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EU BLUE CARD OF GERMANY REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURE

When it comes to the EU Blue card scheme, Germany stands alone for its astonishing benefits. Started back in 2012, the EU Blue Card visa has brought many highly qualified professionals to Germany. According to the latest statistics, alone Germany has issued so far 76,000 Blue Card visas. Indian has enjoyed it the most with one-fourth of the total followed by Chinese with 10%.  Important: All EU states offer EU Blue cards except Ireland, UK, and Denmark. (You can read here about how EU Blue Card works and all other EU states Blue Card application requirements). Key Benefits↓
⇒ No heavy financial proofs
⇒ No restriction of having a job offer from the shortage occupation list
⇒ No language proficiency required
⇒ Lowest ever time duration for PR
⇒ No obligatory work experience required
⇒ Visa-free entry into other EU member states
EU Blue Card is a so-called mimic form of USA Green Card, but here in Europe, you need to have 1.5 more wages threshold of a local German. This has especially been designed to attract highly qualified professionals from non-EU countries. The major requirements for the EU Blue Card of Germany are:
  • German or recognized foreign or comparable foreign university degree
  • An employment contract or a binding job offer (no restriction of having a job from shortage occupation list)
In order to satisfy the conditions of wages threshold, the minimum is:
  • proof of gross income of €53,600
  • for natural scientists, mathematicians, and engineers as well as doctors and IT specialists, it is based on a lower salary limit of €41,808.
Visa Duration Initially, applicants are given a visa for 4 years of total duration. If the work contract has a validity of fewer than four years, then the visa will be issued for the job duration plus 3 months of extra time. Generally, people do not need to renew or extend the visa, as the next step is surely permanent residency. Settlement Possibilities Once you have been working and living on a Blue Card in Germany, you will be able to get permanent residency after a total time of 33 months. In case you have adequate knowledge at  B1 level of German language proficiency, the time is reduced to 21 months. On the other hand, the normal PR time requirement is 7 to 8 years for other visa categories. Family Reunion You can sponsor your family to stay with you in Germany. Your spouse is also allowed to work without time restrictions. Academic Qualification Recognition In order to have a smooth job process, you must have your academic qualification recognized according to German education standards. For doing so, you may use the ‘Recognition in Germany’ portal. Please note, such organizations do charge an amount for their services. The processing time is normally 2 to 3 months. But once you mention is the application of recognition that you need this for the EU Blue Card, the process will take less time. You must not forget to check beforehand, if your university is recognized in Germany, for doing so, visit the ‘Anabin‘ website for the database (this website is in German language, so better use it in Google Chrome so that you can get the translation in real-time). Moving to other EU State You can also settle in other EU member states once you have passed 18 months in Germany on this visa status. Keep in mind that you will have to face other new challenges in a new country and they will have their own regulations for family settlement and PR. How to apply for the EU Blue Card? Having all required documentation met, you can apply for the EU Blue Card in the local German embassy or consulate. Many embassies work on the basis of a prior appointment. So contact visa sections of the embassies for the appointment (online appointment system available in most countries). There are 227 German missions abroad that could be reached here. If you are a citizen of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and the United States of America, you can enter Germany on a visa-free basis and within three months can apply for a Blue Card subject to having a job contract. You are given 3 months of initial visa that is converted into the EU Blue Card by registering yourself into ‘Ausländerbehörde’. At the time of application, you may need to present certain types of documents to satisfy the visa offer in order to get the visa. Which are:   How to find English Jobs in Germany? There are many good websites and Facebook groups online to apply for online jobs in Germany. Our article can help you do so by clicking here. See Also: You can also look for a Job Seeker visa in Germany if you feel like traveling to Germany for looking for a job.