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Visa for Opportunity Card (Section 20a, 20b Residence Act)
13.02.2024 - Article
As of June 2024 a visa for a ‘Chancenkarte’ (opportunity card) can be obtained if you are qualified and looking for a suitable employment in Germany. Here you will find information on visa applications for the Opportunity Card.
To find out if you are eligible to apply for the Chancenkarte please use the following self-check: Make it in Germany .
If you got a positive result the following options are open to you:
General Information
The 'Chancenkarte' is a new legal basis in the German Residence Act to enable controlled access to job searches in Germany. In addition to job searches, it also enables the search for measures to recognize foreign professional qualifications in Germany.
The 'opportunity card' can be obtained in two ways:
OPTION 1:
Third-country nationals who can prove that their foreign qualification is fully equivalent and are therefore considered 'skilled workers' can receive the opportunity card without any further special requirements if they can prove that they are able to financially support themselves. More information regarding the recognition procedure can be found at: Anerkennung in Deutschland
You can apply for the Opportunity Card as a recognised skilled worker without having to achieve a minimum number of points.
OPTION 2:
All other applicants must provide proof of a foreign university degree, a professional qualification of at least two years' duration (recognized by the state in the country of training) or a professional qualification issued by a German chamber of commerce abroad. To support your visa application, you will need a positive result for this qualification, which you can apply for online at the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
In addition, either basic German (level A1) or English language skills (level B2) are required. If these requirements are met, you can collect different numbers of points for criteria such as recognition of qualifications in Germany, language skills, professional experience, age and connection to Germany as well as the potential of the accompanying spouse or partner.
At least 6 points must be achieved in order to receive the opportunity card. Carry out the “self-check” here to see whether you can collect enough points for the opportunity card.
The Chancenkarte is issued for a maximum of one year if you can secure your livelihood for this period. During your stay in Germany, it offers opportunities for trial work or part-time employment for 20 hours a week.
Further information on the opportunity card and general information on working and living in Germany can be found on 'Make it in Germany'.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
APPLYING FOR A VISA IN THIS CATEGORY IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF YOU FALL EITHER UNDER OPTION 1 OR OPTION 2! APPLICATIONS WITH A QUALIFICATION WHICH IS NOT RECOGNISED OR HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED POSITIVELY BY THE CENTRAL OFFICE FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION (ZAB) CANNOT BE ACCEPTED!
You can easily apply for your Opportunity Card online via the Consular Services Portal of the Federal Foreign Office. You need to compile the necessary document personally followed by a pre-check of your application You can check the status of your application online at any time. Please refrain from any status enquires, as these will not be answered.
This is how the online application works:
Step 1: Complete your application form online and upload all and correct documents.
Step 2: Submit your application. Your details and documents will be pre-checked once for completeness. You will receive feedback online. If your application is complete, you will receive a link to book your appointment.
Step 3: Use the link you receive to book an appointment online at your diplomatic mission abroad. You may only apply for your appointment once your documents have been pre-checked.
Step 4: Attend your appointment on site at the Embassy. During this appointment, you need to provide the checklist (see below), a biometric passport photo, originals of your documents (certificates), your identity will be checked and your biometric data (fingerprints) recorded.
Please Note: Applications for the Opportunity Card can no longer be handed in directly at the Embassy. Do not book an appointment separately.
Required Documents
Section 20a and 20b of the Residence Act (AufenthG)
To apply, you will need the following original documents plus one set of copies to present at your appointment at the Embassy. We highly recommend to use the information sheet as a checklist and bring it as a print out for your appointment.
Please pay attention that all Tanzanian documents issued by an authority of the state needs to be legalised.
Please sort the individual records in the order listed below.
Please do NOT staple the submitted documents! Information Sheet
The following documents must be submitted in any case, regardless of whether you apply for the opportunity card via option 1 or option 2:
In your application form (VIDEX) you enter all the information about your entry and your stay in Germany. You must complete this form and print it out once, sign and date it.
If you are a minor, your legal representatives must sign the application and declare their consent.
Your passport must be signed and valid for at least one year from the date your visa is issued.
Please note that the document must still have at least two blank pages (if the decision is positive, your visa will be affixed here later).
Do you not have Tanzanian citizenship?
If you are not a Tanzanian citizen, please provide us with your Tanzanian residence permit.
Proof of your residence in Tanzania can be, for example, a copy of your electricity bill, water bill or gas bill.or a rent contract.
For non- Tanzanian nationals: Tanzanian residence permit
Letter of motivation in German stating the professions and information about the planned job search. Including:
- planned sector of search and employment
- region in which the search should take place
- place of residence and accommodation during your stay
- your reasons to look for a job in Germany
i.e. job offers, e-mails, letters or other references with potential employers in Germany
Curriculum Vitae
Please provide us with your CV in English or German. Please use the Europass format.
Proof of financing of at least € 1.091 net per month for the period of one year (2025) which means an amount of at least 13.092€ net has to be proven.
