EU Blue Card. 

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To apply for the Blue Card for IT specialists without a university degree, you must fulfill the following
fulfill the following requirements:

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  • Salary of at least 41,041.80 euros (45.3% of the annual contribution assessment ceiling; in 2024),

  • have worked in the IT sector at specialist level for at least 3 of the last 7 years,

  • Job in Germany is at skilled worker level,

  • no reasons for refusal.

 

The above requirements must be proven by the respective IT specialist when applying for the visa or residence permit.
This applies in particular to three years of professional experience within the last seven years. In the best case scenario,

references from the last employer will be available. If no detailed references are available (as is often the case in the USA and India, for example), you can also prove your professional experience with your CV and your own job descriptions. Both can then be presented as proof of experience at the embassy appointment.

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3.3 Blue card as a young professional

Since 18.11.2023, it has been possible to apply for an EU Blue Card as a young professional. Previously, young professionals and trainees were often unable to apply for a Blue Card, as it was unrealistic in some professions to earn a corresponding salary in the first year of employment. Since the reform, however, it is sufficient for career starters to meet the salary threshold for shortage occupations (€41,041.80 gross per year in 2024). However, the prerequisite for this is that the university degree was obtained no more than three years before applying for the Blue Card (Section 18g (1) sentence 2 no. 2 AufenthG).

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4. Blue Card visa

4.1 Which embassy is responsible for my application?

If you meet the requirements for the EU Blue Card, you can apply for a visa at the relevant German embassy abroad. Which embassy is responsible for your application generally depends on your place of residence. Many embassies provide infographics on their website which can be used to determine which embassy is responsible if there are several German embassies in a country (see e.g. overview of responsibilities of embassies in India (Consulate-Finder), list of responsibilities in the US, and responsibilities in Great Britain/UK (Discrict-Map)).

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As soon as the responsible embassy has been determined, information on the specific application process should be obtained from the website of the respective embassy, as the specific requirements vary from embassy to embassy. A list of all German embassies around the world is published on the website of the Federal Foreign Office. 

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For example, the following information websites are available for visa applications from the most common countries of entry:

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When using the websites, care should only be taken to ensure that the correct visa type is selected and that the responsibility of the respective embassy (or its service provider such as VFS Global) is correctly determined. In principle, the embassy closest to the applicant's place of residence is always responsible (see e.g. district division in the United Kingdom (UK)). There are a few exceptions to this rule, especially in countries where an application is currently not possible for political reasons. If in doubt, you can consult a lawyer specializing in migration law.

4.2 Necessary documents for the Blue Card (2024)

The following documents are usually required to apply for an EU Blue Card: 

 

  • VIDEX application form incl. corresponding declaration in accordance with § 54 AufenthG,

  • Valid passport,

  • Copy of the data page of the passport,

  • passport photos,

  • employment contract and job description,

  • completed and signed declaration of employment,

  • Certificates of university degrees,

  • Anabin extracts or certificate evaluation from the ZAB as proof of recognition,

  • other educational certificates (e.g. language courses or further training),

  • Proof of (travel) health insurance,

  • Curriculum vitae,

  • Proof of pension provision (if older than 45 years),

  • license to practice a profession (if a regulated profession (e.g. engineer) is practiced).

 

Depending on the country and embassy, there may be special requirements for the documents needed. For example, the German embassies in India require an additional contact form (contact form embassy India) and an employer's certificate. The travel health insurances recognized by the embassy also differ depending on the country (see here for recognized travel insurances India). The same applies to the required translations, certifications and apostillations of documents (see e.g. here for recognized document certifications India). The embassies are also free to request any document that they believe is necessary to prove the respective requirement. Particularly in countries that are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention of October 5, 1961 (e.g. Nigeria, see the Federal Foreign Office's list of member states of the Hague Apostille Convention), embassies therefore check every last detail in order to rule out fraud (so-called "plausibility check"). For example, the German embassy in Nigeria even requires primary school certificates and a personally signed letter of motivation (see Nigeria visa checklist). This is otherwise rather untypical. In extreme cases, the embassy may even request new and additional documents until the old ones are no longer valid. In this case, it may help to instruct a lawyer specializing in migration law to enforce your rights.

 

It is clear from the above that it is always necessary to research whether there are any specific peculiarities in your country when applying for an EU Blue Card.

4.3 Application process and processing time Blue Card

If all the necessary documents are available, an appointment can be booked at the embassy via the RK visa. The availability of appointments varies greatly depending on the country in which the visa is being applied for. It is now also possible to apply for an EU Blue Card online. However, this currently only applies to a few countries.

 

As soon as the appointment has taken place, the embassy will process the visa application. If a Blue Card has been applied for a shortage occupation, the embassy will involve the Federal Employment Agency (declaration of employment).  The length of the processing time generally depends on how busy the respective embassy is.  In African and Asian countries in particular, extremely long processing times can sometimes be expected. However, processing times can be significantly reduced if prior approval from the Federal Employment Agency and any necessary certificate assessment from the Central Office for Foreign Education are submitted. It is also generally advisable to submit the documents

in the correct order and well sorted. Since applications for the EU Blue Card Blue Card are generally processed on a priority

basis, a processing time of less than two months (if all required documents are submitted in the correct form). In

certain cases, the processing  time can also be accelerated by using the accelerated procedure for skilled

workers. If, despite appropriate  measures, the embassy continues to processing the application, it may

help to instruct a lawyer specializing  in migration law to  enforce the  application. In this respect, lawyers

have the opportunity to exert pressure  on the embassies and thus  increase the processing speed.

 

Once the visa for the Blue Card has been issued, you can enter Germany. It is advisable check the passport

number on the visa, as embassies often encounter problems when issuing visas. This can have serious consequences

when entering the country.

5. Blue Card residence permit

5.1 Converting a blue card visa into a residence permit

After entering Germany, the visa for the Blue Card must be converted into a residence permit at the relevant immigration office. The same applies to the extension of the Blue Card. The requirements for the residence permit are basically the same as when applying for a visa, but with a few special features. 

 

The easiest way to find out which immigration authority is responsible for you is to use the "Authority Finder" of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). In some cases, there are also authority finders within the individual cities. In Hamburg, for example, each district has its own foreigners authority, which makes the application process even more complicated (see authority finder of the city of Hamburg here). In Hamburg, it is therefore comparatively difficult to determine who is responsible. However, it is to the city's credit that the Hamburg Welcome Center is also an authority with overall responsibility for skilled workers.

5.2 Applying for a Blue Card online

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The residence permit for the EU Blue Card can generally be applied for in any conceivable way (e.g. in writing by post, by e-mail, verbally on site or online using the contact form). The immigration authorities in the major cities (in particular Berlin (Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA)), Munich (Kreisverwaltungsreferat München (KVR)) and Frankfurt am Main (Ausländerbehörde Frankfurt am Main)) have now almost without exception developed online portals to enable applications to be made online.

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The online portals of the largest immigration authorities can be found here:

 

  • Contact form/online service of the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) in Berlin

  • Contact form/online service of the Munich Kreisverwaltungsreferat (KVR)

  • Contact form/online service of the Immigration Office Frankfurt am Main

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Using the contact forms is relatively self-explanatory. Only the responsibilities of the different departments can cause

difficulties. In the contact form of the State Office for Immigration in Berlin (LEA), the responsibilities are as follows:

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Department Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) Berlin B1, B2, B3: Blue Card  and family members + students

Department Landesamt für Einwandeurng (LEA) Berlin B4: Visa approvals for Berlin

Department Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) Berlin B6: Business Immigration Service (BIS)

Department Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) Berlin E2: USA, Canada, South America, et al

Department Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) Berlin E3: Australia, India, Israel, et al

Department Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) Berlin E4: China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Singapore, Vietnam, et al

Department Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) Berlin E5: Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia)

Department Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) Berlin E6: European citizens (freedom of movement), Great Britain, Switzerland

Department Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) Berlin S5: Turkey and Ukraine

 

The complete organizational chart of the State Office for Immigration can be viewed publicly. All other responsibilities of the LEA can also be found in the organization chart (asylum/subsidiary protection, tolerated stay, passport matters, repatriation, internal services/personnel/finances, legal proceedings). 

 

When using the contact form of the Berlin Immigration Office (Landesamt für Einwanderung), you should also note that in addition to the general contact form, there is also a special contact form for applying for an EU Blue Card (see contact form of the Berlin Immigration Office (LEA) for applying for an EU Blue Card). If you wish to use the general contact form (e.g. to submit additional documents), please ensure that you select the correct department (for EU Blue Card holders these are departments B1/B2/B3) and the correct service (e.g. EU Blue Card or family reunification with a Blue Card holder). Some departments of the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) and the Munich District Administration Department (KVR) even offer an emergency appointment or urgent appointment via the contact form.

 

When using the online forms, it is also advisable to download and save the summary of the form or the e-mail confirmation at the end after submitting it. These confirmations serve as proof that the documents were actually submitted in cases where the time of submission of the documents or application is important. This is particularly relevant if, for example, the immigration authority has set a deadline for the submission of documents or if a fictitious certificate is applied for. 

 

The required documents for the Blue Card can usually also be found on the online portals. The list of documents for the EU Blue Card from the largest immigration authorities can be found here:

 

  • Checklist for applying for the EU Blue Card at the State Immigration Office (LEA) in Berlin

  • Checklist for applying for the EU Blue Card at the District Administration Department (KVR) in Munich

  • Checklist for applying for an EU Blue Card at the Immigration Office in Frankfurt am Main

  • Checklist for applying for the EU Blue Card in Hamburg (Hamburg Welcome Center)

 

Until 2023, it was still possible to communicate with the authorities by email, but the public email addresses of the Berlin Immigration Office, the Munich District Administration Office and the Frankfurt am Main Immigration Office have now been switched off. Only lawyers still have the option of contacting these immigration authorities via the electronic justice system (special electronic lawyer's mailbox (beA)). 

5.3 â€‹Documents required for the Blue Card

As a rule, at least the following documents are required to apply for a Blue Card at the relevant immigration authority: 

 

  • Application for an EU Blue Card

  • Valid passport 

  • Employment contract

  • Declaration of employment relationship

  • Professional license (if required)

  • University certificate

  • Anabin extract or certificate evaluation

  • Previous residence permit (visa)

  • Confirmation of registration

  • Tenancy agreement

  • Proof of monthly rental costs

  • Health insurance certificate

  • Current biometric photo

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Once the required documents have been submitted (in full), the Immigration Office will make an appointment to issue the residence permit. The residence permit will be issued after the appointment.

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6. FAQ Blue Card (rights and obligations)

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