You can cover the costs of living in Germany with your own funds or a formal declaration of commitment. In addition, a secondary employment permitted by the Chancenkarte can also be taken into account - if already foreseeable. Please provide evidence of this as follows, if applicable in your case:
Blocked account: Please open the blocked account in good time before applying for a visa. When applying for a visa, only the official opening confirmation from the bank stating the total amount deposited and the monthly amount available will be accepted. A confirmation without stating these amounts is not sufficient; likewise, the deposit or transfer receipt without the bank's confirmation is not sufficient AND/OR
Secondary employment: If you already have a specific part-time job in Germany in prospect, you can prove this with an employment contract or a binding job offer stating the weekly working hours and monthly earnings. AND/OR
Declaration of commitment: Proof by means of a formal declaration of commitment in accordance with §§ 66, 68 AufenthG, in which a person undertakes in writing to the German immigration authority to bear the costs (original + copy!)
The Health Insurance must cover the entire year. If you provide proof of health insurance for a shorter period (i.e. 6 months), the visa will only be issued for that period.
(Uusually called 'incoming insurance') valid throughout the Schengen area, minimum cover of €30,000, valid for the entire period of validity of the opportunity card (to be proven at the latest when collecting the visa!).
If a long or permanent stay is planned, some travel health insurance policies may exclude insurance cover in their terms and conditions. This restriction may also apply to an “incoming” insurance policy, so please ensure that your supplementary insurance policy provides adequate cover. Further information here
Depending on whether you apply for your opportunity card under option 1 or option 2, please submit the relevant documents.
1. Option: Direct access
Do you have a German vocational qualification or a German university degree? Or a foreign vocational qualification or a foreign university degree, both of which are recognized in Germany? Then you are a 'skilled worker' within the meaning of Section 18 III AufenthG and do not need to collect points to obtain the Chancenkarte. Please provide proof of your qualification as a skilled worker:
Vocational training qualification in Germany OR
University degree from Germany OR
Foreign (e.g. Tanzanian) degree certificate from your degree program OR
a foreign certificate of completed vocational training.
Please note that a legalization is required for the use of Tanzanian documents.
If you have a foreign academic degree: You can use the anabin database to check whether your university degree is recognized in Germany. The anabin assessment of your university degree (not only the university itself!!) must be “Equivalent” or “Equivalent”. Print out the search result in the database and bring the printout with you.
Please contact the German authority responsible for the recognition of foreign degrees: KMK in order to obtain a Statement of Comparability which you need to provide during the process.
OR
If you do not have an academic degree but have completed vocational training abroad, please submit a certificate of equivalence. You can find out which authority is responsible for assessing your foreign qualification at www.Anerkennung-in-Deutschland.de.
Professional practice permit from the competent recognition body or assurance of the professional practice permit - e.g. for medical professions: decision of the licensing authority in the federal territory, i.e. assurance of the professional p actice permit or granting of the medical license.
2. Option: Points System
If you are not a ‘skilled worker’ (see definition above), you must fulfill and prove the following requirements:
Please use the self-check on Make-it-in-Germany.de to check whether you can collect the 6 points required for the opportunity card. Please bring a printout of this with you to your appointment.
Foreign vocational training qualification AS WELL AS proof of equivalence - either by
o Certificate from the 'Central Office for Foreign Education' ZAB about your foreign
professional qualification (state recognition, at least 2 years of training) OR
o Partial recognition notice/deficit notice for your professional qualification
OR
foreign university degree AND proof of state recognition of the university degree - either by
o Determination of the (conditional) comparability of the foreign university degree (printout from the anabin database for your university degree and your university) OR
o (if the degree in the anabin database is not rated “equivalent” or “equivalent” and/or the university is not rated “H+”) Certificate evaluation by the 'Central Office for Foreign Education'
Please note that a legalization is required for the use of Tanzanian documents. This confirms to the domestic authorities that the document was actually issued by an official Tanzanian authority.
Certificate of your knowledge of the German language - at least A1
AND/OR
Certificate of proficiency in English - at least B2!
The issuer of the certificate must be certified by the 'Association of Language Testers in Europe' (ALTE); alternatively, the 'Test of English as a Foreign Language' (TOEFL) is also accepted. Please note – other language institutions do NOT fulfil the requirements.
Proof of your professional experience in the last 5 or 7 years, if this is related to your professional qualification:
Employment references,
employer certificates,
etc.
If you have been legally resident in Germany for at least 6 months without interruption within the last 5 years (short stays under German law do not count!), please provide suitable documents to prove this, e.g.
- uncancelled tenancy agreements
- employment contracts, service contracts, etc.
- Passports with visas and entry stamps
Would your spouse/partner also like to apply for a Chancenkarte - or even already has one - and then enter Germany together with you? If yes, then one of you can collect 1 additional point for the Chancenkarte. If applicable, please
also submit corresponding proof of your spouse's/life partner's Chancenkarte application.
Legalized marriage certificate of your spouse and yourself
In certain cases, additional documents may be required.
Processing time:
Due to the regular need for approval from the authorities in Germany, you should generally allow eight weeks for your visa application to be processed (calculated from the time you submit the complete application documents to the diplomatic mission abroad).
Please do not request a status update – these will not be answered but ignored.
After the above mentioned pre-check you will receive a link to book your appointment. It is not possible to make an appointment by telephone or in person. Special appointments are not provided.
